Weight Watchers offers many options and I love that but many of us are looking for simple, low point breakfast ideas that don't include eggs. I've been eating cereal and oatmeal a few days a week and still losing (as long as I watch my portions), so I'm confident in sharing this low point cereal list with you.
Best Low Point Cereals
Many cereals are high in points due to sugar. If you enjoy Honey Nut Cheerios, for example, you can save a few points by eating regular Cheerios with some Splenda sprinkled on top. Use a low point milk and you have a delicious breakfast.
It's true that most cereals have no or minimal protein, so you may find it's not keeping you full for as long as other low point breakfasts do. Scroll to the bottom of this post for some zero and low point add ins that will keep you full for longer!
Low Point Cereals with Carb Counts
This low point cereal chart has points as well as carbs, because I think it's important to be mindful of how many carbs we are eating in a day. 50g or less is considered “low carb” for most people, and that's about where I like to stay (50-60g) for optimal weight loss. Keto is far fewer carbs, so you won't be eating these cereals if you're doing keto. 🙂
As you can see, not all points are created equal! While Plain Cheerios and Cornflakes are both 3 points , one has 20 carbs and the other has 24.2. This difference seems minimal but if you think about a 4 carb difference for every 3 points, that adds up fast! Now that's not exactly how the formula works, but it's a good thing to keep in mind when choosing your cereal – and any other food.
Cereal, Serving Size | Points | Carbs |
Plain Cheerios, 1 cup | 3 | 20 |
Bran Flakes, 3/4 cup | 3 | 24.1 |
Rice Chex, 1 cup | 3 | 23 |
Cornflakes, 1 cup | 3 | 24.2 |
Kix, 1 cup | 3 | 22.4 |
Trader Joe's Fiber Cereal, 1 cup | 4 | 34.3 |
Wheaties, 1 cup | 4 | 29.3 |
Special K w Berries, 1 cup | 4 | 27 |
Twix, reduced sugar, 1 cup | 4 | 26 |
Kashi Go Lean Original, 1 cup | 4 | 28 |
Rice Krispies, 1 1/4 cup | 4 | 29 |
Life Cereal, 3/4 cup | 4 | 25 |
old.smileyspoints.com |
Points for Oatmeal
I like to switch my breakfasts up between breakfast wraps, cereal, egg casseroles, and oatmeal so I never get bored. Here are a few oatmeal options along with their point counts. They're higher in points and slightly higher in carbs, but are far more filling.
Oatmeal, serving | Points | Carbs |
Oatmeal, 1 cup cooked | 5 | 27.3 |
Cinnamon oatmeal, 1 packet | 6 | 34.2 |
Old-Fashioned oats, uncooked, 1/2 cup | 4 | 27 |
Points for Milk
While eating dry cereal is nice for a low point snack, if you're eating it for breakfast you probably want some milk! 🙂 Look below this table for even more options to make your cereal delicious.
Milk, Serving Size | Points | Carbs |
Cow's Milk, whole, 1 cup | 7 | 12.3 |
Cow's Milk, 2%, 1 cup | 5 | 12.4 |
Cow's Milk, 1%, 1 cup | 4 | 12.2 |
Cow's Milk, fat-free, 1 cup | 3 | 12.2 |
Weight Watchers not working?
Read about my (successful) Noom experience!
Quick note: I do not recommend cow's milk or soy milk. Both have been linked to cancer, and with my wife having thyroid cancer, we don't take the risk.
Points for Non-Dairy Milks
We don't use cow's milk in our house (because we aren't cows ;)), so I wanted to make sure I included non-dairy milk options, too!
Non-Dairy Milk, Serving Size | Points | Carbs |
Almond milk, unsweetened, 1 cup | 1 | 0.8 |
Almond milk, chocolate, unsweetened, 1 cup | 3 | 3 |
Almond milk, sweetened, 1 cup | 2 | 7 |
Coconut milk, unsweetened, 1 cup | 3 | 1.3 |
Oat milk, unsweetened, 1 cup | 3 | 13.7 |
Rice milk, Plain | 5 | 22.3 |
Soy milk, regular, plain, 1 cup | 3 | 7.6 |
Low Point Mix-Ins for Cereal and Oatmeal
Mix and match the items below with your cereal or oatmeal to make a delicious, low point breakfast! These points are FREESTYLE SmartPoints.
Zero Point Mix-Ins:
- bananas
- berries
- fat-free greek yogurt
- cinnamon
- splenda
Low Point Mix-Ins:
- honey: 1 tsp = 1 point
- Premier Protein = 1 point for 1/2 bottle
- real sugar = 1 point for 1 teaspoon
- sugar-free syrup = 1 point for 1/4 cup
What's your favorite low point cereal? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
I am doing WW with success. I love Special K strawberry and use unsweetened Almond Milk which on my plan is 0 points for 1/2 cup. I have also used it in coffee but actually prefer Coffee Mate Sugar Free which comes in a variety of flavors. I have noticed since using Almond milk that I have less digestive issues. My daughter who competes in Body Building Bikini division told me about the Almond milk thing….