13 Grocery Store Granola Brands, Ranked

In a world of sugar-loaded breakfasts and snacks, the importance of a yummy yet healthy way to fuel your day is underscored. For those looking for a convenient option that can be eaten alone or incorporated into other recipes, granola is an option to consider. The nutritional value of granola can be pretty hit or miss, as it usually consists of both whole grains and sweeteners. Some brands' options can put on a facade of being good for you when in reality they're pumped with harmful ingredients, whereas others offer a wholesome experience. Both types of granola adorn the shelves of supermarkets, making it important to discern what grocery store brands are actually worth buying.

Don't let that scare you, though. If celebrity chef Ina Garten prefers store-bought granola to making it herself, that means there are some worthy options out there. You just have to know what to look for. Good-for-you granola won't have an astoundingly large amount of calories, added sugar, or saturated fat. It'll have balanced levels of those, plus protein where possible. And of course, it should taste good, too. Based on these factors, we've compiled a list of some of the most commonly seen granola brands in stores and ranked them from worst to best. Prices may vary based on location.

Though it pains us to put an affordable option at the bottom of the list, last place sadly goes to Millville. This granola brand can be found at Aldi, a retailer known for its low-priced goods that parallel more costly name-brand items. That's all people usually need to hear to get them into this store. But there are a few things to keep in mind before you make your first trip to Aldi. The most important is the fact that while the grocer offers less expensive items, sometimes it's more sensible to pay extra when possible, to get your hands on an overall better product.

This is worth considering when it comes to Aldi's granola. Despite Millville's great price of $3.69, the nutritional value and flavor of its products aren't nearly as impressive. Some pouches, such as its cinnamon variety, list ¼ of a cup as its serving size. You're likely to consume double the amount of that meager portion, coming out to 12 grams of sugar. That doesn't exactly align with the light flavors that only appear as an aftertaste. But if the sugar levels don't bother you and a delicate taste is what you're looking for, consider Millville back in the running. The subtle flavor will do just fine when used as an additive for something like a bowl of apple-cinnamon oatmeal.

Great Value only half-heartedly lives up to its name in this instance. The Walmart brand went above and beyond in providing customers with an unbeatable price of $2.67 for its granola, even going lower than the almighty Aldi. Just a few dollars can get you a variety of flavors, including Oats and Honey, Chocolate Chip, Fruit and Nut, and more.

Where Great Value starts to stray from its name is in the granola's nutrition and taste. Its French Vanilla Almond flavor, for example, contains 12 grams of sugar for half of a cup. That comes as no surprise once you give the granola a taste test, as the vanilla essence is so overwhelming that it's almost akin to eating icing. If the rest of Great Value's granolas share in this jarring flavor, they'll be hard to snack on. The same goes for its more underwhelming flavors, which taste cheap and sometimes even alarmingly contain pieces of plastic, according to unsatisfied reviews on the Walmart website. Being either too sweet or too subtly flavored, you're best off incorporating Great Value granola into non-sugary cereals to either diminish its intensity or introduce more flavor to the meal.

While we do love the crunch of Love Crunch, there's surprisingly not a whole lot else to like. That might be a controversial opinion to have in the world of granola, especially with the company's fun flavors like Chocolate Hazelnut Butter, Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter, Summer Berries, and more. However, the numbers on their packaging speak for themselves. Take a look at the nutrition label of Love Crunch's Dark Chocolate and Red Berries granola. While 130 calories might seem low, that's for a measly serving size. If you were to convert the numbers into a half-cup portion, which is a much more realistic amount, that easily bumps it up to 10 grams of fat and 12 grams of sugar. 

And as far as taste goes, it's a bit bland. Love Crunch's array of flavors would do well being added to some chewy coconut chocolate chip cookies or sprinkled on top of a blueberry cheesecake pop-tart. They're subtle but can meld well with a variety of recipes, and the bags come with finer, smaller grains that can't be easily eaten alone, making them better when incorporated with other foods.

A brand you'll often see on the shelves of your local Target, Walmart, or ShopRite is Nature Valley. According to its website, this company was established in 1973, right around the introduction of granola cereal in general. So naming Nature Valley as one of the more subpar granola choices is just as disappointing for us as it may be for you.

We'll give credit where credit is due, though. In Nature Valley's case, the brand deserves recognition for its many granola lines. There are multiple categories to choose from, including toppers and granolas labeled as crunchy, protein-packed, or reduced in sugar. But among these many options, there are not many that aren't shockingly high in calories and sugar. Take, for example, the brand's (not very flavorful) Oats and Dark Chocolate pouch, which has 280 calories per serving. Part of that is 13 grams of protein, but there are also 18 grams of sugar. Your best bet is exploring Nature Valley's reduced-sugar granola. It's slim pickings since there's only one flavor, which is Vanilla Almond. However, it's worth taking a look at for less sugar, a good amount of protein, and hopefully a more prominent taste.

Cutting straight to the chase, first and foremost to be addressed about Bear Naked is its taste. While this isn't representative of the several other options that Bear Naked offers — such as Maple Pecan Crumble, Vanilla Almond Crisp, or Triple Berry Crunch — the brand's Cacao and Cashew Butter simply cannot be danced around. It's exactly how we'd imagine flowers and perfume to taste. And as pleasant as that imagery might seem, those things should really be left to sight and scent only.

Putting aside that singular product's taste, Bear Naked granolas as a whole have a decent amount of protein, but that also comes with high amounts of sugar and saturated fat. Also common with this brand is that the granola is chock-full of whole grains. This can be a great thing so long as you don't have any sensitivities. A whole grain diet can have multiple benefits, from lowered cholesterol levels and blood pressure to a lowered risk of diabetes and heart disease.

NuTrail is the second-most expensive granola on this list. It costs about $8 for an eight-ounce bag, which might be worth it for those looking for a gluten-free and grain-free option. It's also keto-friendly, which means it has an adequate amount of protein and is low in carbs. On the flip side, it's filled with fats.

According to Northwestern Medicine, cutting carbs and loading up on fats can aid with weight loss and even possibly help with specific health conditions like epilepsy. Some disadvantages are an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and an overall lack of essential nutrients. It's important to be mindful of such positives and negatives when going for a keto-friendly brand like NuTrail.

Another notable aspect is that NuTrail adds no sugar to its granola. That doesn't mean it's not sweet, though. In fact, the Cacao variety is almost sickly sweet, tasting as if it's saturated in syrup. It'll certainly wake you up in the morning, but NuTrail's products will likely taste better if incorporated into another recipe, such as a honey walnut shrimp bowl, to balance out the overwhelming flavors.

Right on par with its understated, Earth-toned packaging, Cascadian Farm granola tastes like something taken straight from Mother Nature. Its Fruit and Nut mix, which is made with almonds, cranberries, raisins, and other wholesome ingredients, is a prime example of this. Likely because of the whole grain oats and crisp rice, it tastes how we would imagine bird food to be with a flavor strongly resembling sunflower seeds. Whether that's a bad or a good thing is up to you to decide.

Nutritionally, the brand is rather middle ground among the other products on this list. It's certainly higher in calories and sugar, but at least the saturated fat is nothing to blink an eye at. The brand's amount of fiber is also great as well. What stands out most about Cascadian Farm is its commitment to the environment, though. Cascadian Farm prides itself on the fact that its ingredients are grown on certified organic farms. This reduces chemical pollution and improves soil health. That's plenty good to earn the seventh spot on our list.

Joining the race at the halfway point is the most recognizable of the bunch: Quaker, a brand that's been around since 1877. The signature Quaker man stamped on the oat company's products has lined shelves for over a century, offering a warm smile and a familiar face. Whether or not you're in for a nutritious and yummy treat depends on which of its granolas you're purchasing.

A few of Quaker's items could be condemned for their high sugar content. The Simply Granola Oats, Apple, Cranberry, and Almonds variety, for example, contains a whopping 17 grams of sugar. You're certainly better off chopping up your own nuts and fruits to avoid the added sugars in this lineup. 

On the other end of the spectrum is Quaker's protein line. These crunchy, filling bunches sadly only come in two flavors: Oats, Chocolate, and Almonds; and Maple and Brown Sugar. And though they also still have a high amount of added sugar, it's for a slightly bigger portion size. Both are also a good source of fiber and have ample protein per serving. The Oats, Chocolate, and Almonds flavor, in particular, tastes similar to a protein shake, so there's no doubt you're getting your macros in. Despite the nutritional differences in Quaker's granolas, though, you can at least rely on getting bigger clusters that don't fall apart as easily as many other options.

Good & Gather has proven reliable yet again with its high-quality, budget-friendly goods. Including household essentials and groceries, the Target brand has delivered a wide assortment of affordable commodities to satisfy your everyday needs. This includes breakfast foods and snacks, such as granola. And though we would've hoped the cost of Target's granola would be lower (its almost $5 price tag is more or less the same price as other name-brands), the wide variety of flavors, low calories, and surprisingly decent protein just about wipes that out of our minds.

Good & Gather has a surprisingly extensive line of granolas to choose from, including Salted Caramel, Honey Pecan Drizzled Granola Clusters, Pumpkin Spice, Mixed Berry, Dark Chocolate Cashew Butter, and a handful more. A few of the store's options are also grain-free for those who suffer from any sensitivities or intolerances. Though not grain-free, a winner among Good & Gather's flavors is its Banana Nut Granola. It contains nine grams of whole grains per serving, which will help you get in your fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But what makes this product great isn't even the whole grains, low calories, or high protein; it's the refreshing and pleasantly fragrant banana flavor, complete with a generous amount of almond slices and chocolate chunks.

It's fair to say that Safe + Fair is a safe choice for your morning or midday snack. This plant-based brand provides the most unique flavors out there, from Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to Honeycrisp Apple Pie and Strawberry Shortcake. Each one has fun colors that tint the clusters and resemble the ingredients they contain, whether it be green, pink, or a mix of multiple hues. 

You can even celebrate a special occasion with their Birthday Cake granola, which is sure to leave a party in your mouth. But unlike a real cake that contains a startlingly large amount of calories and sugar, this lighter, dessert-like product only contains seven grams per ⅓ of a cup serving. The overall low amounts of sugar in Safe + Fair's granola are quite impressive considering they truly emulate the confectionary goods they are based upon in both looks and taste. Reminding one of dyed Rice Krispies, Safe + Fair's options are the perfect healthy alternative for your sweet tooth. All of its granolas hit the buzz words being vegan, gluten-free, and having no GMOs. They're also completely free from the top nine most common allergens, making them a suitable choice for those with intolerances.

Purely Elizabeth only hit grocery shelves in 2010, but it has already made an impact with its organic granola. This is a great brand for those who are sensitive to gluten, as its products completely omit the cereal grain protein and in turn, promote possible benefits like increased energy and improved gastrointestinal health. The only caveat is it's not uncommon for gluten-free foods to inversely be high in fat. Looking at Purely Elizabeth's Double Chocolate Cookie Granola flavor for reference, that is the case with its almost four grams of saturated fat per serving.

However, don't forget that these stats are still coming from sustainable, plant-based ingredients the company roots its recipes in, such as organic oats, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and hemp. The coconut essence and deeply warm flavors apparent in Purely Elizabeth's offerings, such as Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Chocolate Chip Cookie, truly emulate the confectionery good. And there are even more lines available to suit your particular dietary needs, including Ancient Grain, and Nut and Seed. With these many delicious choices, Purely Elizabeth acts as a guilt-free comfort snack in both its taste and nutrition.

Finally, an inexpensive option gets the recognition it deserves. The runner-up in this ranking is Simply Nature. Where its other brand, Millville, fails, Aldi makes up for with this organic line of granola. There are a handful of choices in the flavor department of its granola pouches, such as Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt, Raisin and Almond, Coconut Cacao, and Cranberry and Cashew. And that's not even delving into the additional flavors available for granola bars.

The cost of these may vary depending on the location of your store, but a good estimate is a bit over three dollars since that's what Simply Nature's Coconut Cacao variety was priced at. The price isn't even the lowest number this product has yet to offer, though. That would be the calories. One serving of this flavor is only 140 calories, which is significantly lower than the other items on this list. The catch? None. The nutrition label's numbers on Simply Nature's granolas are truly just that stellar. Plus, their satisfyingly audible crunch and pleasantly big clusters are just the cherries on top.

Coming out on top is Kind, a brand that lives up to its name by helping customers be kind to their bodies through nutritious snacks. From granola bars to pouches of granola clusters, Kind keeps grocery shelves stacked with one of the widest varieties of textures and flavors offered. Every customer will find a product that suits them best, as the food company covers all the basics with its mix of chocolate, caramel, fruit, peanut butter, and honey-flavored items. And these come in consistencies ranging from crunchy, crumbly loose granola to soft and chewy bars.

The best part about these products is you know exactly what's in them. Kind is refreshingly transparent about the ingredients used in its products and why they're incorporated. This is especially the case for added sugars; Kind has an entire list naming the sweeteners found in its recipes and how each one is used. None of them raise any eyebrows, and it's evident in how you can actually read and pronounce the listed ingredients found on the back of its products' packaging. All of these elements come together to create a solid nutritional profile and light flavor.

The ranking of these grocery store granola brands is based on a mix of criteria. The primary factor that dictates the placement of a product is its nutritional value. This includes the amount of calories, saturated fat, added sugar, and protein per serving. Those with higher protein and lower calories, fat, and sugar are rated more favorably. Any other important characteristics, such as being organic or omission of gluten, grains, or common allergens, are also considered.

Additionally, the taste of one flavor from each brand was tested. Some items taste bland and likely require additional elements to become more enjoyable while others are more than good enough to be snacked on alone. The typical price of the granola brand also makes an impact on its placement on the list. Lastly, the mission and story behind each company affect the ranking.