A recent study has identified the most popular breakfast cereals across the United States, with Froot Loops emerging as the top choice in 13 states. Researchers at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, analyzed Google Trends data from January 2025 to January 2026 to determine the most-searched cereal in each state and Washington, DC.
Froot Loops Leads the Pack
The multi-colored, ring-shaped Froot Loops claimed the top spot in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. This sugary treat outpaced all competitors, securing a dominant position in a quarter of the country.
Second Place Tie: Rice Krispies and Cheerios
Kellogg's Rice Krispies and General Mills' Cheerios tied for second place, each winning in five states. Rice Krispies was most popular in Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin, while Cheerios topped the list in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
Other Popular Cereals
General Mills' Trix was favored in Washington, DC, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Washington state. Cocoa Puffs won in Hawaii and Nevada, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch was the top choice in Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina.
Declining Cereal Sales
Despite these rankings, cereal sales have been declining. According to Nielsen IQ, Americans bought nearly 2.5 billion boxes of cereal in the 52 weeks ending July 3, 2021, but that number dropped by over 13% to 2.1 billion by July 2025. Factors include health concerns over food processing and sugar content. For instance, one cup of Lucky Charms contains 24% of the daily recommended sugar intake.
Tom Rees, global insight manager at Euromonitor, noted in July 2025 that cereal struggles with its image as a processed food. Artificial dyes, like those in Froot Loops, have also faced criticism. In 2024, protesters rallied outside WK Kellogg's headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, demanding removal of artificial dyes. In response, Kellogg and General Mills have pledged to phase out artificial dyes from all products by the end of 2027.
