Here they are … America’s top 25 cereals!
Unlike many other things we buy, getting complete sales info for milk’s favorite partner in crime is tough.
We had to triangulate a bunch of data sources (industry data, manufacturer data, channel checks, etc.) to get our top 25.
But back to the fun … we’ll also tell you if the cereal targets kids or adults.
Let’s get to the cereals!
Targeted at kids or adults? Definitely kids!
Grab Count Chocula and the other “monster cereals” in the lead-up to Halloween. The others are Boo Berry, Franken Berry, and Carmella Creeper.
Targeted at kids or adults? Definitely adults!
A lot of adults crave the unique textures of Grape-Nuts. But just try convincing a kid of the same!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids!
When you’ve had a billion cartoon mascots, you’re definitely a kid’s cereal.
There was a wizard (Cookie Jarvis), a cop and robber (Cookie Crook and Cookie Cop), a dog (Chip the Dog), and a wolf (Chip the Wolf).
Oh, and, yeah, chocolate chip cookies in milk will definitely work for the under 18 crowd!
Targeted at kids or adults? Adults for the cereal, the whole family for Chex Mix and Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow).
Pretty brilliant product extensions here with the snack mix and the dessert-y snacks!
Targeted at kids or adults? “Kid-Tested. Parent-Approved.”
So kids, but with the hope that some pandering to parents will also juice sales.
Targeted at kids or adults? Adults who are kids at heart?
This may be the “most stuff going on” cereal in our top 25. It’s got three varieties of flakes as well as oat clusters. All with a hint of honey.
Targeted at kids or adults? Athletic adults, or at least aspirationally-athletic adults
The Breakfast of Champions! You know, maybe it does work a bit on kids IF you’ve got their favorite athlete on there. But only so far when you’re competing against cartoon characters and sugar bombs.
Targeted at kids or adults? Adults (the kid version…Frosted Flakes…ranks much better!)
One of the OG cereals, Corn Flakes still sells enough to crack the top 20.
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids
More inventive than putting cookies in milk, but even more effective.
Of course the folks who thought to combine chocolate and peanut butter would think to add milk to the mix!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids
I’ve personally never gotten the appeal of Apple Jacks, but boy are they popular!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids, though not aggressively so.
Pair this one with chocolate milk if you’re daring and want to experiment with a S’mores type cereal.
Targeted at kids or adults? “Silly rabbit! Trix are for kids!”
General Mills (Trix), Post (Fruity Pebbles), and Kellogg’s (Froot Loops) all have their artificial-fruit-flavored cereal.
Spoiler alert: They all work!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids
Truly a unique-tasting cereal due to its oil coating.
I’m partial to the Crunch Berries (aka the Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries) but the original is no slouch all by its lonesome!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids but with easier parent buy-in than more cartoonish cereals.
I mean, Mikey likes it!
Apologies to anyone younger than 40 who may not get the reference to the old commercial. Look it up on YouTube!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids…if it were for adults, they wouldn’t name it after Fred and Wilma’s baby daughter.
We paired Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles together here. And still, ten cereals beat the Pebbles duo…
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids. The Rice Krispies treats are family-beloved, though.
Maybe it’s Chex Mix, but for our money, the Rice Krispies treat may be the most brilliant brand extension of any cereal.
Targeted at kids or adults? Fun for the whole family! At least if the family doesn’t have raisin-hating kids.
Post also makes a Raisin Bran, but Kellogg’s version is more popular.
Those two scoops are so delicious!
Targeted at kids or adults? Definitely adults!
Special K is the top-rated cereal that’s clearly going after adults. It may say something that it’s only #8!
Targeted at kids or adults? Tough call…like Raisin Bran, this one might thread the needle between kids and adults.
On the one hand, it’s a bunch of wheat biscuits. On the other, there’s an anthropomorphic biscuit smiling at you.
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids…like Trix, when the name is misspelled, it’s gotta be targeting children!
Toucan Sam wins as the top fruit-evoking cereal.
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids
People love their oat cereals! There are a couple more ahead of Lucky Charms. They don’t have the colorful array of marshmallows, though!
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids, though it certainly has its adult fans.
Yum, yum, yum!
Cinnamon Toast Crunch might hold the title for the most delicious “after milk” due to all that cinnamon and sugar. It’s like a horchata!
Targeted at kids or adults? Both! Adults and kids who are too young to choose for themselves. Babies and toddlers for the win!
Spoiler alert: Original Cheerios isn’t the most popular Cheerios…
Targeted at kids or adults? Kids…as we noted earlier, these are just sugared up Corn Flakes.
Tony the Tiger ain’t wrong. “They’re GR-R-REAT!”
Targeted at kids or adults? This may be a “both” situation along with Raisin Bran and Frosted Mini-Wheats.
The top 3 appears to be really close, and there’s a bit of controversy on whether Honey Nut Cheerios are truly more popular than #3, Original Cheerios, but we have the ultimate source on our side.
According to its maker, General Mills, “Cheerios were surpassed as the nation’s best-seller in 2009 by none other than Honey Nut Cheerios.”
There you have it. Viva Honey Nut Cheerios!
The Top 10
10) Rice Krispies
9) Raisin Bran
8) Special K
7) Frosted Mini-Wheats
6) Froot Loops
5) Lucky Charms
4) Cinnamon Toast Crunch
3) Cheerios
2) Frosted Flakes
1) Honey Nut Cheerios
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