The best gluten free cereal just might be the cereal you’re already eating. When I started putting together our shopping list for this taste test, I was pleased to discover that a lot of cereals we’ve positively reviewed in other rankings are gluten free. In terms of breakfast foods, cereal isn’t like bread, bagels, or waffles, where the GF version just sort of squeaks by as an acceptable substitute. A lot of delicious and beloved cereals are made with rice and/or corn and are naturally gluten free. We obviously didn’t try every single GF cereal on the market, but we put together a good selection of classic cereals that just so happen to be gluten free and newer cereals that shout it from the rooftops.
I’ll just come out and say it: If you’re gluten sensitive or intolerant, you should be eating more cereal. I eat the shit out of gluten, but I would voluntarily and permanently limit myself to only the cereals on this list—they’re that good. I guess it would be sort of a celiac solidarity thing. You’re welcome! Anyway, I hope you’ll enjoy a bowl of these best tasting gluten free cereals sooner rather than later.
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- Honey Nut Chex
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It never occurs to me to buy Chex. I think it’s because I find the cereal aisle to be overwhelming, so if I can just wholesale ignore an entire, rather prolific brand of cereal (Chex, Cheerios, etc.), I’ll find it easier to decide what to buy. But if you don’t eat gluten, Corn and Rice Chex are incredible options. They’re crunchy, their construction makes them hold up well in milk, and they come in a bunch of flavors. In particular, we gravitated toward the warm, sweet flavor of Honey Nut Chex. These are perfect for people who like Honey Nut Cheerios, which are also gluten free, but according to the Canadian Celiac Association, are made with oats that are “frequently cross contaminated with gluten-containing grains, especially barley and wheat,” even if the oats themselves are gluten free. If you’d rather be safe than sorry, try Honey Nut Chex instead.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Nature’s Path Organic Envirokidz Peanut Butter Panda Puffs
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I’ve included Envirokidz Peanut Butter Panda Puffs in several rankings because I love it and think it is basically perfect. It’s sweet but not too sweet. It’s perfectly crispy-crunchy. Its panda bear mascot is obnoxiously cute. It really tastes peanut buttery. Incidentally, it is also gluten free and, in my book, it’s one of the best gluten free cereals you can buy, especially if you’re a peanut butter boi like our friend Link Neal. For this taste test, we also tried the Envirokidz Leapin’ Lemurs cereal, which basically combines Panda Puffs and Choco Chimps. It’s also good and also gluten free, but the big peanutty flavor of the peanut butter puffs kind of overpowers the chocolate puffs, so just stick with Panda Puffs.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Cascadian Farms Organic Gluten Free Berry Vanilla Puffs
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These are like tastier, more grown-up Crunch Berries, but with more of a blueberry bent. These little round corn puffs (which are like Kix or Cocoa Puffs, structurally) are extremely light and crispy. For some reason, a number of the GF cereals we tried were sort of hard and crunchy, particularly if they came in flake form; that’s not the case here. They totally nailed the texture of a pleasant puff. I didn’t pick up on much vanilla flavor, but I’m cool with that since vanilla extract flavor can be sort of overwhelming. Pick up this gluten free cereal if you have kids in the house. I think they’ll love it.
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- Nature’s Path Organic Sunrise Crunchy Honey
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If you like variety in a cereal, this is a great gluten free option. It has flakes, Kix-like corn balls, and crunchy puffed rice. Delicious. And if you like good, authentic honey flavor, this may be the best gluten free cereal for you. When you think of honey cereal, you probably think Smacks or Corn Pops, but this is a way more natural, fresh-from-the comb honey flavor. The mix of morsels and that sweet, addictive flavor will keep you coming back for more.
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- Nature’s Path Organic Sunrise Crunchy Maple
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Everyone on the team really freaked out for this gluten free cereal. It tastes like a pancake breakfast—but crunchy and in a box. Like the Sunrise Crunchy Honey, this cereal has an excellent mix of bits: flakes, corn balls, and crunchy puffed rice. The warm, authentic maple flavor puts this one out in front. This cereal is worthy of weekend breakfast—plus, it’s gluten free, has 14 grams of whole grains, and 4 grams of fiber. It’s the best gluten free cereal if gluten intolerance keeps pancakes off your plate.
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- Chocolate Chex
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I eat a lot of cereal around here, and Chocolate Chex may be my new favorite. It’s about half plain Rice Chex—which are very good in their own right—and half Rice Chex that have been coated in a sugary, cocoa-y powder, which remind me of Puppy Chow (aka Chex coated in a powdered sugar and cocoa powder). Would the cereal be better if it were all chocolatey morsels? Well, yeah, but I assume the folks at General Mills know what they’re doing and decided that would have been way too indulgent for a grown-up chocolate cereal. Chocolate Chex are great in milk, but I’ve really taken to eating them dry by the fistful. And since they’re made with rice, they’re naturally gluten free. It’s the best gluten free cereal that feels like a treat but still makes for a reasonable breakfast.
Credit: Merc / Target
Best Corn
Best Peanut Butter
Best Fruity
Best Honey Flavor
Best Breakfasty Flavor
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Simple Truth Organic Frosted Flakes, Nature’s Path Organic Envirokidz Koala Crisp, Nature’s Path Organic Envirokidz Leapin’ Lemurs, Mom’s Best Cereal Crispy Cocoa Rice, One Degree Organic Foods Gluten Free Sprouted Brown Rice Cacao Crisps, Three Wishes Honey, Three Wishes Cinnamon, Three Wishes Cocoa, Cinnamon Chex
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