13 Trader Joe's Breakfast Cereals, Ranked

When you need a quick breakfast on a particularly busy morning, or when you just don't feel like actually cooking dinner, or when you're craving a midnight snack that's not an entire pint of ice cream, cereal is always there for you. It's quick, it's easy, and it's shelf-stable, making it the ideal meal or snack when you don't have much time or energy to cook. And while you could choose from a slew of name brand cereals at any old grocery store you go to, Trader Joe's may just be the best place to do your cereal shopping.

The brand carries a variety of cereals that echo your favorite childhood classics and more adult-centered cereals alike. But which Trader Joe's cereals are the best? I've tried 13 different cereals from the popular grocery chain, ranking them from worst to best so you know what to try the next time you go shopping there. These cereals are ranked according to both flavor and texture, and I tested them both with milk and on their own in more of a snack-y format. I tried to determine how they would perform best — on their own, combined with other ingredients, or served simply with the milk of your choice.

Hopefully, this ranking will guide you in the direction of your next favorite cereal from Trader Joe's. But when in doubt, don't take my word for it — try these cereals for yourself.

Let me preface this by saying that I've never been a fan of fruity cereals — not even when I was a kid. Therefore, I may be biased when I say that Trader Joe's Tiny Fruity Cuties were my least favorite cereal of the bunch I tried. It's simply too sweet and fruity to actually eat a whole bowl of the stuff. That being said, I did find the flavor quite a bit milder than most of the other fruity cereals I've had. Plus, apart from that sweetness, the flavor isn't all too bad, and chances are that kids are going to love it.

The corn and oat base of the cereal provides for a decent crunch, but it soaks up milk quickly, meaning that this cereal gets soggy after just a few minutes. Ultimately, this cereal would be at its best in some sort of snack mix situation where it's enjoyed with other ingredients that can balance out that intense fruitiness. But would I ever want to eat a whole bowl of the stuff? Not exactly. Perhaps the fruity cereal lovers can get behind this undeniably cute cereal, though.

If you're looking for the most basic cereal that Trader Joe's offers, you've found it in Joe's O's. This cereal is clearly meant to mirror Cheerios, and if I'm being honest, they basically taste exactly the same. This cereal certainly isn't something I would go out of my way for — it's just made from toasted whole grain oats that themselves do not boast a lot of flavor. They're not really bad, but they're so uninteresting that you could eat a whole bowl of them without rendering much on your taste buds at all.

That's why I think of this cereal as more of a base to include other ingredients with. For example, Joe's O's could function as a backdrop to bananas and berries, coconut flakes, and other ingredients that could make the whole bowl more interesting. On its own, though, Joe's O's cereal just doesn't have that much to offer on the flavor front.

As a peanut butter cereal lover, I truly believed that Trader Joe's Puffins Peanut Butter was going to be my favorite cereal of them all, but when I opened the box and actually tasted one, I was sorely disappointed. Most notably, the cereal didn't actually taste like peanut butter at all. Sure, maybe there's a slight aftertaste of peanut butter, but the overwhelming flavor is that of corn, which makes sense since corn meal is the first ingredient. And it's not a nice, innocuous corn-flavored cereal, either — it's aggressively corn-y, which is not what I was expecting based on the box alone.

That being said, this cereal ranks higher than a few of the others on this list because the texture is so, so good. This "puffy" cereal makes for an excellent crunch, and it doesn't get soggy too quickly. It's also a good size — larger than most cereals, but still small enough to fit several on a spoon. These may not taste bad if they were combined with other ingredients to cover their flavor, but unfortunately, the texture alone is not enough to actually make them delicious.

The idea to make "just the clusters" granola is one I fully get behind, and I'm grateful for whoever at Trader Joe's dreamed it up. They're obviously the best part of any granola mix, so why shouldn't they comprise the whole thing? That's why the texture of Just the Clusters Maple Pecan Granola is so fantastic. Those clusters, which are made of pecans and rolled oats, have a delightful crunch to them. They're chunky and nutty and undeniably superior to the texture of most other granolas out there.

However, I was disappointed to realize that this supposedly maple-flavored granola didn't taste that maple-y at all. In fact, if it wasn't on the bag, I wouldn't ever have guessed that this cereal was supposed to be maple flavored. Overall, the flavor is sort of bland. That's not a particularly bad thing, as there is just enough sweetness in the recipe to keep things interesting. However, I might be disappointed if I bought this stuff thinking I was, in fact, going to be getting a cereal with a pronounced maple flavor.

A lot of cereals out there only have one or two elements, so you're not really getting a mix of flavors and textures in every bite. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make for a less interesting bite than a cereal that offers more components all mixed together. And that's why Trader Joe's Super Nutty Oat Clusters can be so appealing. You'll find cereal flakes, crunchy clusters of oats, pecans, Brazil nuts, and almonds, all in one box. That variety makes for a cereal that shines both in milk and as a snack — even if you add nothing else to it.

So, then, why isn't this cereal ranked higher on this list? First of all, there's not much going on in the way of flavor. There's a slight sweetness here, yes, but other than that, there's nothing bold or particularly interesting to taste. Secondly, there are just too many nuts in this cereal mixture. Sure, it's kind of the point, but at some point, it's overkill, and it makes every bite almost too crunchy. If you're the kind of person who always adds nuts to their cereal, then this option may be for you. Otherwise, though, you can find more delicious cereals at Trader Joe's.

Fruit and cereal just make sense together. Cereal tends to be somewhat lacking in flavor, instead providing a neutral backdrop for other ingredients. Fruit, on the other hand, has a more pronounced flavor and a juiciness that's conspicuously absent from cereal by nature. Therefore, when these two ingredients come together, they can complement each other perfectly. But when you're facing a particularly busy morning, you may not have the time to slice up fruit to add to your cereal. Those mornings are when you might want to try something like Trader Joe's Flakes and Strawberries cereal.

Basic sweetened rice flakes are paired with dried strawberries that rehydrate once they're added to milk. These flavors just work together — the result is undeniably delicious. The only problem is that by the time the strawberries rehydrate properly, the cereal is already beginning to get too soggy. However, I'd still keep this on hand for those times when I don't have any fruit in the fridge but I'm craving a bowl of fruit-studded cereal.

Here's another one for all the fruit lovers out there. Whether you're enjoying your granola as a cereal or as a topper for yogurt, we all know it's better when you eat it with fruit. But, again, you may not have the time, energy, or resources to add fresh fruit to your cereal every day, and that's why I'm a fan of Trader Joe's Very Berry Granola. Just as the name suggests, this granola comes with dried strawberries and blueberries that add a natural fruity sweetness to the product. And, unlike the Flakes and Strawberries cereal, the rolled oat clusters don't get soggy before the fruit starts to rehydrate.

That fruity flavor is really nice, and the texture of this cereal is good. However, it's missing something extra. Some nuts would be nice, or even a bit of dried coconut flakes could make a big difference. There just isn't much weight to this cereal, which leaves it feeling a bit unsubstantial. It's perfect for a snack but may not be filling enough for a breakfast.

Many of Trader Joe's cereals are simply plays on other popular types of cereal, and the brand's Crunchy Cinnamon Squares are no exception. They're clearly modeled after Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but they seem to be milder than their name brand counterpart. The cereal is made out of wheat and rice and baked until it reaches an especially crunchy consistency. In fact, that's half the appeal of this cereal: that undeniably appealing crunch. Cinnamon and sugar then coat the squares, creating a simple but bold flavor combo that makes this cereal feel more like a dessert than a snack.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch can be a bit too sweet, and I like that Trader Joe's version at least seems less intensely sweet. The cinnamon flavor tastes a bit muted as well, which can be a pro or con depending on your stance on cinnamon. This cereal is delicious, but there are more interesting cereals to be had at Trader Joe's.

I've already talked about how I'm a big fan of cereal that has multiple components in it. Why eat just corn flakes when you can enjoy a cereal with those corn flakes plus multigrain flakes, and oat pecan clusters covered in maple syrup? That's what you'll get with Trader Joe's Maple Pecan Clusters, which are a decidedly less-nutty version of the Super Nutty Oat Clusters. That lack of nuttiness earns this cereal a higher ranking than its sister cereal. You still get pecans in the mix, which makes for a heartier cereal with a distinct crunch, but this stuff isn't all about the nuts and the nuts alone.

This cereal also delivers when it comes to flavor. Admittedly, that maple flavor is pretty light, but it's perceptible, and it leaves you with a subtle sweetness that's easy to enjoy on its own or pair with other ingredients for a heartier cereal experience. This may not be my absolute favorite cereal I tried from Trader Joe's, but it's definitely one I would keep stocked in my pantry on a regular basis.

Some of Trader Joe's peanut butter-flavored cereals don't taste very peanut butter-y at all, but the brand's Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola is an exception. This cereal may just be the boldest and most intensely flavored of all the varieties I tried, and I'm absolutely here for it. The peanut butter clusters have a lovely saltiness to them, which helps balance out the sweetness that comes from the dark chocolate chunks. It's common to find cereal that's way, way too sweet, especially when chocolate is involved. But this granola is exceptionally well-balanced, thanks to that salty sweet mix it's got going on.

The texture of this granola is a bit soft, which can be somewhat unappealing if you're looking for a crunchier type of cereal. However, since this stuff is so great for snacking, we can let that slide. Give it a try if you've an avowed chocolate and peanut butter lover, either with cereal or sprinkled over a bowl of yogurt.

A clear Honey Nut Cheerios knockoff, Trader Joe's Honey O's are a huge step up from its much blander Joe's O's. This toasted whole grain cereal is covered in a thin but sweet glaze, made with honey, sugar, molasses, and other ingredients. That simple, sweet coating takes a boring cereal and turns it into something simply delicious. There's nothing particularly exciting or unexpected about this cereal, but it's a classic done particularly well. It seems to be slightly less sweet than the name brand version, which is perfect for those who don't want an intensely sweet cereal first thing in the morning.

This cereal doesn't seem to get soggy as quickly as the Joe's O's, which makes it perform better in a bowl of cereal. But because it's also slightly sweet, it makes for a simple and easy snack to enjoy dry as well. Enjoy it on its own, or combine it with other ingredients to use it as a mildly flavorful springboard for mixed cereal snacks.

I didn't know what to expect from Trader Joe's Organic Peanut Butter and Cocoa Crunch before giving it a try. I thought the peanut butter flavor might take center stage, as it often does when it's paired with chocolate, but that's definitely not the case here. Rather, that chocolate flavor is much more pronounced than the peanut butter. In fact, I found this cereal to be quite similar to Cocoa Puffs. However, Trader Joe's Peanut Butter and Cocoa Crunch has less richness, intensity, and sweetness, which makes it a better option if you want a more grown-up version of the kid's classic. The texture is also similar — this cereal may be a bit smaller than Cocoa Puffs, but it has the same familiar crunchy balls of concentrated cocoa flavor.

This cereal doesn't snag the top spot mostly because it doesn't deliver the peanut butter flavor as advertised. Otherwise, though, it's a delicious product — and one you need to check out if you were a big Cocoa Puffs fan as a kid.

One of Trader Joe's granolas has snagged the top spot. It's the brand's Grainless Granola, and it's a must-try for cereal lovers everywhere, whether you're trying to stay away from grains or not. This is certainly the most balanced flavor of any of the cereals I tried, with its lovely combo of sweet and salty flavors. It boasts a wide variety of different components, making it more interesting than most granolas I've tried before. You'll find almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried coconut, coconut sugar, and tapioca syrup, which are all formed into intensely crunchy clusters. This is the kind of crunch you could never achieve with grain-based granola on its own.

Even though this may not be the most classic type of granola you've ever tried, all of those disparate components come together really well, creating a deeply satisfying cereal you'll want to eat every morning of the week. And of course, it's perfect for snacking as well.

I selected a wide variety of different Trader Joe's cereals, attempting to try as many different styles as possible. I tasted each of these cereals first on its own, in a snacking context, then in a more traditional bowl of cereal with almond milk. I ranked each cereal according to its flavor, first and foremost, but also its texture. Generally, more interesting and unique flavors were ranked higher than their more commonplace counterparts.