You know what FODMAP is, and now you’re ready to start your low FODMAP diet plan. There’s only one problem: All your favorite cereals are chock full of high FODMAP ingredients. While you might not know it yet, there are low FODMAP breakfast cereals out there. You just have to hunt for them. Below, we outline general guidelines for choosing a low FODMAP breakfast cereal and then offer recommendations for specific products to look for at the grocery store.
How to Choose a Low FODMAP Breakfast Cereal
If you like cereal for breakfast, there are several general guidelines to keep in mind as you shop for FODMAP-friendly items. While on a low FODMAP diet, you should avoid cereal made with wheat, rye and barley. Also, watch out for flavor additives such as high fructose corn syrup, honey and sugar-free replacements (ending usually in -ol). Instead, look for cereals made with ingredients such as buckwheat, corn, rice, quinoa, millet, tapioca and spelt. Acceptable sweeteners include dark chocolate, maple syrup, rice malt syrup and table sugar.
If you like to eat cold cereal with milk, or hot cereal with toppings, then you also need to think about what you’re putting in your cereal. Forgo cow’s milk in favor of low FODMAP non-dairy alternatives like almond milk, soy milk or lactose-free milk. If you like to put fruit in your hot cereal, opt for low FODMAP options such as blueberries and strawberries, rather than high FODMAP fruits like apples and pears.
It can be tough to find breakfast cereals that adhere to low FODMAP guidelines since so many of them contain wheat and high fructose corn syrup. Thankfully, more and more companies are coming out with low FODMAP friendly breakfast cereals, both cold and hot. We highlight a few of these below.
Cold Low FODMAP Breakfast Cereals
Many cold breakfast cereals are sadly not FODMAP friendly. Thankfully, major breakfast brand Kellogg’s announced a partnership with Monash University in Australia, which pioneered the concept of low FODMAP foods. Seven of Kellogg’s breakfast cereals are certified low FODMAP:
- Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
- Kellogg’s Frosted Krispies
- Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies
- Kellogg’s Strawberry Krispies
- Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
- Kellogg’s Crispix
- Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes
Because Kellogg’s has such widespread distribution, these cereals are available in pretty much every major grocery store, including some international locations.
While not certified by Monash, there are also several breakfast cereals available from another major breakfast brand, General Mills. Rice Chex, Corn Chex and various flavors of Cheerios are all low FODMAP in moderate amounts. These breakfast cereals are also widely available both domestically and internationally.
There are also some other low FODMAP cold breakfast cereals sold by smaller brands. Some of these cereals include:
- Annie’s Homegrown Organic Cocoa Bunnies Cereal
- Arrowhead Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes Gluten Free
- Barbara’s Puffins Peanut Butter & Chocolate or Peanut Butter
- Envirokidz Lightly Frosted Amazon Flakes, Cinnamon Jungle Munch, Panda Puffs, Leapin’ Lemurs and Gorilla Munch
- Erewhon Gluten Free Corn Flakes, Crispy Brown Rice and Honey Rice Twice Cereal
- Nature’s Path Rice Puffs, Crispy Rice and Honey’d Corn Flakes Cereal
Hot Low FODMAP Breakfast Cereals
Fortunately, many hot breakfast cereals are low FODMAP on their own when eaten without added flavors and sweeteners. For example, rolled oats are low FODMAP, but many packages of instant oats are not because of the flavors and the way the oats are processed. When seeking out low FODMAP hot cereals, look for these types in particular:
- Rolled oats
- Steel cut oats
- Oat bran
- Rice bran
- Oat groats
- Buckwheat groats
- Grits (unflavored)
As for specific brands, Bob’s Red Mill makes multiple types of hot cereal that are FODMAP friendly, including:
- Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
- White Corn Grits
- Organic Brown Rice Farina Hot Cereal
- High Fiber Oat Bran
- Organic Creamy Buckwheat Hot Cereal
Bob’s Red Mill products are frequently carried in major grocery stores, as well as more health food oriented stores. Look for them next to oatmeal and other hot cereal products, or they may have their own section alongside other whole grain healthy foods.
Bob’s Red Mill isn’t the only company that makes low FODMAP hot breakfast cereal. You should also check out these other products:
- Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes
- Arrowhead Gluten Free Rice and Shine Hot Cereal and Puffed Corn
- Nabisco Cream of Rice or Instant Cream of Rice Gluten Free
- Eden Organic Brown Rice Flakes Hot Cereal
- Pocono Cream of Buckwheat
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