Last Updated on February 19, 2022
I start most days with cereal. I usually have to get up pretty early in the morning, and since my stomach isn’t quite ready for eggs or anything heavy at that moment, I tend to eat something that is both simple to make and easy to eat.
The problem is that many cereals aren’t that great for you. Many are loaded with sugars and carbs while also lacking much in the way of vitamins, minerals, or other body-enhancing nutrition. What’s more, some cereals that are supposedly good for you don’t always have the taste to back it up.
Raisin bran claims to be a “healthy” cereal. First developed back in the 1920s by a company that no longer exists, it was later copied by Kellogg’s and Post. Today, raisin bran cereals market themselves as a way to get various kinds of nutritional value. What’s more, there are a number of generic raisin bran cereals out there, including one made by Aldi.
But is it healthy, really?
Millville Raisin Bran is an Aldi Regular Buy, which means you can find it in stores every day. At the time of this post, this cereal comes in an 18.7-ounce box.
True to form, Aldi’s packaging shamelessly copies the brand name.
Aldi cereal on the left, name-brand Kellogg’s on the right.
From a taste perspective, Millville is a pretty close approximation of Kellogg’s. I’m not 100% sure it’s an exact copy, but it’s close enough in my book to justify the price savings. And whatever differences there are don’t seriously affect taste — I’d say I like the Aldi version as much as the Kellogg’s one. I happen to like raisin bran cereals in general, so that makes the Aldi raisin bran a win for me.
Aldi at left, name brand at right.
As for nutrition? The reality is that raisin bran cereals are a mixed bag. On one hand, they are fortified with more vitamins and minerals than most cereals, and they also have a solid quantity of dietary fiber. But there is also a lot of sugar … and not just the natural sugar found in the raisins, but also added sugars. Both the Millville and Kellogg’s versions of raisin bran are on the higher end of sugar content compared to other cereals I’ve seen: both have 9 grams of added sugar per serving, with Millville topping out at 20 grams of total sugar and Kellogg’s at 17 grams.
Both Millville and Kellogg’s are relatively simple on ingredients, with whole grain wheat, raisins, wheat bran, and sugar being the primary ones. Millville Raisin Bran also contains wheat flour, malted barley flour, and salt, while Kellogg’s also contains brown sugar syrup.
Nutrition and ingredients: Millville at left, Kellogg’s at right.
The Verdict:
Milville Raisin Bran is a solid substitute for the brand name. It packs a similar taste, and for less than you’ll pay for Kellogg’s or Post. It also contains plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, just like the brand name. It’s also high in sugar, including added sugars. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s worth it.
As far as taste goes, I feel that the Aldi’s Raisin Bran is every bit as good as Kellogg’s.
The question of whether it’s good for you is a matter of opinion. Mine is that while raisins and bran flakes seems a healthy choice in the cereal marketplace, it’s still very high in sugar and carbs, substances that I now stay away from because they contribute to insulin resistance as much as Cap’n Crunch or Frosted Flakes.
On the subject of high sugar in Aldi cereals, I just purchased Millville Bran Flakes without checking the label. Like the Raisin Bran, there’s a whole lot of sugar (7 grams per cup) in the Bran Flakes. It’s roughly twice the amount in Full Circle Bran Flakes-which is my usual go to brand. I also see they jacked up the amount of salt to a whopping 300mg per serving. Again, roughly 2X the amount in Full Circle brand. Seems like Aldi cereals are headed in the wrong direction.