The Best Breakfast Cereals

Tired of your same-old flakes? These 18 varieties will bowl you over.

The Classics

Many breakfast-cereal concoctions come and go (R.I.P., Donkey Kong Crunch; adios, Urkel-O’s). Then there are the beloved stalwarts―raisin bran, corn flakes, crispy rice―that will be breakfast staples forever. But which brands in these traditional categories are best? Real Simple testers ate their way through 42 boxes to find out. (Note: All cereals tested in this story were free of high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.)

The Best O's

Cheerios

The pure oaty flavor and the hearty crunch of these whole-grain rings, which contain just one gram of sugar per serving, easily won over testers. “No wonder my toddler can’t get enough of them,” one enthused.

To buy: $4 for 14 ounces.

Where do you store your cereal boxes? See 24 Smart Kitchen Organizing Ideas