Flavors Tried: Strawberry & Cinnamon
Price: $4.93 for Family Size Box ($0.45 per serving)
Nutrition Facts: 150 Calories, 2.5g Fat, 24g Carbs (2g Fiber & 12g Sugar), 8g Protein

Protein Cheerios has an interesting history. The cereal originally launched in 2014 but quickly disappeared after facing a lawsuit for misleading protein claims.
The original version advertised “11g protein with milk” but only contained 7g of protein per serving. Even worse, it packed 16g of sugar and 200 calories, making it barely more protein-dense than regular Cheerios.

After agreeing to change their labels, the product vanished from shelves instead. Interestingly, that settlement expired in 2024, and General Mills wasted no time bringing Protein Cheerios back… this time with a new recipe.

The new version contains 150 calories, 2.5g fat, 24g carbs (12g sugar, 2g fiber), and 8g protein per cup. While not mind-blowing compared to other protein cereals, it’s an improvement over the original.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t trying to compete with dedicated protein cereals like Magic Spoon or Ghost. This is regular cereal with some added pea protein.
Yes, the word PROTEIN is written in gigantic letters on the front of the box, but this is a cereal for anyone who wants a little bit of extra protein in their day, or parents who want their picky eaters to get some protein.
This is not a cereal aimed at gym bros or keto dieters, and that shows itself in the price.
While Magic Spoon and similar cereals charge $10 for a small box, you can get a family-size box of Protein Cheerios for under $5 at Walmart. For a healthy (ish) cereal, that’s incredible.
Cheerios Protein currently comes in two flavors: Strawberry and Cinnamon. Let’s break them down.

The cereal looks exactly like regular Cheerios, which is a good start. Both flavors have that familiar O-shaped cereal we all know, and there’s a crunchy coating similar to what you’d see with Honey Nut Cheerios.
The Cinnamon version delivers a solid cinnamon flavor with a solid sweetness throughout. There is a slight pea protein taste in the aftertaste, but it’s not overwhelming. I typically hate the taste of pea protein, but it’s hardly noticeable in these.
And don’t worry, this cereal doesn’t have the same insane crunchiness that a lot of protein cereals tend to have. You’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and regular Cheerios on texture alone.

The Strawberry flavor actually impressed me more. It has a great strawberry smell and the flavor really works here. If I had to choose between the two, this would be my pick.
Both flavors improve significantly with milk, which helps mask any protein taste. This is definitely a cereal that benefits from the traditional bowl-and-milk experience, although it’s certainly not bad on its own.

When you consider that a bowl of cereal will generally be two servings, you’re looking at a breakfast option consisting of 300 calories and 16 grams of protein. While those macros aren’t exactly mind-blowing, you could do much worse.
I’ve even used a classic hack and used a Fairlife protein shake as my milk to bring the protein content up even more, and it was delicious.
I think most important of all for a cereal like this is that is definitely passes the”kid test.” I have a picky toddler at home who loves Cheerios, and he loved snacking on this cereal. If he’s going to eat Cheerios anyway, I don’t mind him getting a little bit of extra protein in.

Where does it rank among protein cereals? This one is tough to rank because it’s quite different than traditional protein cereals, but I put it in a similar category as Three Wishes. In fact, the macros of both cereals are quite similar, but Three Wishes sets itself apart by being free of most major allergens.
While Cheerios Protein doesn’t pack as much protein as some competitors, the familiar taste, reasonable price, and decent macros make it a solid choice for what it is.
This new version of Protein Cheerios might not revolutionize the protein cereal market, but it doesn’t need to. It succeeds at being exactly what it aims to be: a slightly more nutritious version of regular Cheerios.
If you’re expecting the protein content of Ghost Cereal or the low carbs of Magic Spoon, look elsewhere. But if you want a familiar breakfast cereal with a protein boost at a reasonable price, this is absolutely worth trying.