A few years ago, I read an article in a health magazine that compared the nutritional value of many popular breakfast cereals to…a donut. The takeaway was that even cereals marketed as “healthy” often aren’t much better for you. Many are packed with sugar and don’t have nearly enough fiber or protein to make them a worthwhile start to the day. And unfortunately, some of the cereals that actually are healthier tend to taste like cardboard. If I wanted to eat cardboard for breakfast, I probably wouldn’t bother buying it at the grocery store.
Three Wishes is a company that’s trying to change how we think about healthy cereal. Instead of forcing consumers to choose between nutrition and taste, their goal is to create a cereal that checks both boxes. Run Oregon recently had the chance to try several of their options, including:
All four were surprisingly good. The Vanilla Frosted and Marshamallow had a nice subtle sweetness, while the Cocoa delivered a slightly richer flavor that felt a little more indulgent without actually being unhealthy. The ones I tested were filling enough to keep me satisfied until lunchtime—or at least well into the morning.
One of the most impressive things about Three Wishes cereal is the nutrition profile. Each serving contains just 3 grams of sugar, which is remarkable considering it genuinely tastes good and doesn’t resemble tree bark. In addition to the low sugar content, the cereal includes 8 grams of protein per serving and is both gluten-free and grain-free. Instead of relying on traditional cereal grains like wheat, rice, corn, or oats, Three Wishes uses a short list of ingredients including chickpeas, tapioca, pea protein, and organic cane sugar.
There are no artificial ingredients, no trans fats, and the cereal clocks in at roughly 130 calories per serving. When you compare that to many of the cereals lining grocery store shelves, the difference is pretty striking. I can see this as a really solid option to take hiking or as a snack on an ultra race.
If you want to sample the cereal yourself, you can find variety packs online that let you try multiple flavors. They usually run somewhere in the $35–$45 range for a six-box pack. It’s definitely more expensive than the typical cereal box, but you’re also getting something made with better ingredients and a much stronger nutritional profile.
Eating healthy can be tough in a busy world, and products like this make that shortcut a little easier to justify. If you’re someone who enjoys cereal—whether for breakfast or as a snack—Three Wishes is a solid option to keep in the pantry. And if you’re lucky, you might even convince your kids to eat it too.
