7 Chex Cereals, Ranked Worst To Best

If you're not a big breakfast cereal person, then you may just assume that Chex cereal is mainly used to make various flavors of classic Chex Mix snack. As much as we love Chex Mix (both the store-bought and the homemade versions), Chex can actually be really tasty on its own, especially if it's swimming in a bowl of milk. That's exactly why I tasted through seven different Chex cereal flavors — I wanted to find out which flavors were best, and which didn't quite deliver on the flavor front. As it turns out, there are Chex cereal flavors that would make a delicious breakfast, and then there are those that don't taste good and are generally unappealing as breakfast cereal.

Wondering which Chex cereal flavors you should try for yourself the next time you find yourself in the grocery store cereal aisle? I've ranked these flavors from worst to best to help you decide which one to snag. The main criterion I used for this ranking was flavor, but when texture played a role in my decision, I noted that as well. This list can perhaps help you find your next go-to breakfast, or, at the very least, you'll know which flavors to avoid.

Think about the last time you ate a bag of Chex Mix. Out of all the different kinds of pieces in the snack mix, which ones were left at the bottom of the bag once you'd already picked through all the ones you liked? If you're like me, then Wheat Chex make up the dregs of the bag every single time, and that's because, quite simply, they taste terrible. I've never eaten cardboard before, but I imagine that Wheat Chex taste almost indistinguishable from it.

The texture is a huge part of the problem — even after soaking in milk for a while, it seems like this cereal never gets as soft as it should. But the flavor is the real issue here, since it has a prominent bitterness that almost tastes like the cereal is straight-up burnt. It's definitely toasted too much, offering a flavor complexity that nobody ever asked for, and probably nobody even wants it. My apologies to all the Wheat Chex lovers out there (if there are any of you, anyway), but this is indisputably the worst Chex flavor and cereal of them all.

I'll be honest: Strawberry and vanilla seem like a strange flavor combination for a cereal. I suspect that the company chose this combo of flavors for Strawberry Vanilla Chex because pulling out a simple strawberry flavor successfully was more difficult than infusing the whole cereal with a cheap vanilla flavor along with the slightest hint of fruitiness and calling it a day. The vanilla flavor here is quite strong — arguably way too strong — and I could barely even perceive a strawberry note in the mix.

This combination is also way too sweet for my liking. When you pour this cereal into your bowl, you'll probably immediately notice that some of the pieces are covered in a sort of pink-colored sugar. The flavor of that sugar is way too prominent for a cereal, but it also offers a strange, crunchy texture that turns me off even more. There are some strawberry-flavored cereals that are excellent, but this one isn't one of them.

As someone who regularly eats cereal for dessert, I often opt for chocolate options, and even test to see which chocolate breakfast cereal ranks best. They tend to be sweet but not too sweet, with a richness and flavor that's not quite as intense as an actual bar of chocolate but more interesting than a standard cereal. However, I'm unfortunately not a huge fan of Chocolate Chex. Sure, you should expect a chocolate cereal to be somewhat sweet, but this is extra sweet, with that same crunchy sugariness that was present in Strawberry Vanilla flavor of Chex.

Overall, the flavor isn't terrible — you actually get a pretty strong chocolate note in this cereal — so if you're someone who tends to like your cereal pretty sweet, then there's still a good chance you can enjoy it. However, if, like me, you prefer a more neutral cereal profile, then Chocolate Chex is probably not what you're looking for.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy Blueberry Chex at all, but I was surprised to discover that out of all the more boldly flavored Chex cereal varieties I tried, it was actually my favorite. Is it too sweet? Yes. Does it have that unpleasant grittiness from all the extra sugar in the recipe? Also yes. Therefore, it doesn't really win any points on the texture front. But, flavor-wise, this cereal delivers. It actually tastes pretty similar to real blueberries (naturally, it lacks the signature juiciness), and the sweetness seems to pair well with that berry-forward flavor.

Admittedly, I would prefer to just eat neutral Chex flavors with some real blueberries added to the mix, but if you're the kind of person who prefers flavored cereals over plain ones, then this product is worth checking out. This cereal would probably do well in the fruity-flavored cereal ranking.

Corn Chex has some of the features I like best in cereal. Most importantly, the flavor is relatively neutral. This variety falls into no sugar added cereals, so you're just tasting the grain and its natural flavor. This may not be ideal for everyone, but it's what I look for when I'm craving a bowl of cereal. The corn flavor isn't too pronounced, but it has just enough of that super subtle sweetness to keep things interesting. Thanks to the pillowy shape of this cereal, along with the corn base, there's also a really nice crunch. Because of this — plus the fact that this cereal isn't covered in a ton of sweet, crunchy sugar — this variety of Chex lands in the top three.

However, there is one drawback: Even for someone who doesn't like sugary cereal, this flavor can start to taste bland and even a tiny bit bitter after a few bites. I appreciate the lack of sweetener, but just a touch of it could go a long way. Drizzle some honey into the bowl along with the cereal, and you'll have a delicious breakfast. But, on its own, Corn Chex can taste a bit bland for my taste.

If you're a fan of Honey Nut Cheerios, you should know that you can also snag Honey Nut Chex from the cereal aisle at your local grocery store? And you should definitely look it up. This is essentially just Corn Chex with honey already added to the bowl. There's also some natural almond flavor added to the mix, but it's so subtle that I really couldn't point it out. The honey flavor really came through, though, with a sweetness that's perhaps a touch too sweet for me, but that ultimately makes this cereal one of the best of the bunch. You can also taste that pleasant corn nuance that remains pretty subtle.

There are people who like sweet cereal, and there are those who prefer more neutral flavors. This cereal is for someone who falls between those two extremes. If you're looking for a safe entry point into the world of Chex cereals, this may just be the variety to try first.

Rice Chex doesn't necessarily look like it should be the heavy hitter of this group, but it is. Indisputably, this cereal was the best of the entire lineup. This is an elite cereal, particularly if you prefer a more neutral flavor profile and want to avoid sugary options like some of those that were presented in this ranking. You can taste the flavor of the grain here, but it doesn't have any of that unpleasant bitterness you'll find in Wheat or Corn Chex. And once you combine it with milk, it softens quickly.

Technically, you could add some honey or some other type of sweetener to this cereal if you want it to taste sweeter, but I think it shines all on its own. When you're looking for a reliable cereal that everyone in your household can enjoy and that doesn't assault you with sweetness as soon as you take a bite, Rice Chex might just be the cereal that you've been searching for.

I selected these Chex cereal flavors based on availability at my local grocery store. I tried each of the flavors with unsweetened, unflavored almond milk. The main criteria I used for this ranking was flavor. Specifically, the highest-ranked cereals on this list have a good flavor balance and are somewhat neutral, compared to the super-sweet and artificial-tasting flavors that were ranked last. I also considered texture of each flavor when it was relevant.