Check out my progress on Desperately Seeking…Raisin Bran
I’ll be the first to admit that my taste in cereal is a tad…geriatric. That is, I prefer high-fiber cereals that look startlingly similar to cat food and would be typical for someone about 3 times my age.
In accordance with my predilection for all things twiggy and hard-to-chew, one of my breakfast-time obsessions is raisin bran. As I’ve explained before, I’ll eat this cereal in pretty much any form—in a parfait, with ice cold almond milk, or just straight-up.
It’s worth noting that raisin bran can be a nutritious breakfast option. Most brands provide a significant proportion of your daily fiber needs. Plus, wheat bran (the main constituent of raisin bran cereal) aids in lowering LDL cholesterol.
However, it’s important to check those nutrition labels, as raisin bran can be exceedingly high in sugar, Calories, and even sodium.
All that being said, let’s take a look at some of the options available in today’s supermarket.
Let’s begin with the classic, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran. ($3.85 per 20 oz)
Note that this is just Kellogg’s plain ol’ raisin bran—not Raisin Bran Crunch or Raisin Bran “Extra” (whatever that means) or Raisin Bran Cinnamon Almond. Any of the other varieties have added granola pieces, nuts, or dried fruit, etc. that would increase the Calories.
Of note here is the high sugar content and use of high fructose corn syrup. Apparently classic raisin bran doesn’t use such classic ingredients. No thanks.
Cascadian Farm Organic Raisin Bran ($4.99+ per 20 oz)
Ah, these ingredients are much better! Most are organic, and there’s even whole grain wheat in there in addition to just the bran. Plus, there are slightly fewer grams of sugar per serving. The hefty price tag makes it a harder sell for me, however. I need a major coupon (or SuperTarget pricing) to get me to buy this brand.
Total Raisin Bran ($4.59 per 18.75 oz)
I would say Total raisin bran is somewhere in between Kellogg’s and Cascadian Farm in terms of ingredient quality. Its major perk is the extensive fortification—it provides 25-100% of your needs for most nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D. (And we all know how I feel about bone health!). I recommend this cereal to my mom as a means of getting more vitamin D into her dairy-deficient diet. It’s also worth noting that this brand contains just 160 Calories per serving.
There are other brands available, of course. My Nana swears by the Trader Joe’s version, and Post has some pretty devout followers too. Read those labels, and make the best decision for you and your grocery budget!
Grab a spoon and enjoy!
What do you look for in a cereal? What’s your favorite kind?
Filed under: How To
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
So funny! I was grocery shopping last week, totally had a taste for raisin bran, but couldn’t find one with little to no sugar. I’m not a huge cold cereal fan but I do enjoy Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal.
it’s funny, but i rarely eat cereal. if i do, it’s usually on top of yogurt, so i’m more likely to eat some kind of granola but also have been known to eat peanut butter panda puffs.
Love my usual breakfast–a sliced-up banana, a couple tablespoons of vanilla or honey yogurt and a handful of Total Raisin Bran (in accordance with your recommendation). Too bad I don’t eat as well for the rest of the day. Peanut m&m’s anyone?!
I really like the way you broke these cereals down with their ingredient lists. Raisin bran is one of my favorites, and I really like the one at Trader Joe’s. Taste-wise, it’s great. And I like the ingredient list. AND it’s cheap…haha.
i love raisin bran, but stopped buying cereals over all. I now sometimes eat spelt flakes and add raisins and maybe a banana + soy milk. In austria there are unfortunately not many healthy crunchy cereal options available. you have to stick to “do it yourself”
My mom used to eat Total Raisin Bran ALL THE TIME when I was little. Then she and my dad both got hooked on Kellogg’s Mueslix! I love plan bran flakes, too, but you’re right: it’s really hard to find a low-sugar version.
The BEST raising bran I’ve had is the Attune Foods Raisin Bran. Seriously look at these ingredients: Whole wheat kernels, Raisins, Salt, Barley malt. And the raisins are always plump and not dried out/stuck in your teeth.
Keep in mind that with all raisin bran, about half of that sugar content IS from the raisins (though of course the added sugar and HFCS doesn’t help one bit).
If you want some coupons for this cereal, let me know! Yes I consult for Attune and I’m not trying to spam you, because I truly believe it is THE best raisin bran and would eat it regardless!
BroccoliHut Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Thanks, Janel!! I’ve never tried the Attune version–would they sell that at Whole Foods? I’d love to try it!
I love shredded wheat, cheerios, honey nut cheerios, raisin bran, panda puffs (anyone?), kix, and cinnamon life.
if you asked the 10 year old me it would be: lucky charms, cinnamon toast crunch, apple jacks, frosted flakes, and cookie crisp!
BroccoliHut Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
You’re definitely not alone on the Panda Puffs! I alternate between them and PB Puffins to get a peanut butter fix
I like honey bunches of oat raisin medely in terms of raisin cereal.. it’s 14 g sugar.. Health wise the ingredients are not too bad, but not really good either. But, the price is right.
I love that you describe your tastes as geriatric. You are the only other person I “know” that likes to eat oat bran. I have eaten it for years like you do, and love it. I also went through a Wheatena phase. My coworkers described that as potting soil. Visually…they’re not wrong.
I’ve had friends buy Raisin Bran (called Sultana Bran in Australia) while in the States and they’re proclaimed it’s ridiculously sugary and impossible to eat, compared to the Australian version.
http://www.kellogg.com.au/Home/Products/Cereal/SultanaBran/tabid/390/Default.aspx
But cereals aren’t healthy here, either, you’d be hard pressed to find a truly healthy cereal brand here.
I am obsessed with Cinnamon Burst Cheeris. Have you ever tried it?
BroccoliHut Reply:
January 7th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
No, but it sounds delicious! I am so behind on trying new Cheerios flavors…it seems like they debut a new one every month!
Have you tried Nature’s Path version? http://www.naturespath.com/products/cereal?tid=All&brand=All&nutri=All
It’s a bit more than Kellogg’s, price-wise, but not as bad as Cascadian… plus, my local cheap-o supermarket often offers Nature’s Path cereals/granolas at 3 for $10! Scoree!!
izzyy
xox