Is this health-conscious cereal really as magical as it sounds? (2024)

I’ve (probably) consumed over 2,000 boxes of cereal in my lifetime. As a kid, when I’d come downstairs for breakfast, the cereal cabinet would tremble in fear. From Froot Loops and Cocoa Puffs, to Frosted Flakes and Boo Berry, there isn’t a single box in the cereal aisle I haven’t crushed.

When I heard Magic Spoon cereal had produced a healthier homage to the sugary breakfast cereals of my childhood I simply had to try it. Nostalgia can be tough to package and facsimiles can feel insulting to fond childhood memories, so I had to know—can this cereal stack up?

What is Magic Spoon?

Self-titled “cereal entrepreneurs” Gregory Sewitz and Gabi Lewis founded Magic Spoon to disrupt the most important meal of the day. Their mission was to create a healthy breakfast cereal that didn’t overload you with carbs and send you into a sugar crash, while also emulating the Saturday-morning-cartoon breakfast aesthetic from their youth. This keto-friendly cereal boasts high protein, low carbs, and a delicious taste.

How does it work?

If you’re like me, you buy cereal at your local grocery store. If you want Magic Spoon, you might have to order directly from its enticing, GIF-filled website. (Unless you're able to find it at your local grocery store.)

It offers eight different cereals—Fruity, Cinnamon Roll, Cocoa, Blueberry Muffin, Frosted, Peanut Butter, Maple Waffle, and Birthday Cake—that you have to buy in quantities of four or six if you're shopping online.

A variety pack includes one box of each of its most popular flavors (Fruity, Frosted, Cocoa, and Peanut Butter), or you can opt to build a custom box of whatever combination you prefer.

Each four-pack costs $39, plus $4.99 for shipping, or you can subscribe and save 25% ($44.25 per order).

What I like about Magic Spoon

The nostalgia factor

First and foremost, the Magic Spoon branding is great. The typography, color palette, and photography certainly makes Magic Spoon the best looking cereal on the market.

It even has fun nods to its predecessors in the form of cartoony packaging and games on the back of the box (I crushed the word search, not to brag).

And to be able to enjoy flavored cereals like I did when I was a kid—without having to sacrifice a healthy-ish breakfast—is definitely a plus.

It's filling and tasty

To ensure my research was thorough, I ate Magic Spoon for breakfast one day, lunch another, and as a midnight snack… you know, the only times most people eat cereal. The cereal is filling; I never found myself lurking around the kitchen for a snack.

I don't consider myself a strong contributor to the fitness community, but with 14g of protein I can imagine this being the perfect pre- or post-workout snack.

In terms of flavor, it’s definitely way better than every other healthy cereal option, and maybe any healthy breakfast option in general.

I honestly can’t believe there’s no sugar in the Blueberry Muffin cereal. Frosted is also super tasty, serving big time marshmallow flavor.

Fruity, to me, was overly lemony and the Cocoa tasted way too much like chocolate whey powder rather than its puffy predecessor. The Peanut Butter was also lacking that Reese's Puffs flavor I was looking for, tasting more salty and buttery instead. But if you're not big on sweetness, they might be perfect (especially when you combine Cocoa and Peanut Butter together).

What I don't like

It's pricey—and hard to find

My least favorite part of Magic Spoon is the ordering process. Not only is the cereal expensive ($10 per box), but you also have to pay for shipping, especially since a lot of the flavors are not available at typical grocery stores.

Then there's the struggle of waiting for the package to arrive in the mail. When I’m staring down a box of Fruity Pebbles, there’s a 99% chance it doesn’t survive the night—which also means I haven’t got time to wait for the mailman.

It doesn't taste exactly like kids' breakfast cereals

To be honest, comparing Magic Spoon to the sugary breakfast cereals of our youth is blasphemous. It’s just not as tasty (probably because it’s not nearly as sugary).

I particularly struggled with the texture of these cereals. Since these are totally grain-free, they lack that characteristic crispy, crunchy texture most of us are used to. Instead, these cereals have a somewhat gluey texture that tends to get stuck in your teeth.

There's also an unusual aftertaste, likely coming from the sweetener-alternatives that keep each serving at zero grams of sugar.

Arguably the best part about having cereal for breakfast is the milk leftover in the bowl. In my opinion, post-cereal milk is built different, and the milk after a bowl of Magic Spoon just doesn’t compare.

Is Magic Spoon worth it?

Let me follow up my question with another question: Do you own a Peloton? If so, Magic Spoon could be right up your alley. Like Peloton, the emphasis here is on a healthy lifestyle and the convenience of home delivery. And also like Peloton, this comes with a higher price tag than competitors.

While the flavor doesn’t necessarily stack up to sugary breakfast cereal, it’s way tastier than similar “healthy” cereals. There’s no sugar crash in the middle of the day, and it'll keep you full until your next meal. If you’re an active person who doesn’t mind spending a bit extra on your morning meal, this is a perfect option for you.

For the less active, it’s a fun way to enjoy a nostalgic breakfast without punishing your body with corn syrup and dyes. I’m a sucker for cool branding, and Magic Spoon’s is the breakfast MVP.

Shop at Magic Spoon

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.