The Is the Best Cereal You Can Buy at Trader Joe’s — And It’s a Spin-Off of a Very Popular Classic

Mara Weinraub
Mara WeinraubSenior Editor of Groceries at The Kitchn
I nudged my way into writing about food after a too-long stint working in advertising. At first, I freelanced for several digital food media outlets, and then worked at Hearst Magazines as the Senior Food & Drink Editor across nearly all titles, including Delish, Good Housekeeping, and Pioneer Woman. I’ve been at The Kitchn since August 2021, and one of my proudest accomplishments is my feature detailing the fascinating grocer solutions to America’s food waste problem. (If you haven’t read it, now’s the time!) I nerd out over groceries. One of the best parts of my job is sharing little-known or untold stories that help shoppers navigate the aisles — and their budget — like the “two-finger” rule on how to pick out the perfect watermelon, our editors' favorite hot cocoa mix, or a corner of our country's food system. I’m always looking for new ways to expand the groceries conversation at The Kitchn.
Follow
published Feb 16, 2022
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
trader joe's cereal
Credit: Mara Weinraub

As a breakfast person, and a sometimes breakfast-for-dinner person (and, heck, even a breakfast-for-lunch person), I’ve eaten a lot of cereal. For years, cereal was the first thing I’d eat during the week (weekends are for bagels and pancakes). Even when I wanted more variety, there was a pack for that. Convenience, capitalism, and cartoon characters all neatly packaged in a brightly colored box — just add milk.

I’ve since diversified my weekday morning meals; working from home has fostered a new level of exploration, like turning on the stovetop before turning on my computer. Still, on certain days, I just want a simple bowl of grains poured from a box. The one I reach for lately is the small-ish blue, cartoon-free box from Trader Joe’s. It, in my opinion, is the best cereal you can buy from the grocer. Here’s why.

Credit: Mara Weinraub

Trader Joe’s Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola Cereal

A spin-off of the store’s “very popular” Vanilla Almond Clusters Cereal — which includes a blend of oat clusters, corn flakes, multigrain flakes, and almonds — this box is all about the clusters. Hence, the “Just.” They are the very best part of the original and on full display in this variation — as they should be.

Find it in stores: Trader Joe’s Just the Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola Cereal, $3.29 for 16 ounces

Credit: Mara Weinraub

The crunchy, granola-like clusters are made from rolled oats, rice flour, and almonds and three different types of sweeteners (milled cane sugar, honey, and barley malt syrup). They vary in size, from slightly bigger than a quarter to smaller than an individual oat, and crumble in your mouth, without tearing at its roof.

Beyond texture, there’s a toasted sweetness and a delicious vanilla flavor that lingers just long enough between bites. I also like that a bowl fills me up. Other cereals I’ve eaten, while delicious, don’t. (No more pre-lunch snacks … an hour post-breakfast!)

Credit: Mara Weinraub

I’ve been enjoying mine with pecan milk, which adds an extra layer of nuttiness to the mix. (In case you’re wondering, the milk is brown; the cereal didn’t turn it that color.) I haven’t tried it atop ice cream, as the in-store sign suggests, but it does sound like a good breakfast-for-dessert option.

What’s your favorite cereal at Trader Joe’s? Tell us in the comments below!

Filed in:
Breakfast