Does Nature Valley Make Cereal? The Granola-Cereal Connection Explained

December 26, 2025 •

4 min read

Nature Valley originally launched with a granola cereal before debuting its iconic granola bar in 1975, marking an important turning point in the brand's history. This historical tidbit explains why many consumers associate Nature Valley with both on-the-go snacks and breakfast-bowl staples, leading to the common question about their cereal production today.

Quick Summary

Nature Valley does not make traditional flake cereal, but produces various loose granolas designed for bowls with milk or as yogurt toppers. Their product line expanded from an original granola cereal into popular granola bars and other snack formats over the decades.

Key Points

Granola is the Cereal: While they don't produce traditional flaked cereal, Nature Valley sells granola clusters that function as a breakfast cereal when served with milk.
Original Product was Cereal: Nature Valley's first product, launched in 1975, was a granola cereal, before the famous granola bars were invented.
Not All Products are Cereal: The majority of Nature Valley's products are snack bars, but their loose granola in bags is the closest equivalent to a breakfast cereal.
Versatile Use: Nature Valley's granola can be eaten as a classic bowl of cereal with milk, sprinkled on yogurt, or enjoyed as a dry snack.
Product Evolution: The brand's shift from focusing on its original cereal to prioritizing portable granola bars led to its modern-day product lineup.

Nature Valley's History with Granola and Cereal

For many, the name Nature Valley is synonymous with crunchy, individually-wrapped granola bars, a staple in lunchboxes and hiking backpacks for decades. However, the brand's origins reveal a deeper connection to breakfast bowls. Owned by General Mills, Nature Valley actually first entered the market with a granola cereal. While the cereal offered natural ingredients like whole grain oats, honey, and nuts, the brand's founders saw a demand for a more portable breakfast option, leading to the development of the world's first granola bar in the mid-1970s.

This pivotal shift from a cereal-focused brand to a snack-bar giant explains the modern product lineup. Although the classic granola cereal was eventually phased out in favor of the more profitable and convenient bars, the company has since reintroduced granola in a loose form. These modern granola products are essentially a type of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, designed to be poured into a bowl with milk or used as a topping.

Modern Granola Offerings: The Cereal Alternative

Today, Nature Valley's granola products, such as their popular Oats and Honey Crunchy Granola, fill the cereal niche in their product family. These loose granola clusters provide the same whole-grain goodness and flavor profiles found in their bar counterparts, but in a format suitable for a traditional breakfast. They are often available in resealable bags and promoted as versatile options for topping yogurt, oatmeal, or enjoying with milk.

A Closer Look at Nature Valley Granola

Versatile Serving: Can be enjoyed in a bowl with milk like a traditional cereal or sprinkled over yogurt for added texture and nutrition.
Wholegrain Goodness: Many granola products, including the Oats and Honey variety, contain substantial amounts of whole grains per serving.
No High Fructose Corn Syrup: Nature Valley highlights that many of its products, including the granola, contain no artificial flavors, colors, or high fructose corn syrup.
Protein Options: For those seeking a higher protein breakfast, Nature Valley also offers protein-packed granola variants, which are also suitable as a bowl cereal.

Granola vs. Traditional Cereal: A Comparison

To fully understand why Nature Valley granola can be considered a cereal, it helps to compare it with more traditional cereal flakes. While the two are often used interchangeably for breakfast, their forms and nutritional profiles can differ.


Feature	Nature Valley Granola (Cereal Alternative)	Traditional Flake Cereal (e.g., Corn Flakes)
Form	Loose, crunchy clusters of oats and grains.	Thin, processed flakes made from corn, wheat, or rice.
Texture	Hearty and chewy with a significant crunch.	Light, crisp, and can become soggy quickly in milk.
Primary Ingredient	Often whole grain rolled oats.	Grains that have been milled, cooked, flattened, and toasted.
Serving Method	With milk in a bowl, or as a topping for other foods like yogurt.	Typically served with milk in a bowl.
Sweetness	Varies, but often sweetened with honey or brown sugar.	Ranges from unsweetened to very sugary, depending on the brand.
Fiber Content	Often contains a good source of fiber, especially in protein varieties.	Can be low in fiber, though many brands add fiber back in.

A Product Line Built on Granola

Beyond just granola that serves as cereal, Nature Valley's product diversification demonstrates its expertise in the granola space. From the iconic Crunchy bars to Chewy, Sweet & Salty, and Protein varieties, the brand has continually innovated around the wholesome, whole-grain oat foundation that was established with its very first product. This ongoing focus means that even if you're holding a bar, you're still enjoying a direct descendant of their original breakfast cereal concept. The brand has built its entire legacy on the versatile, portable nature of granola, a product that can be both a convenient snack and a satisfying bowl of cereal. As the company's official websites confirm, granola remains a core part of their modern offerings, available in multiple forms to suit different needs.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Bar

So, does Nature Valley make cereal? The answer is both yes and no. While they do not produce the typical flake-based cereal, they manufacture granola, which is a type of breakfast cereal that can be enjoyed in the same manner. This granola is sold in resealable bags and marketed as a versatile breakfast and snacking ingredient. Their product line's evolution from a classic granola cereal to a wide array of granola bars and loose granola demonstrates a continuous dedication to delivering whole-grain goodness, whether you enjoy it with milk in a bowl or in a convenient, on-the-go bar. The next time you find yourself browsing the cereal aisle, remember that Nature Valley's roots lie squarely in the world of breakfast bowls, even if their most famous products are found in the snack aisle today.

Visit the official Nature Valley website

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Nature Valley's granola is a type of breakfast cereal. It is typically served in a bowl with milk, yogurt, or as a topping, just like many other cereals.

Nature Valley primarily makes granola, which is a cereal consisting of rolled oats, honey, nuts, and other ingredients clustered together. They do not produce traditional flake-style cereals.

Yes, Nature Valley's very first product when the brand launched was a granola cereal. This was before the introduction of the popular granola bar in 1975.

Nature Valley's granola is typically found in the cereal or granola aisle of grocery stores. It is sold in resealable bags, unlike their bars which are in boxes.

While Nature Valley has some gluten-free products, their standard granolas are not typically gluten-free. Some of their protein bars, however, are made without gluten ingredients.

The main difference is the format. The granola is loose clusters of oats and grains intended for a bowl, while the bars are pressed and individually wrapped for portable, on-the-go snacking.

Nature Valley is a brand owned by the food giant General Mills.