UPDATE: Since this review was posted, many questions have been raised about the safety of gluten-free Cheerios. I’m no longer comfortable eating them. (I have never experienced a reaction.) Please read about the FDA review of the cereal and the updated position statement from Gluten-Free Watchdog.
A few months ago, when General Mills announced that five varieties of Cheerios would carry a gluten-free label, people lost their minds. Some folks were excited. Some weren’t. And some were just plain mean about it. Those folks decided that Cheerios going gluten-free would be a failure and that people who were excited about it were idiots. How do I know this? When I shared the Cheerios announcement on Facebook several folks sent me nasty messages. sigh I felt cautiously optimistic about the whole thing.
Oats are a tough subject in the gluten-free community. For many years, they were strictly off-limits. Then gluten-free oats entered the market. Why the confusion? Well, oats themselves don’t contain gluten. However, they often they get contaminated with gluten-containing grains, like wheat, rye, and barley. This contamination can happen during growing, transporting, and handling. Even when oats are free from gluten, a small percentage of people with celiac disease can’t tolerate them. Oats really are a complex issue.
You can understand why there are very real concerns about how General Mills will ensure that the oats used to make Cheerios (and soon Lucky Charms) are gluten-free. I haven’t spoken to anyone at General Mills; so before we dive into this review, I want to point you to a piece from Gluten-Free Watchdog about Cheerios. Tricia Thompson fully explains the complex issues surround Cheerios. After reading her piece, I urge you to decide if you are comfortable eating the cereal.
Right now, I feel okay about the gluten-status of Cheerios. Like you, I’m sure, I try to take wise precautions when it comes to eating commercial gluten-free foods. Once in a while, I’ll eat a meal out, and I buy the occasional gluten-free convenience food, like cookies and frozen pizza. Mostly I cook foods made from scratch but not always. This approach works for me and I’m thankful these options are available.
With ALL that said, let’s get to the review.
The Front of the Box
Not much changed on the front of the box except for that little gluten-free symbol. Over time, I’m sure this will change but it’s nice that for now it’s right on the front!
The Back of the Box
I found this really interesting and informative. It explains how General Mills decided to make Cheerios gluten-free. According to the box, the daughter-in-law of a longtime General Mills employee can’t eat gluten. This inspired the idea to make Cheerios gluten-free. *cough* Along with general increased interest in gluten-free products, I’m sure *cough* But it’s a nice story! I don’t know about you, but my father-in-law never made a national cereal gluten-free for me. Way to go, Phil!
Let’s take a closer look at one of the photos
See how similar wheat, rye, barley, and oats look? Just a grain or two and the whole batch is contaminated. This is why so many people are leery of the safety of Cheerios.
The Cereal
Have you ever eaten Honey Nut Cheerios? Well, then you know what gluten-free Honey Nut Cheerios taste like! To me, that’s high praise. These taste like the Cheerios you remember. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of sweet cereal but I totally enjoyed these. They were sweet, oat-y, and tasted like the cereal I remember. They were great with milk, of course, but I really enjoyed them sprinkled on top of strawberry ice cream. The cereal added a nice crunch and flavor to the already awesome ice cream.
Cost
Here’s where things get exciting! Gluten-free foods tend to cost more. A lot more. This box of Cheerios cost me $1.99 because they were on sale. That’s exciting! They were included in a sale. Gluten-free foods rarely, if ever, go on sale. Since General Mills made five of the “regular” versions of Cheerios gluten-free, they’ll be included in sales and eligible for coupon discounts. How great is that?
Ingredients
current as of August 4, 2015. Please refer to current package for accurate information.
Overall Impression
If I didn’t know these were gluten-free, I wouldn’t know they were any different from the Cheerios I enjoyed prior to my diagnosis. If you love Cheerios, you’ll love these! Personally, I can’t wait to find the classic yellow box with a “gluten-free” stamp on the front. Honey Nut are great but I’m really looking forward to the real thing.
What do you think? Are you going to give them a try or let them go by
Sondra @ Sondra Lyn at Home says
Thanks for sharing this! I hadn’t heard the great news about Cheerios! That’s one cereal I always enjoyed before having to go GF about 13 years ago. Great review… can’t wait to go to the grocery for a box!!
Karen says
It has Tripotassium Phosphate (TSP) in the product which some other processed foods also contain. No, thanks.
Ellen says
I tried them as I love Cheerios. They made me sick. Possibly I am sensitive to oats as I have tried several different brands of GF oats and they eventually make me sick as well. It generally takes a day or so, but the result is the same. It’s so disappointing. I may try again when they get the Frosted Cheerios GF. But I am not hopeful.
Ellen says
As a note – I did notice that they did not “certify” them as gluten free. How is the consumer to have confidence if they don’t give any information of testing. They claim they filter the bad grains. But they don’t give any confidence that the end result is pure. They do not seem to commit to the GF quality for people who are sensitive (outside of the questionable story of why they made the cereal GF to start with)
Elizabeth says
I’m so sorry to hear that you got sick! There are some people with celiac disease that can’t even tolerate “clean” oats. 🙁 I hope you feel better soon.
Wendy says
My daughter was so excited to try GF Honey Nut Cheerios. She has not had a reaction in years. Today, after eating these, her stomach is upset and she has been in the bathroom twice. Very disappointed. Coincidence? I really doubt it. Everyone else in the house is well.
Elizabeth says
Wendy–I’m so sorry to hear that she’s sick.
Here’s information from Gluten-Free Watchdog on how to report a reaction. (I copied this from their FB page.)
Reporting a possible negative reaction to gluten-free Cheerios: If you feel you may have become sick from eating gluten-free Cheerios, please do the following:
1. Save the box, even if it is empty–it contains important information such as lot number and UPC code.
2. Contact Cheerios (1-800-248-7310) and provide them with specific information–variety of Cheerios eaten, lot number, when you ate the product, symptoms, whether you regularly tolerate gluten-free oats, etc.
3. Contact the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in your area http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/. They will ask you to file a formal complaint which includes providing information about the specific product and your specific response.
4. If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease and this is your first time eating an oat product, contact your gastroenterologist and dietitian.
5. If you regularly tolerate gluten-free oats, also notify your doctor and dietitian.
6. If you need any help with this process or feel you are not being listened to, please contact Gluten Free Watchdog
Greg Gonzales says
Honestly ever since they changed it. I also get the runs when I this cereal. So now I just stay away from what use to be one of my favorite cereals.
Mercy Robertson says
Can’t wait to try the Gluten free Cheerios! Always loved them but haven’t eaten them in over 15 years!
Bea says
Everyone I ate honey oats cereal I got stomach cramps and the runs. I tried the gluten free ones and I still have the same trouble? I use almond milk and have NOT had issue with IBS or issue with gluten.
Bonnie Baker says
I love Honey Nut Cheerios Gluten Free. My Granddaughter has to have Gluten Free food. Was going to their house
for 4th of July and wanted to take a dessert. Don;t like the Rice Flour so I decided to make a pie to take. I used Honey Nut Cheerios Gluten Free to make the crust. Put Cheerios in a chopper and mixed with some butter and put into a glass pie pan. Baked for 15 minutes . Made a cream cheese,pudding, cool whip as the filling. The pie was delicious. My Granddaughter was thrilled as she could eat dessert the rest of the family ate. The Cheerios didn’t completely go into a full crush but the taste of it was a nutty consistency.
April says
I danced around like a little kid when I saw those two wonderful words on a box of Honey Nut Cheerios. I had been wishing for it for years. I enjoyed my first bowl with joy but that didn’t last long. I got terribly sick with painful stomach cramps and miserable trips to the bathroom for a full day. I have used gluten free oats in many recipes and have never had a reaction. Now when I am at the grocery store it makes me mad to see those two little words on something that I know is unsafe!
Bonnie Baker says
I have been eating Honey Nut Cheerios for a very long time. My granddaughter is allergic to Gluten. Was really glad when I saw the Gluten Free on the box. Wanted to make a dessert to take to my Granddaughters. Didn’t like the flour to use so when I decided to make a pie, I crushed some Gluten Free Cheerios and made into a crust. It was really good and my granddaughter was very well pleased as was the rest of the Family. No one ever got sick and I eat Gluten Free Honey Nut Cheerios all the time and never get sick.
Bonnie Baker says
no remarks on getting sick. NEVER HAVE while eating Gluten Free Honey Nut Cheerios.