Make a Healthier Bowl of Cereal Without Sacrificing Flavor, Sweetness, or Crunch

Rebuild a Favorite Breakfast

Nutritionist Ashley Koff and physician Linda Shiue shared ways to make cereal more nutritious without losing its appeal. Shiue recommends identifying what you enjoy about a favorite cereal and recreating those qualities with different ingredients.

Options include plain Cheerios, old-fashioned oats, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese. The article lists 14 grams of protein per serving for Chobani nonfat plain yogurt and Good Culture cottage cheese.

Add Fruit and Texture

For someone who likes Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Shiue suggested chopping apples into yogurt and adding cinnamon. Fruit can bring familiar flavor to a simple base. Koff recommends keeping a mix of nuts and seeds on hand, including almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or crunchy chickpeas. A pinch of sea salt and cacao nibs can also add crunch and flavor.

Use Spices for Sweetness

A drizzle of honey is one way to add sweetness, but Shiue points to spices as another option. She names cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and pumpkin spice as ways to add flavor and natural sweetness.

Shiue says these spices have anti-inflammatory properties and that cinnamon can help with blood sugar control. Her suggestions offer a way to make a bowl taste sweet without relying only on sugary cereal.