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!
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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!
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
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!
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
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!
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!
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
Healthy Fruit Cereal
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!
Subha says
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
Faith VanderMolen says
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!
Bobby Dula says
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.
Faith says
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!
Lea says
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!
Faith says
No way Lea! That's awesome! I think I need to move to Denmark;)
Jessie says
Great idea! I would never in a million years of thought to include chopped date to my "cereal" mixture.
Faith says
Thanks Jessie!! And chopped dates are amazing...so sweet and chewy. I hope you try it!
Ellie says
What a great summer breakfast idea! I've never had just fruit with milk but it sounds so refreshing!
Faith says
Thanks Ellie! Refreshing describes it perfectly!
Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says
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!
Faith says
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;)
Suzanne says
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 🙂
Faith says
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!
Natalie says
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! 🙂
Faith says
That's great Natalie!! Glad you liked it and thanks for commenting!
Sarah says
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!
Faith says
So true!! I would be totally okay with fruit cereal just made up of bananas. Gooood thinkin' 🙂
Leah M @ love me, feed me says
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.
Faith says
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.
Liv @ Healthy Liv says
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!
Faith says
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!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
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!
Faith says
Oh I'm on such a melon kick right now it's ridiculous. Thanks for hosting Deborah and for saying hi!
Meg Bollenback says
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!
Faith says
Fruit/food combining is a new concept for me too so hopefully I'll be able to share more soon! Thanks Meg!
tina muir says
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 🙂
Faith says
Yay for cereal! It seriously is amazing. Thanks for hosting Tina!