We Tried All of the Magic Spoon Cereal Flavors and Here Is Our Take
Does this high-protein, grain-free, zero-sugar, low-carb, keto-friendly cereal live up to the Internet's hype?
You may have noticed Magic Spoon cereal in your Instagram feed with colorful ads and promises of childhood nostalgia without the sugar rush. Or perhaps you recently saw the cereal pop up in your local grocery store. What was once a direct-to-consumer venture has made its way into places like Target, Walmart and a handful of grocery chains. Regardless, Magic Spoon has gained quite a following for its high-protein, grain-free, low-carb, keto-friendly cereal that advertises a taste similar to the more familiar sugar-laden cereals on the market.
All About Magic Spoon Cereal
The company was founded in 2019 by two college friends, Greg Sewitz and Gabi Lewis, who wanted to keep the nostalgia associated with morning cereal but focus on a more health-minded consumer. So they took similar flavor profiles and a pop culture approach to their packaging (complete with games on the back of the box).
- Flavors: Magic Spoon cereal comes in eight core flavors: Frosted, Fruity, Cocoa, Peanut Butter, Birthday Cake, Cinnamon Roll, Blueberry Muffin and Chocolate Chip Cookie. They often feature seasonal flavors as well like Toasted Marshmallow and Pumpkin Spice.
- Ingredients: Magic Spoon cereal has a pretty short ingredient list for all of the flavors with the base being a few different blends: a milk protein blend of casein and whey protein concentrate, a sweetener blend of allulose and monk fruit, an oil blend of high-oleic sunflower oil and avocado oil, plus tapioca starch, inulin, salt and natural flavors. Allulose and monk fruit are naturally very sweet, but they pass through the body in a different way than sugar and won't spike glucose levels in the same way. Allulose tends to taste more like sugar but isn't included in a carbohydrate count so net carbs can remain low.
- Nutrition Facts: Depending on the flavor, one serving of Magic Spoon cereal contains between 12-14 grams of complete protein, between 140-170 calories and 4-6 net carbs.
- Price: Magic Spoon cereal is an investment in comparison to a traditional box of cereal, running $8-$10 (depending on where you purchase) per seven-ounce box. This is an average of two to three times more than your average box of sugary cereal.
Is Magic Spoon Cereal Healthy?
"Is it healthy depends on who is consuming it and how much of it they are consuming,” says New Orleans-based registered dietitian Maria Sylvester Terry, MS RDN. Someone who has diabetes and needs a lower sugar option, someone who is gluten-free or needs a quick way to get protein in the morning are examples of people who may benefit from Magic Spoon.
"Magic Spoon isn't fortified with vitamins and minerals like some of the more sugary breakfast cereals," she says. So really active kids who pair the other cereals with a higher protein milk may benefit more from that option, she explains.
"People with IBS, IBD or other GI issues need to be careful with the cereal," Terry warns. Allulose, monk fruit and inulin, all ingredients found within the cereal, can cause bloating, gas, stomach cramping and diarrhea for some people. "On their own, all of these ingredients are relatively fine, but when you combine them together, people have different responses in their digestive tract, and it's not easy to say how much cereal it will take to impact each person."
Our Taste Test
Magic Spoon cereal is all the same shape regardless of the flavor, so for the most part, it texturally remained pretty similar. We found some of the flavors to taste too sweet, almost artificially even without any artificial ingredients. Some of the flavors also had a funky aftertaste, potentially from the monk fruit sweetener which can carry an aftertaste. However, there were a few flavors that were standouts.
We tried all eight of the core flavors, and these were our top three favorites:
- Peanut Butter: Peanut Butter was the best of the bunch, according to our testing. The texture was slightly different, with almost a powdery exterior (in a good way). It was like having cinnamon and sugar on a cereal but this time, it was peanut butter. The flavor wasn't overly sweet, which made it easy to dive into a bowl, and it actually tasted like real peanut butter. Although it was good without milk, this was definitely one of the cereal flavors that improved when adding milk. This flavor also has the highest protein of the bunch — an added bonus.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie: Many of the dessert flavors, like Birthday Cake and Blueberry Muffin, tasted too sweet or artificial, but Chocolate Chip Cookie hits just right on the sweetness spectrum. The cereal delightfully looks like little chocolate chip cookies, too. This flavor would make a good snack right out of the box or as a substitute for other cookie cereals.
- Frosted: With a slightly softer texture than some of the others, the Frosted flavor had just a light sweetening that didn't overpower and had no aftertaste. It was good with milk and plain, and we could also see it as something to add to a trail mix or yogurt.
Where Is Magic Spoon Cereal Sold?
Magic Spoon Cereal is sold on their website, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sprouts, Wegmans, Kroger, Albertsons and a few select other grocery chains.
Is Magic Spoon Cereal Worth Buying?
Each box of Magic Spoon cereal is said to have five servings per box. It's expensive in comparison to other cereals and other high protein options like eggs, but not expensive if you are used to grabbing a breakfast sandwich at a coffee shop for breakfast each morning. If it's not cost-prohibitive to your budget and you enjoy the cereal, it's worth purchasing.
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