14 Aldi Brand Cereals, Ranked Worst To Best

The breakfast cereal section at Aldi offers a variety of popular cereals at competitive prices. There is not nearly as much selection as other large grocery chains which offer name brand cereals as well as their own off-brand counterparts. However, Aldi shoppers can find the Millville brand of many items for less than half the price of competing brands. Millville cereals are made by Malt-O-Meal (MOM), which is owned by Post. You can find some of Post's popular cereals in the Aldi aisles like Raisin Bran, Frosted Flakes, and Frosted Bite Size Shredded Wheat.

Another notable advantage of Aldi cereals is the company's commitment to selling products without artificial flavors or synthetic colors. All the boxes of cereal tasted for this ranking indicated they did not contain either, something many families are becoming more conscious of when purchasing processed foods.

Of course, it's important to consider ingredients and nutrition when planning a balanced breakfast, but it is just as important for the experience to be enjoyable. If you won't eat the cereal, you won't get any nutrition from it. Therefore, I have tasted 14 of Aldi's popular cereals and ranked them from worst to best based on taste, texture, brand similarity, and whether I'd buy them again. For more on the methodology, see the slide at the end. While it was fun to taste each of these cereals individually, I recommend grabbing a few of your favorites and mixing them to create your own blend of a colorful, sugary morning delight.

This cereal did not have any redeeming qualities. The flavor was very wheat-y, but also very sweet. I did not detect any flavor of honey, just a lot of sugar. It reminded me of sweetened popcorn, but not in a good way. There was a kind of barnyard flavor to it, maybe reminiscent of the smell of wet hay. The texture was more like Styrofoam, and it soaked up the milk quickly so that didn't add anything to the experience.

Based on the name, one might view this cereal as a healthier option compared with some others like Kookies or Cocoa Peanut Butter Puffs. However, Honey Wheat Puffs have the most sugar per serving of all the cereals in this list and zero dietary fiber. Overall, this one doesn't seem like a great breakfast choice.

Honey Wheat Puffs, or its name-brand counterpart Honey Smacks, isn't a cereal I am familiar with, so I can't say if the Aldi version is similar to the name brand. I sincerely hope it's not as this was not a pleasant flavor or texture. I would not purchase this one again.

While this may be one of the best choices for a healthy breakfast cereal, the flavor is so sad. It would have absolutely no sweetness without the raisins which are pulling a lot of weight here. The texture isn't very exciting either. The flakes are crunchy at the start, but they absorbed the milk quickly and started to become mushy in the bowl. The Aldi version of this cereal seems pretty close to the name-brand, but maybe a little less sweet. I think this one could be a good candidate for some toppings which makes sense as there is also a version with granola clusters.

If you are looking to add fiber to your diet, Raisin Bran is a good option. With 8 grams of dietary fiber per serving, it is likely to keep you full longer than many of the other cereals on this list. Nutrition was not considered as part of this ranking, but the cereals vary in their nutritional value and all contain added vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium, B vitamins, folate, and more. These are vitamins and minerals that have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as nutrient deficiencies in the population in the United States.

This version of the popular Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal tasted far too much like cardboard for my liking. The cereal really held its crunch in the milk, but maybe too much. It had me wondering what these little squares were made of — and not in a good way. It turns out that the cereal is made of just wheat and rice flour, the latter tends to hold its crisp. I didn't detect much cinnamon flavor and it wasn't even that sweet.

This was not the cereal I remember, and I don't think the Millville version holds up to the name-brand cereal. I just wasn't getting a lot of flavor out of the whole experience. This was one instance where I might have enjoyed more sweetness.

This was one of my favorite cereals as a kid. Why wouldn't it be? You are basically allowed to eat chocolate chip cookies and milk for breakfast. While I have fond memories of this cereal, it did not hold up in the taste test. It's too sweet and it tastes less like cookies and milk and more like a malt-flavored cereal. I don't get any chocolate flavor from the cookies, but rather a bitterness that is unpleasant and not reminiscent of chocolate chip cookies.

Though the texture of the cereal is nice because the cookies hold their crunch while they soak in some of the milk, that wasn't enough to redeem the flavor for me. Perhaps the name-brand version is better, but I can't see myself giving this one another chance. In past years, Aldi has featured a limited edition snickerdoodle version of this cereal that was well reviewed by cereal enthusiasts. Perhaps if Millville were to bring that one back, it would be worth a try.

Berry Kid's Krunch is the Millville answer to Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries, the branding indicates this by featuring a pirate ship in the background on the box. As soon as I opened this one, the smell of fake fruit and sugar punched me in the face. I could even smell it when I was feet away from the box, it was pretty overwhelming. While the crunch is certainly present when eating this cereal, that might be its most redeeming quality. The flavor is so sweet and there wasn't much of a discernible fruit flavor. It mostly just tastes like sugar. While the cereal is crunchy, it also disintegrates in your mouth. The texture reminded me of eating cheese balls when they turn into a paste while you chew.

I'm sure Berry Kid's Krunch is fun for kids as the marketing implies. As an adult, I don't find it enjoyable to eat and it doesn't have any redeeming nutritional value that would set it apart from any other cereal on this list.

I was looking forward to trying Cocoa Peanut Butter Puffs because it wasn't a cereal I grew up eating, but it has always looked intriguing to me as an adult. The fact that there are chocolate puffs and peanut butter puffs gives this cereal a little variety in flavor. The peanut butter flavor dominates, which gives a welcome salty note rarely found in breakfast cereal. While it still has that candy-like peanut butter and chocolate flavor, it's not overly sweet. There is a slightly bitter aftertaste which took this one down a bit in the ranking. The texture is nice and stays crunchy in the milk.

This isn't a cereal in my regular rotation, but I can see why people of all ages enjoy it. If you enjoy mixing different cereals, this one seems like a good candidate. Some cereal fans recommend mixing Cocoa Peanut Butter Puffs with a fruity cereal like Strawberry Vanilla Chex or Fruity Pebbles for a peanut butter and jelly vibe.

As soon as I opened the box of Fruit Rounds, the familiar smell of Fruit Loops engulfed me like a cartoon cloud. It smelled like lemon candy. I find the fun, bright colors of this cereal appealing, especially knowing the colors come from fruit juices rather than food dyes. Overall, the flavor and sweetness level were nice. I wouldn't say it tastes like eating a bowl of fruit as much as a bowl of citrus and sugar, but the sweetness is balanced by that punchy lemon flavor. The texture is a little less appealing. It started out crunchy, but then became pasty as I chewed.

The Aldi version reminds me of the Fruit Loops I ate growing up, though the color and texture are a bit muted. While I am unlikely to purchase this one again, it was nice to have a trip down memory lane. I think more baked goods could benefit from the addition of this lemony cereal, but I don't think we need to go back to putting Fruit Loops on pizza.

Tony the Tiger is one of the cereal mascots from childhood that stands out vividly in my memory. While I don't remember eating a lot of Frosted Flakes as a kid, this cereal definitely took me back. This one sits right in the middle of the list because there is nothing exceptional about Frosted Flakes. You get a little corn flavor from the flakes, but mostly just sweetness. The texture is nice, but the flakes do start to go soggy in the milk pretty quickly. This is an easy morning cereal for when you need a gentle start to the day.

The Aldi Frosted Flakes come in a family-sized box and it was my most expensive purchase at $3.45. While I don't see myself eating a lot of Frosted Flakes for breakfast anymore, this cereal does offer a great crunchy element for cooking and the slight sweetness can be surprisingly enjoyable in savory dishes. You can use Aldi Frosted Flakes in place of breadcrumbs, like to bread chicken tenders before frying. Also, think of adding these flakes to any dish that would benefit from a crunchy topping like cheesy potatoes or a classic dish of mac and cheese.

As soon as I poured the milk, I heard the familiar snap, crackle, and pop that is emblematic of this toasted rice cereal. Having not eaten this one in many years on its own, I was surprised at how much I liked the flavor. There isn't much going on, but there is a slight nuttiness to the crisped rice, and it pairs well with milk. Though, after four or five spoonfuls it starts to get pretty boring. But, the crunch of this cereal is delightful. Even as the crisped rice starts to get a little soggy from the milk, it adds textural interest as some of the rice stays crispy.

This is one of the few gluten-free cereal options at Aldi and luckily it's one in which you don't have to compromise flavor or texture for a gluten-free product. I can't find any difference between the Millville Crispy Rice and the name-brand Rice Krispies. While I don't know if I will purchase this again to eat for breakfast, I will most certainly use it in baking like in this recipe for scotcheroos.

Honey Grahams was a surprise as it was not as sweet as I expected, and I found I really enjoyed it. There is a lightly sweet graham flavor from the molasses and the squares are nice and crunchy. The cereal does start to soften with the milk, but this ends up offering a bit more textural variety as some of the squares stay crisp. While I consider this cereal on the sugary side — less adult perhaps, it doesn't have much more sugar than some of the other cereals I keep in my pantry. If you prefer a sweet fix in the morning, this may be a good option.

As I was eating this cereal, I found it transported me back to childhood thinking of eating Golden Grahams s'mores bars which are prepared similarly to Rice Krispies treats but with Golden Grahams (or Honey Grahams), chocolate chunks, and extra marshmallows. I can definitely see myself purchasing this box again if not for the morning, then to make s'mores cereal treats.

Part of the Fit and Active line, Vitality Cereal With Red Berries is Aldi's version of Special K Red Berries and I think it holds up well against the name-brand box. The freeze-dried strawberries have a really nice fresh strawberry flavor that you rarely get from a boxed product. The wheat and rice flakes are lightly sweetened, and, in my opinion, this adds too much sweetness overall. I would rather the strawberries be the sweetest part of this cereal. The texture is also very pleasant as the strawberries are a nice contrast to the crunchy flakes. The flakes did start to get soggy before I could finish, but this was the only cereal in which I ate the entire bowl.

Aldi offers a vanilla almond flavor of this cereal as well which I did not include in this ranking. I think what really shines in this product are the freeze-dried strawberries and without the freshness they provide, this would be cloyingly sweet. The Fit and Active line of products at Aldi are meant to be low calorie, low carb, low sugar, and low sodium, but I found each of these distinctions to be comparable with the other cereals in this ranking. So, while this cereal was enjoyable, I wouldn't consider it a healthier option than others.

As Shredded Wheat is one of Post's cereals, it is not surprising that this one ranks high on the list from Millville. One thing I found strange upon opening the box was the variability of the shredded wheat biscuits. Many of them were stuck together and there was a lot of variation in the size and amount of frosting for each biscuit. The flavor of the wheat biscuits can be kind of bland, but the little bit of frosting adds a nice sweetness and isn't overly sweet. The texture holds up well in milk and even benefits from soaking in the milk to soften the biscuits slightly.

Aldi has two other flavors of Frosted Shredded Bite Size Wheat: blueberry and strawberry. Though I did not include these versions in this ranking, I would like to try them. As a high fiber cereal, this one can be a good choice in the morning. Studies show most Americans do not eat enough fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar, keep the heart healthy, and regulate the digestive system. I enjoy eating my Shredded Wheat cereal with peanut butter and slices of banana for added protein and fiber.

Personally, this is one of my go-to cereals. This box scored high in my ranking despite being a little on the sweet side. Interestingly this cereal has one of the lowest amounts of added sugar at 7 grams per serving. Because it has a mix of corn flakes, wheat flakes, and granola clusters, the flavor and texture of each bite is more interesting and varied. The cereal flakes do tend to get soggy, but there are enough other contrasting textures because the clusters stay crunchy. Aldi also has a version of this cereal with almonds which add another nice texture and nuttier flavor.

I find the Aldi version very similar to the name-brand Honey Bunches of Oats, though maybe slightly sweeter. I also found that the Honey Crunch 'N Oats had an unexplained flavor of coconut. Coconut is not listed as one of the ingredients, so I'm not sure where the flavor is coming from. It doesn't bother me but could be off-putting if you aren't expecting it based on the name and listed ingredients. Overall, I recommend this Aldi cereal and will likely purchase it again.

At $2.85 for the family-sized box, Aldi's Honey Nut Crispy Oats cereal is a great bargain. This was the favorite box I tried because the flavor was slightly sweet, I could taste the honey, and the nuttiness of the oats balanced it out. The texture of this one got top marks as it held its crunchiness with the milk. I couldn't tell the difference between the Aldi brand and the Honey Nut Cheerios.

Like its name-brand counterpart, Aldi's Honey Nut Crispy Oats cereal is low in fat and sugar. While I would likely add some fruit to my bowl, like sliced bananas or berries, this cereal was perfectly acceptable on its own. It is also a great cereal to mix with others as the flavor isn't overwhelming and pairs nicely with cereals like granola or bran flakes for more interesting texture contrasts. I would absolutely purchase this one again for breakfast or for snacks like homemade chex mix.

To conduct this taste test, I visited my local Aldi and chose 14 of its popular cereals. I selected a mix of cereals marketed toward children and adults and tried to choose options that would be popular across different households. For each cereal, I poured the recommended serving, usually around 1 cup, into a bowl and poured 2% milk on top. I ate a few bites of each, though I ended up eating more of some cereals to judge the texture as it sat in the milk.

To assess the flavor, I evaluated sweetness, bitterness, nuttiness, and palatability. Texture was judged based on crunchiness, how well the cereal stood up to milk, and the variety of textures. Lastly, I judged the cereals on their similarity to the brand-name counterpart and whether I would purchase them again. I used a 1 to 5 scale to rate each criterion, then added the scores together to rank the cereals.