What are the Best Vegan Cereal Brands for 2020?
For thousands of people all around the world, cereal is their go-to for breakfast in the mornings. Whether cereal reminds you of your childhood as you got ready for school or it’s your favorite thing to eat before work, it’s difficult to find something else that’s just as filling and nutritious yet tasty that helps you prepare for the day and power through. As the day goes on, cereal also makes an excellent snack and can be added to desserts such as ice cream in the evenings.
Once people become vegan, one of the first thoughts on their mind may be whether they can still eat their favorite breakfast foods. The good news is, the answer is yes. In fact, most cereals are naturally vegan as they don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients, and they’ll taste just as good when you substitute in plant based milk. On top of this, many companies are creating vegan friendly cereals so they can cater to the vegan population, which grows larger each year.
Whether you need a nutritious, whole-grain start to the day, or you need something that will help to keep you full, vegan friendly breakfast cereals are a great choice and there are plenty of options to choose from on the market. Keep in mind that it’s a good idea to conduct research on the company, check the ingredient list, and read through reviews to ensure the cereal you’re investing in is indeed vegan, and non-GMO or gluten free if that is important to you as well.
Top 5 Vegan Cereal Brands
Ingredients to Avoid in Vegan Cereals
As you choose your cereal, be wary of these ingredients, which are derived from animals:
- Honey, a common sweetener that many people forget is not vegan. Even though your cereal might not have honey in its name, check the ingredient list.
- Gelatin, a thickening agent created from animal hooves that’s often in marshmallow or frosted cereals such as Lucky Charms and Frosted Mini-Wheats.
- Vitamin D3, which comes from two sources: sheep’s wool and lichen. If possible, check to make sure the D3 in your cereal is indeed plant-based. Your safest bet is to invest in cereals that have been certified to be vegan and proudly promote this certification.
The Best Vegan Cereals List
① Kashi GO Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal
This cereal from Kashi GO is crunchy and full of peanut butter flavor that’s perfect for your mornings. A single serving provides an impressive six grams of fiber, 13 grams of whole grain, and 10 grams of protein. Each spoonful gives you plant based protein in a cereal that’s non-GMO, vegan, and made right here in the USA. The puffed, crunchy cereal with whole grain and peanut butter clusters contains rye, barley, brown rice, and hard red wheat. These all come together to provide a salty yet sweet taste that’s an excellent boost to start your day.
You’ll get a satisfying start, as all of Kashi’s breakfast cereals are filled with wholesome nutrition and are crunchy yet bursting with flavor. Many people feel that this is an indulgent cereal that they can treat themselves to, and is satisfying for the whole day. If you want plant-powered, crunchy nutrition that supports ethical and sustainable farming practices, this is the product for you. Overall, this is a tasty breakfast cereal that goes well with fresh fruit, yogurt, traditional dairy milk, or nut-based milk. It’s great even all by itself as a snack, at any time of the day. With freshness and great taste, it’s packaged perfectly to take on the go so you can bring it as you travel, or take it with you to school or work. Pros Cons
② 365 Everyday Value Multi-Grain Morning O’s
You can find your perfect, nutritious, and energy-boosting cereal for every morning with 365 Everyday Value’s Multi-Grain O’s. This cereal is produced by Whole Foods Market and aims to provide you with a breakfast that will improve your mood, memory, mental performance, and concentration by giving your brain the dose of glucose it needs in order to perform at its best. Packed with whole grain goodness at an impressive 18 grams of whole grains per serving, this cereal contains five separate grains and is naturally sweetened, so you get nutrition with just a touch of sweetness that isn’t overpowering or artificial. Whole Foods has a goal to offer you a wide variety of tasty and delicious breakfast cereals that provide your body with everything it needs to power through the day.
Each of the company’s foods has been tested and certified to not contain more than 100 harmful chemicals; as a practice, Whole Foods does not allow any of these chemicals and believes that your foods should be clean, pure, organic, and natural. The 365 Everyday Value brand especially provides you with organic products that you can completely trust yet won’t make a big impact on your wallet, so you can indulge in foods that are good for you without a worry. All of these products are created to adhere to Whole Foods’ strict standards of quality. This cereal in particular comes in that classic O shape that you know and love, with a multigrain twist. The five grain blend includes brown rice, corn, oats, barley, and whole wheat; simply pour in your favorite milk or sprinkle these into yogurt for a tasty and healthy breakfast/snack.
Pros Cons
③ Barbara’s Bakery Organic Corn Flakes
This cereal from Barbara’s Bakery is a great choice for people who would like a natural, organic twist to their traditional breakfast. These corn flakes are a delicious and classic start to your morning, and they’re USDA Organic certified, Kosher certified, gluten free, and have the Non-GMO Project Verified seal–with the same great taste you’re familiar with. If you enjoy corn flakes, you can feel good about eating these; they also are naturally sweetened with juice from fruits, and a serving has just two grams of sugar.
Barbara’s Bakery aimed to make corn flakes better when they came up with this cereal, and it’s definitely a viable alternative for people who would like whole grain corn flakes that are natural and healthier. The flakes are completely fat free and cholesterol free, and they don’t contain any artificial preservatives, flavors, or additives. With just a hint of sweetness, these flakes are a favorite among both adults and children, as they’re still crunchy and have a toasted, rich corn flavor. Barbara’s did the impossible: it took a traditional cereal and made it healthier, organic, and lightly sweetened, and gave it a richer taste. This cereal is perfect with milk, your favorite fruit juice, or all by itself. A simple ingredient list includes sea salt, organic apple juice concentrate, and organic corn meal.
Pros Cons
④ Quaker Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal
Cap’n Crunch is a classic cereal that many people loved growing up–and still love, in fact. The good news is, this famous cereal that’s tasty is also healthy for you and is completely vegan. Cap’n Crunch has been around since the eighties. It was developed by Quaker, a company that’s famous for its oats and aims to provide wholesome goodness in all of its products, which include cookies, oatmeal, overnight oats, bars, and cereals–an excellent spread for your daily breakfast. Quaker is a long-established company you can count on, and this cereal in particular is vegan and not only provides that sweet, real peanut butter taste that many people love, but also delivers on an excellent crunch in every spoonful. Ingredients include zinc oxide, iron, salt, coconut oil, rice flour, oat flour, peanut butter, sugar, and corn flour. It should be noted that due to the peanut butter, this cereal does indeed contain peanuts, which may be a concern for people who have allergies or sensitivities.
Pros Cons
⑤ Cascadian Farm Organic Granola Fruit and Nut Cereal
This cereal from Cascadian Farm features fruit granola and nuts, and is made from simple, organic, non-GMO ingredients. The granola includes cranberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins, crisp rice, and whole grain oats–so you get an excellent, tasty crunch with a natural and light sweetness from the fruit. Every ingredient was made without any synthetic pesticides or GMOs, and the cereal is certified organic. Cascadian Farm aims to provide you with a wholesome breakfast option; it’s kosher and completely free of any artificial colors or artificial flavors. As a matter of fact, Cascadian Farm is one of the leading brands in this country for organic foods, and all of its granolas and cereals are certified to be organic and non-GMO.
The company cares about the integrity of its food and its impressive reputation, and aims to increase the organic foods available to you as time goes on. Overall, this organic cereal is great for breakfast with a glass of milk or coffee, as an afternoon snack, or even sprinkled as a crunchy and sweet treat on top of your ice cream for dessert. A simple ingredient list includes vitamin E, natural flavor, sea salt, molasses, cranberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins, sunflower oil, rice, cane sugar, and whole grain oats.
Pros Cons
⑥ Nature’s Path Organic Gluten-Free Crunchy Maple Sunrise Cereal
This cereal from Nature’s Path aims to help you greet the day with a nutritious boost that will power you through everything you need to accomplish. The crunchy, lightly sweetened cereal contains only non-GMO corn and a slight touch of maple syrup that provides just the right amount of sweetness, and it’s gluten free and completely organic. All of Nature Path’s products are vegetarian, non-GMO verified, and USDA Organic certified, so you can rest assured that you’re investing in something that’s natural and healthy for you. This breakfast cereal in particular provides you with a delicious, warm, real taste that comes with a variety of tasty textures.
You’ll find crisps, puffs, and flakes all together that are made from wholesome grains such as flax seeds, amaranth, quinoa, and corn. If you need a cereal that’s gluten-free, this one particularly shows that you can still have a satisfying and delicious breakfast. It’s completely made here in the US, and each low-fat, wheat-free serving provides you with 12 grams of whole grains, two grams of protein, and three grams of fiber; it’s easy to digest and supports your overall health as it provides you the nutritious building blocks you need to power through the day.
Pros Cons
⑦ Fiber One Original Bran Whole Grain Cereal
Fiber One is a popular brand that provides foods that are full of fiber, and this tasty bran cereal that fuels your morning is no different. The cereal is full of whole grain–there’s 13 grams per serving–that helps you power through the day. It also contains more than 50% of the daily recommended value of fiber, which means that it supports a healthy digestive system and is easy to eat. Only one in every ten Americans get the amount of fiber they need, so eating this cereal for breakfast immediately puts you on track and highly supports a healthy diet. It’s also nutrient rich, with over ten minerals and vitamins included and just 60 calories per serving.
If you need something to fuel your mornings, support your digestive system, or would like something that aids in a weight loss regimen, this is a nutritious and tasty cereal that’s perfect for the entire family. Featuring an original Fiber One cereal formula, this product doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, artificial colors, or high fructose corn syrup, which many other cereals unfortunately contain. The high amount of fiber will help you feel full until it’s lunch time, and the very first ingredient is whole grain wheat. Other ingredients include vitamins C, B, B6, B12, and B2, as well as iron, zinc, calcium, natural flavor, modified wheat starch, and corn bran.
Pros Cons
Conclusion & What is the Best Vegan Cereal
If you’ve recently become vegan, it’s important to check to make sure the cereal you eat for breakfast adheres to your new diet. Whether you need something healthy that provides fiber, whole grains, and other nutrients to help you power through the day or you have a cereal you’ve loved since childhood, the good news is there are many breakfast cereals that don’t contain any animal products. Most of this cereal also happens to be free of artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors, and is often USDA certified organic and created using ethical farming practices, so you can feel good about what you’re investing in in general.
To make sure your cereal is indeed vegan, it’s always a good idea to check out the ingredient list and conduct research on any ingredient you’re unfamiliar with. Things such as vitamin D3 and gelatin are particularly tricky, because many people are unaware that these are animal derived and it can be difficult to find the sources of trace ingredients such as vitamins. The easiest hint that will allow you to find a vegan cereal quickly is to look for a vegan certification on the box. The company should proudly display this if they’ve been indeed certified to contain only vegan ingredients, and this will make it much easier to find vegan products. Check out our favorite to start our mornings, Kashi GO Peanut Butter Crunch (CHECK BEST PRICE HERE).
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