High calorie cereals have become a popular choice for those looking to kickstart their day with an energy boost. In a world where breakfast is often hailed as the most important meal of the day, choosing the right cereal can make a significant difference in your daily nutrition.
While many cereals market themselves as healthy options, it’s essential to strike a balance between taste and nutrition, especially if you’re looking to maximize your calorie intake. That’s where the expertise of a registered dietitian comes in. Find my picks for the top 30 high calorie cereals below.
Benefits of High Calorie Cereals
Increase Weight
If you want or need to increase your weight try incorporating high-calorie cereals, fit them into your daily diet. First things first you need to choose cereals that are rich in healthy fats, protein, and fiber, such as granola or muesli.
Simply having a high calorie cereal that is rich in carbohydrates and sugar, you likely won’t get the health benefits you’re looking for. Look for added sugar content less than 15% on the nutrition label.
Malnutrition Prevention
Malnutrition is a serious health condition in the elderly, adding cereal to their daily diet can really help to add extra calories in an easy to eat way. Look for cereals that are not only packed with calories but also are full of essential nutrients.
This means you have to look at the box to see that they have whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits to provide a balanced type of energy with vitamins and minerals. It is great if you can find a cereal that is fortified with iron as well, as anemia seems to run rampant among the elderly.
Check out this article on high in iron cereals for a list that will up the iron content in the diet!
Satisfy Sweet Tooth
If you have a sweet tooth and want to have high-calorie cereals, consider cereals that have sweetness and nutrition. You need to look for cereals with added honey, dried fruits, or a bit of natural sugar, but be careful of portion sizes.
You can balance the sweet cereal with a source of protein, like Greek yogurt, which helps to up the nutrition and balance it better than just cereal alone.
Versatile Meal or Snack
The thing about high calorie cereals is that they can be a super meal or snack option when you need a quick energy boost. You can have them with milk in the morning as breakfast, or mix them with yogurt and fruits for a snack, or even use them as a crunchy topping for desserts like ice cream.
Add Extras
Throw in some fresh fruits like bananas or berries for more vitamins and fiber, while at it add a bit of Greek yogurt which will raise the protein amounts. Add some nuts or seeds for good fats and an extra crunch.
Different High Calorie Cereal Options
5 Cold Cereal Choices
Do you like cereal cold? Then there are five cold cereal choices like granola, which is often full of oats, nuts, and dried fruits. You can also go for cheerios, muesli, a mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.
For your health nuts, try bran flakes, because it’s known for high fiber content, or go for a high-protein cereal like Kashi. Each gives you a different kind of flavor and nutritional amount, so you can pick the one that fits your needs.
5 Hot Cereal Choices
Like it hot? Here are five choices that include oatmeal, that you can add nuts and fruit for more calories and flavor.
Cream of wheat and overnight oats are comforting foods that can be made with milk and toppings like nut butter and honey. Farina, made from semolina wheat, and quinoa flakes give you a changeup to normal grains, both of which can be cooked up like oatmeal.
Each of these hot cereals gives you warmth and nutrition.
Ways to Add More Calories
Milk Choice
Milk can be another ingredient that really ups the calorie, protein and nutrients in a bowl of cereal.
Try whole milk to increase the calories while getting a big boost of calcium and vitamin D. You can also use milk alternatives like almond, coconut, or cashew milk, which often have more calories than skim or low-fat dairy milk.
Adding a bit of heavy cream or a little bit of honey to build the calorie amounts.
Add Fiber
You can increase the calorie content in your cereals by adding fiber full toppings. Adding in some chia seeds, flax seeds, or bran flakes for extra calories and a good amount of fiber. These extras not only increase the energy content but also build the nutritional value of your cereal.
Fresh fruit can also be a great source of fiber and natural vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. Fresh or frozen both are perfect sources of nutrition in a meal.
Add Protein
Throw some chopped nuts, like almonds or walnuts, or add a bit of Greek yogurt for an extra protein source. This not only increases the calorie content but also makes your cereal more filling and nutritious.
Add Fat
Melt some nut butter and it will spread nicely in cereal, like almond or peanut butter, for a calorie bang along with good fats. Adding a bit of full-fat coconut milk or cream can provide extra flavor and calories to your cereal.
These additions not only build the taste but also make your cereal a more calorie-dense and satisfying meal.
Top 30 High Calorie Cereals
Here is a list of the top 30 high calorie cereals!
| High Calorie Cereal | Serving Size | Calorie Content |
| Kellogg’s Crave | 1 Cup | 210 |
| Quaker Oatmeal Squares | 1 Cup | 210 |
| General Mill’s Oatmeal Crisp | 1 Cup | 200 |
| Post Grape Nuts | 1 Cup | 200 |
| Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats | 1 Cup | 200 |
| Post Waffle Crisp | 1 Cup | 190 |
| Kellogg’s Raisin Bran | 1 Cup | 190 |
| Kellogg’s Just Right | 1 Cup | 170 |
| Kellogg’s Special K Chocolatey Delight | 1 Cup | 160 |
| Kellogg’s Cocoa Rice Krispies | 1 Cup | 160 |
| Post Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds | 1 Cup | 160 |
| Kellogg’s Fruit Loops | 1 Cup | 147 |
| Lucky Charms | 1 Cup | 147 |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 1 Cup | 147 |
| Cinnamon Toast Crunch | 1 Cup | 174 |
| Kellogg’s All Bran Cereal | 1 Cup | 140 |
| General Mill’s Cookie Crisp | 1 Cup | 155 |
| Kellogg’s Honey Smacks | 1 Cup | 130 |
| Post Golden Crisp | 1 Cup | 150 |
| Post Fruity Pebbles | 1 Cup | 150 |
| Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats Cereal | 1 Cup | 150 |
| Kellogg’s Smorz | 1 Cup | 150 |
| Quaker Life Cereal | 1 Cup | 160 |
| Quaker Cap’n Crunch | 1 Cup | 143 |
| General Mills Trix | 1 Cup | 143 |
| Kellogg’s Corn Pops | 1 Cup | 117 |
| Kellogg’s Apple Jacks | 1 Cup | 110 |
| Kellogg’s Rice Krispies | 1 Cup | 110 |
| Kellogg’s Corn Flakes | 1 Cup | 100 |
| Kellogg’s All Bran Original | 1/3 Cup | 100 |
This list provides you with a selection of high-calorie cereals to choose from. Incorporating a high-calorie cereal into your breakfast routine can offer a nutritional boost, provide ample energy for your day, and offer versatility in your meal planning. Whether you prefer a sweet start or a wholesome crunch, these cereals can help you meet your dietary needs and get your day off to a satisfying start.
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Michelle Saari is a Registered Dietitian based in Canada. She has a Master's Degree in Human Nutritional Sciences and is a passionate advocate for spreading easy to understand, reliable, and trustworthy nutrition information. She is currently a full time online entrepreneur with two nutrition focused websites.
