Charles Esther
A box of name-brand cereal may not seem like an especially luxurious purchase.
But when you’re buying enough cereal to feed a hungry family of four, the cost can add up quickly.
Luckily, Walmart offers generic alternatives to many popular cereal brands under its Great Value label.
These “dupes” tend to be cheaper, so I wanted to find out if I could save money while keeping my 7-year-old and 4-year-old just as satisfied.
To test this, we did blind taste tests of five famous cereals against their Walmart generic counterparts.
Here is how the cereals stacked up and which ones were worth the savings.
Honey Nut Cheerios vs Great Value Honey Nut O’s
General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios cost $3.68 for a 10.5-ounce box, or $0.35 per ounce.
The Great Value Honey Nut O’s were much cheaper at $1.87 for a 12-ounce box, or $0.16 per ounce.
Visually, the Walmart version was larger and lighter in color.
The Honey Nut Cheerios had a shiny sugary coating that the generic lacked.
Most of us preferred the brand-name Cheerios.
The Honey Nut Cheerios had a stronger honey flavor and a heartier oat taste.
The generic was crunchier but had a slightly chalky texture.
My 4-year-old actually preferred the Walmart version, possibly because she doesn’t like honey flavor much.
My 7-year-old and I both preferred the original Honey Nut Cheerios.
Honey Bunches of Oats vs Great Value Honey Bunches
This was my first time trying both cereals.
The brand-name box cost $4.93 for 18 ounces, or $0.27 per ounce.
The Walmart version was $2.67 for 18 ounces, or $0.15 per ounce.
The brand-name cereal had a better mix of cornflakes and granola.
The generic’s granola was harder to find and clumped together.
We all thought the Honey Bunches of Oats were distinctly sweeter.
The Walmart version tasted bland and more like plain corn flakes.
In this case, we all preferred the brand-name Honey Bunches of Oats and felt it was worth the extra cost.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch vs Great Value Cinnamon Crunch
General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch cost $2.97 for 12 ounces, about $0.25 per ounce.
The Walmart option was $2.98 for 20.5 ounces, or $0.15 per ounce.
Visually, the brand-name cereal was smaller, darker, and had visible cinnamon sugar swirls.
My 7-year-old and I could tell the difference in taste, with the brand-name being sweeter, crunchier, and denser.
The Walmart version was airier and less sweet, which I actually preferred.
My 4-year-old thought both tasted the same.
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies vs Great Value Rice Crisps
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cost $4.98 for 18 ounces, or $0.28 per ounce.
The Walmart version was $1.98 for 12 ounces, or $0.17 per ounce.
The generic cereal had larger, yellower crisps.
Both tasted very similar, although the brand-name was slightly sweeter.
The Walmart version had a faint cardboard aftertaste, but my kids couldn’t tell the difference.
When made into rice crispy treats, both cereals tasted almost identical.
I’d definitely buy the Walmart version for treats to save money.
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes vs Great Value Frosted Flakes
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cost $3.98 for 12 ounces, or $0.33 per ounce.
The Walmart version was $1.93 for 13.5 ounces, or $0.14 per ounce.
Both looked very similar, though the generic was slightly yellower.
In blind taste tests, we could not reliably tell the difference between the two.
Both were sugary and crunchy at first, becoming mushy after a few minutes in milk.
The Walmart Frosted Flakes were the only generic cereal that matched the brand-name version closely in taste.
I think buying the cheaper Walmart version is a no-brainer here.
Conclusion
Out of the five cereals tested, two brand-name options — Honey Nut Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats — were preferred over the Walmart alternatives.
However, for Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Rice Krispies, and Frosted Flakes, the generic versions held up well or were even preferred.
If you want to save money on cereal without sacrificing much taste, trying Walmart’s Great Value alternatives for some cereals can be a smart choice.
Prices and availability may vary by location, but these results suggest that not all generic cereals are created equal.
Choosing the right cereal to swap could help stretch your grocery budget while keeping your family happy.
