• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Conscientious Eater
  • START HERE
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plan
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • 8-Week Meal Plan
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • 8-Week Meal Plan
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home | Recipes | Breakfast

    Healthy Fruit Cereal

    Jul 30, 2022 by Faith VanderMolen

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Full of beautiful colors, juicy fruits, and hearty toppings, this Healthy Fruit Cereal is a fun and delicious way to enjoy cereal in the morning!

    A bowl of berries, bananas, nuts and seeds
    Jump To
    • Also featured in
    • Introduction
    • Is cereal healthy?
    • What is the healthiest cereal to eat?
    • Nutrition of store-bought cereal versus homemade cereal
    • Possible ingredients
    • How to make fruit cereal
    • What about food combining?
    • Other healthy cereal options!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Healthy Fruit Cereal

    Also featured in

    This recipe is also featured in the following vegan recipe roundups:

    • Easy Plant Based Breakfast Recipes

    Introduction

    Cereal was my absolute favorite food growing up.

    I would eat sugary store-bought cereal every morning when I woke up and every night before bed.

    While I still LOVE cereal (hello crunch, texture and cold refreshing milk!), I've learned how to enjoy it in a ways that are more nutrient dense and give me steady energy throughout the morning.

    That means I now eat cereal with more whole grains and less processed sugar (I'm talking about you Homemade Bran Flakes Cereal) OR I enjoy a big bowl of this colorful fruit cereal!

    Yay for no more sugar crashes!

    Is cereal healthy?

    I believe all foods can play a part in a healthy, balanced diet...even store-bought cereal!

    However, store-bought cereals are quite processed and often created with unnecessary ingredients and sugars.

    Back in the day I would only read the nutrition facts and wouldn't even glance at the ingredients list of foods I bought at the grocery store.

    Now the ingredients list is the first thing I look at!

    If you want to eat a bowl of sugary cereal, eat the bowl of sugary cereal! If you don't, you'll just think about it all day and then probably end up over-eating it at night as a midnight snack.

    However, if you're looking to eat less-processed, more nutrient-dense foods, be sure to look at the ingredients list on your cereal boxes.

    The healthiest cereals have the following in common:

    • a short list of ingredients
    • are made with whole grains
    • don't have ingredients you can't pronounce
    • don't have sugar listed toward the top of the ingredients list

    Below I'll also share some delicious cereal alternatives that you'll grow to love!

    two bowls of healthy fruit cereal

    What is the healthiest cereal to eat?

    Everyone has different health goals and needs, so the healthiest cereal for you may not be the healthiest for someone else.

    However, for me personally I love making homemade cereal so that I can control the ingredients in the cereal.

    I've also found cereal alternatives that provide all the aspects of cereal that I love (crunch, chew, milk, etc.), without leaving me with a sugar crash later in the day.

    Some examples of cereal alternatives that I love are:

    • Overnight oats
    • Muesli
    • Homemade granola
    • Homemade bran flakes, and of course
    • this healthy fruit cereal!

    Nutrition of store-bought cereal versus homemade cereal

    To give you a better example of the difference between the ingredients in a box of store-bought cereal and a homemade cereal option, I thought I would show the ingredients in both options right next to each other so you can compare them.

    Honey Bunches Of Oats Ingredients

    Corn, Whole Grain Wheat, Sugar, Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Brown Sugar, Almonds, Rice, Canola Oil, Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Corn Syrup, Salt, Whey (from Milk), Malted Corn and Barley Syrup, Honey, Caramel Color, Cinnamon, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Annatto Extract (Color).

    My Homemade Bran Flakes Ingredients

    Wheat bran, Whole Wheat Flour, Ground Flaxseed, Baking Powder, Salt, Water, Maple Syrup, Non-Dairy Milk

    Notice the difference in the number of ingredients! My Homemade Bran Flakes Cereal recipe uses just 8 ingredients while Honey Bunches of Oats uses 21 ingredients!

    Also, as you read through the ingredients used in Honey Bunches of Oats, you'll notice that there are 5 different kinds of sweetener used (sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, malted corn and barley syrup, and honey) as well as added coloring, artificial flavors and extracts.

    Now please don't read this post as me saying you should never eat store-bought cereal again!

    I still eat store-bought cereal from time-to-time because it's nostalgic and delicious.

    However, eating homemade cereal and cereal alternatives is what I choose to do on a regular basis.

    You do you!

    Berries, bananas, nuts, seeds, oats and dried fruit beautifully displayed on a table

    Possible ingredients

    To make a healthy bowl of fruit cereal you'll need just a handful of ingredients, many of which are optional depending on your taste preferences and what you have on hand.

    The main ingredients you'll need are fruit (fresh and dried), nuts and/or seeds, oats (either as plain oats, muesli or granola) and non-dairy milk.

    Below I'll list some of the ingredients I've used in the past to make fruit cereal:

    Fruit

    • Bananas
    • Blueberries
    • Strawberries
    • Raspberries
    • Blackberries
    • Apple
    • Mango
    • Raisins / Craisins
    • Dates
    • Dried Apricots

    Oats

    • Rolled oats
    • Muesli
    • Granola

    Seeds

    • Hemp Seeds
    • Pumpkin Seeds
    • Sunflower Seeds
    • Chia Seeds

    Nuts

    • Walnuts
    • Almonds

    How to make fruit cereal

    STEP 1: Start by washing and chopping your fruit. I love to chop my fruit into different shapes to provide extra texture. For example I may slice half of my banana and chop the other half into smaller pieces.

    STEP 2: Once you've prepared all your fruit, place the fruit into a bowl and top it with whatever nuts, seeds, oats, and or dried fruit you desire.

    STEP 3: Pour some chilly, non-dairy milk overtop and enjoy!

    almond milk being poured onto some blueberries in a bowl of fruit cereal

    What about food combining?

    Some of you reading this post may be wondering about food combining.

    For those of you who don't know, food combining is a certain kind of diet where you focus on the foods you combine in a single meal.

    Certain foods digest quicker than others, so by combining similar foods in a meal, you can potentially improve digestion and/or lose weight.

    For example, you may not feel great if you eat a bunch of watermelon right after a bowl of oatmeal because watermelon digests faster than oatmeal.

    This "recipe" for fruit cereal obviously combines a wide variety of foods (i.e. berries vs. nuts) so it may not be the best meal for some of you.

    Personally, I find a bowl of fruit cereal digests beautifully and leaves me feeling great!

    a spoon scooping up some fruit cereal

    Other healthy cereal options!

    If you enjoyed this fruit cereal, then be sure to check out some of the recipes below that make for great store-bought cereal substitutes!

    • Homemade Bran Flakes
    • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Granola
    • Vanilla Protein Overnight Oats with Zucchini
    • Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
    • 4 Ingredient Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    📖 Recipe

    milk being poured onto fruit cereal

    Healthy Fruit Cereal

    Faith VanderMolen
    Full of beautiful colors, juicy fruits, and hearty toppings, this Healthy Fruit Cereal is a fun and delicious way to enjoy cereal in the morning!
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 serving
    Calories 344 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup mixed berries washed and chopped
    • 1 banana sliced or chopped
    • 1 tablespoon of dried fruit
    • 1 tablespoon of nuts or seeds
    • 1 tablespoon of oats or granola
    • Dash of cinnamon
    • 1 cup non-dairy milk

    Instructions 

    • Place your washed and chopped fruit into a bowl.
    • Top the fruit with your desired toppings.
    • Pour milk overtop.
    • Enjoy like you would a normal bowl of cereal!

    Notes

    It's all about texture when it comes to fruit cereal! I'll often chop some of the fruits into small pieces and slice the rest to provide different texture. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, oatmeal, and granola add more texture by way of crunch and chew as well as protein and fat to keep you fuller for longer!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 79mgFiber: 8gSugar: 27g
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

    More Vegan Breakfast Recipes

    • a collage of 10 plant-based breakfast ideas
      Easy Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas For 2025!
    • Sourdough Pumpkin Bread (Vegan!)
    • Easy Sourdough Muffins
    • Vegan Oat Bran Muffins


    Plant Biased Cookbook


    Plant Biased cover
     

    Plant Biased is my new cookbook and beginner's guide to eating a more plant based diet! I describe it as "the book I wish I had when I went vegan back in 2013."

    Plant Biased includes...

    90+ beginner recipes! My top breakfast, main dish, dessert & snack recipes!
    Why Plant Biased? Understand the "why" behind your choice to go plant-based!
    Vegan Cooking Basics: What you need to know and what to avoid when cooking.
    Grocery Shopping: How to confidently find healthy, unprocessed foods at the store.
    Nutritional Guidelines: Make sure you meet all your nutritional needs!
    Kitchen Essentials: Learn to create a place where you'll LOVE to cook!

    Buy it now for only $18.95 $9.95!

     
    Preview & Buy!


    buy Plant Biased on Amazon  

    Customer Reviews
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.8 out of 5


    31 All-Time Greatest Eats Cookbook!

    For a limited time, I'm giving away a 68-page cookbook of my reader-favorite recipes called my "31 All-Time Greatest Eats"!

    Just click the cover image above or the Download button below and it will take you directly to the PDF!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Subha says

      May 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      To be honest, I don't think you will see my comment since all the comments are from 2015, like... old times. But I just want to thank you for making a breakfast cereal so easy. I am a very lazy person and prefer healthy food hehe, the two never combine. I have also gone through all the other websites but every recipe makes it seem like such a tedious task except your recipe. You literally have just mentioned what we need generally according to our preferences and the only effort I am seeing is in cutting/chopping fruits. I guess apples and bananas are fruits that are found everywhere, any time of the year. Other than that, I can find a lot of fruits that I can add which do not require much cutting/chopping effort. And the rest is super easy like just adding nuts, seeds, and dried fruits (which you don't need to cut since they are already cut, and if not, we can cut them once and store them for a long time). Milk is always in the home, so I guess from now on I can focus on eating a healthy breakfast, all thanks to you! I will also check other posts on your websites if you have such easy, flexible recipes for lunch salads too! Lots of love xx

      Reply
      • Faith VanderMolen says

        May 29, 2022 at 10:54 pm

        Hello! I did see your comment and I'm thankful you took the time to write one! I'm happy to hear you are enjoying this simple fruit cereal recipe...if you can even call it that! Yes, please check out the rest of my recipes. Happy cooking!

        Reply
    2. Bobby Dula says

      September 24, 2019 at 3:40 am

      September 24, 2019...I have finally found another beautiful human, who was a cereal lover like me, and enjoys Fruit Cereal. I thought I was crazy and alone in the universe for trying this. I got the idea from loving the taste of raisins in lowfat milk, from my Kellogg's Raisin Bran days. I have been trying this, on and off for a few years now, and after searching for the perfect cereal, this was a no brainer. I guess I can return the Frosted Flakes to Walmart, for the last time, and finally indulge in what I thought was my invention...Fruit Cereal. Who knew, I was not the only one who thought about this. Now, at 46, I can get the Bruce Lee abs. My Fruit Cereal starts with a base of raisins, and then add bananas and lowfat milk. I was up doing some research, and came across your wonderful words. Sorry to ramble so much, it is just the writer in me. From one cereal lover to another, thank you Faith, for posting and sharing your wonderful, healthy, wisdom with us.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        September 24, 2019 at 4:42 am

        Bobby it's so wonderful to hear from you...a fellow cereal lover turned whole foodie:) Thank you so much for sharing a part of your journey with me. So glad to know another fruit-cereal-lover!

        Reply
    3. Lea says

      April 10, 2015 at 10:17 am

      In Denmark, in the summer, it's like a tradition to drink milk with berries (especially strawberries). When I do that, I add chia seeds too. I love it and it is very similar to this!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 10, 2015 at 9:06 pm

        No way Lea! That's awesome! I think I need to move to Denmark;)

        Reply
    4. Jessie says

      April 08, 2015 at 8:23 am

      Great idea! I would never in a million years of thought to include chopped date to my "cereal" mixture.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 08, 2015 at 9:49 am

        Thanks Jessie!! And chopped dates are amazing...so sweet and chewy. I hope you try it!

        Reply
    5. Ellie says

      April 07, 2015 at 10:16 pm

      What a great summer breakfast idea! I've never had just fruit with milk but it sounds so refreshing!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 07, 2015 at 10:23 pm

        Thanks Ellie! Refreshing describes it perfectly!

        Reply
    6. Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says

      April 07, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      I've never thought of fruit cereal before!! I was also the cereal girl growing up (am I allowed to say that?! lol!) which I got from my dad. I don't really eat it anymore though... I think I ate so much I got sick of it! This sounds so great though.. especially in the summer!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 07, 2015 at 9:23 pm

        I'm pretty sure I got my love of cereal from my Dad too! And I definitely think "cereal girl" is a thing...cause I was one too;)

        Reply
    7. Suzanne says

      April 07, 2015 at 12:17 pm

      This reminds me of my frequent nighttime snack of yogurt and fruit....I need to learn to make my own though bc the store bought vegan yogurts are expensive!!! (and not as healthy as homemade of course)...I need to try this now though.
      Thanks for another great idea 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 07, 2015 at 3:55 pm

        I totally agree on the vegan yogurt...so expensive and often full of sugar. I have a post for homemade non-dairy yogurt from a while back that you can check out! I haven't made it in a while, but I thought is was good and you can add whatever fruit or sweeteners you like. Thanks Suzanne!

        Reply
    8. Natalie says

      April 07, 2015 at 1:35 am

      YUM! I am such a cereal addict also!! This is right up my alley and will have to try this for sure!
      Have a wonderful day! 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 07, 2015 at 3:54 pm

        That's great Natalie!! Glad you liked it and thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    9. Sarah says

      April 06, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      YUM! Still just as colorful as a bowl of Trix! Growing up I LOVED cereal too and another one of my favs was just a bowl of sliced bananas and milk, sometimes with a sprinkle of cinnamon!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:53 pm

        So true!! I would be totally okay with fruit cereal just made up of bananas. Gooood thinkin' 🙂

        Reply
    10. Leah M @ love me, feed me says

      April 06, 2015 at 11:56 am

      Yum!! I love fruit cereal (and normal cereal 😉 ), I'll have to try your bowl out because it does look perrrrfect! I love mulberries and apple in my fruit cereal for crunch! Fruit is so rad.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:52 pm

        Cool! Another person who's eaten fruit cereal! I would have definitely added some mulberries, but my stash just ran out. Sad day.

        Amen sista...fruit = rad.

        Reply
    11. Liv @ Healthy Liv says

      April 06, 2015 at 10:33 am

      This is an interesting concept! It looks really yummy. And I had no idea that combining different types of fruit could cause stomach issues. I guess that means fruit salad is hard for some people to eat!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:51 pm

        I'm new to the whole food/fruit combining thing as well and I've definitely heard that fruit salad doesn't digest well for some. I had never thought of it before tho!

        Reply
    12. Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says

      April 06, 2015 at 8:21 am

      oooh looks so good. can't wait until all the summer fruits are out. I love peaches and plums and melons. Ok now I am hungry! Thanks for linking up with us today!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:49 pm

        Oh I'm on such a melon kick right now it's ridiculous. Thanks for hosting Deborah and for saying hi!

        Reply
    13. Meg Bollenback says

      April 06, 2015 at 7:36 am

      This is a really interesting concept! I've never thought about eating fruit this way but like it now that I see it. The info about the acidic vs. sweet fruits was also really informative...thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:49 pm

        Fruit/food combining is a new concept for me too so hopefully I'll be able to share more soon! Thanks Meg!

        Reply
    14. tina muir says

      April 06, 2015 at 6:30 am

      You know, I would never think of this....putting milk with it, but that is a good idea! I am a cereal lover too, which I am sure I have told you! This sounds like a great combination! I sure hope you join us today 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        April 06, 2015 at 8:48 pm

        Yay for cereal! It seriously is amazing. Thanks for hosting Tina!

        Reply
    4.84 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

    Please Leave A Star Review In The Recipe Card! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm a plant-based digital nomad mom-of-two living in Malaysia. Meet Faith!

    For a limited time, I'm giving away a free cookbook of my Top 31 recipes!

    Get it while you can!

    Free Download

    Eat Healthy in 2023!

    • Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

    • zucchini bread baked oatmeal
      Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal

    • creamy tomato zucchini soup topped with grilled cheese croutons
      Creamy Vegan Tomato Zucchini Soup

    • Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup (Dairy-Free!)

    • Vegan Soba Noodle Recipe!

    • Refreshing Green Smoothie Recipe!

    Most Popular Recipes

    • whole wheat artisan bread on a cutting board
      Easy Whole Wheat Artisan Bread Recipe

    • Easy Homemade Oatmeal Date Granola Bars

    • Whole Wheat No-Yeast No-Rise Vegan Pizza Dough

    • Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cashews

    • 5 Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes You Can Meal Prep!

    • two glasses of oat milk next to a jar of oat milk
      Homemade Oat Milk Recipe

    8-Week Plant Biased Meal Plan Cover

    DON'T think about recipe planning for weeks!

    ✅ Save Time

    ✅ Reduce Stress

    ✅ Eat Healthy

    Preview & Buy!

    Sourdough Heaven!

    • Vegan Sourdough Waffles

    • Sourdough Pumpkin Bread (Vegan!)

    • Sourdough Banana Bread

    • Easy Sourdough Muffins

    • Vegan Sourdough Pancakes (6 Ingredients!)

    • Vegan Sourdough Bread (Beginner-Friendly!)

    Footer

    The Conscientious Eater

    • START HERE
    • All Recipes
    • Plant Biased Cookbook
    • 8-Week Meal Plan

    Sponsorship

    Sponsor My Emails
    Sponsor Youtube, IG, Website

    My Recipes

    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes by Cuisine
    • Main Dishes by Recipe Type
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Breads
    • WIAW

    Important Stuff

    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Accessbility
    • No AI Training
    • Disclosure
    • Contact
    • Some icons from flaticon.com

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 This website was designed using the Seasoned Pro Theme from Feast Design Co.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.