Honey Smacks vs Golden Crisp: Which Cereal is Best?

There are minimal if any visible differences between Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp. Both are sweetened breakfast cereals made with whole grain wheat. Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp cereals have been in grocery stores for decades and over the years there has been very few changes to the products.
For the most part, these cereals are quite similar with only a few distinct differences.
While taste may be the ultimate deciding factor for which cereal you deem best, it’s good to know what’s in the food you eat.
This is your best reference guide to quickly and easily compare Honey Smacks vs. Golden Crisp cereals. Learn more about the nutritional value, calories, and ingredients in these competing cereals.
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Honey Smacks vs. Golden Crisp
Food Companies: Kellanova and Post Consumer Brands
Quick Overview of Kellanova |
Kellanova is a food company that specializes in the production of cereals, noodles and frozen foods. The company was created following Kellogg’s decision in 2023 to spin off the North American cereal business. Kellanova maintains a broad portfolio of leading consumer food brands, including Eggo, Pringles, Cheez-It, and Froot Loops, among others. |
Quick Overview of Post Consumer Brands |
Post Consumer Brands® is a manufacturer of cereals, snacks, and pet food products. Founded in 1895 in the U.S. state of Michigan, Post produces over one billion pounds of breakfast cereal annually. Its portfolio of cereals includes more than a dozen well-known brands and flavor varieties, including Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape-Nuts, OREO O’s, and PEBBLES, among many others. |
Nutritional Comparison
Always check the serving size when you’re comparing the nutritional values of packaged foods. Use data that is based on the same serving size in a measurable quantity such as one cup, tablespoon, gram, or liter (for example).
One measured serving size of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp is based on one cup. However, the net weight of a single cup is slightly different:
Calories
Total calories per serving differs. One serving of Golden Crisp cereal has 150 calories. By comparison, one serving of Honey Smacks has 130 total calories.
That said, remember that the measured serving size is different. So, in order to compare apples to apples, let’s convert the unit of measure to calories per gram.
Honey Smacks vs. Golden Crisp: Calorie Comparison
23331_1f63cf-1e> |
HONEY SMACKS 23331_05150e-a1> |
GOLDEN CRISP 23331_b7597f-72> |
---|---|---|
Calories per serving 23331_e67882-55> |
130 23331_12def2-6b> |
150 23331_eaa879-6e> |
Grams per serving 23331_875d9d-f8> |
36 23331_a8599f-f6> |
38 23331_64262f-23> |
Calories per gram 23331_fae148-7d> |
3.6 23331_1ad0d7-17> |
3.9 23331_aae62c-c2> |
As you can see from the table above, the total calories in Golden Crisp is about 8.5% higher than Honey Smacks cereal.
At first glance it seems the difference is 13% (150 calories vs 130 calories). But, that’s not a fair comparison because of the difference in serving sizes (38g vs 36g).
Compare calories at the unit level (grams) and the difference shrinks.
Our analysis of total calories is based on the cereal alone, before adding milk.
Calories per Macronutrient
Both cereals have the same amount of total dietary fats and protein per serving.
The only difference in the amount of macronutrients (i.e., fats, carbs, and proteins) is Golden Crisp contains 34 grams of carbs compared to 32 grams of carbs in Honey Smacks.
Total carbs include added sugars and Golden Crisp contains more added sugars (21g) per serving than Honey Smacks (18g).
% Calories from Fat, Carbs, Protein
Here is a table listing the nutritional information for Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving (% Daily Value)
23331_fbbb27-72> |
Honey Smacks 23331_a695e6-c9> |
Golden Crisp 23331_103d63-b1> |
Serving Size 23331_1468b3-4f> |
36g 23331_1de4fd-fb> |
38g 23331_cb77f9-5b> |
Calories 23331_725e00-c7> |
130 23331_0ea01d-f0> |
150 23331_74d5ee-20> |
Calories per gram 23331_45e9a6-f1> |
3.6 23331_c69979-c2> |
3.9 23331_fdfc48-3c> |
Total Fat 23331_d01cbb-76> |
0.5g 23331_e9e9ea-b3> |
0.5g 23331_4390d9-9d> |
Saturated Fat 23331_bfc1d0-99> |
0g 23331_f09690-b0> |
0g 23331_37e86c-22> |
Trans Fat 23331_1d7a96-bb> |
0g 23331_afd5bd-34> |
0g 23331_19ba02-21> |
Cholesterol 23331_238342-df> |
0mg 23331_7daf51-43> |
0mg 23331_7d9d91-9e> |
Sodium 23331_bd33de-e3> |
45mg 23331_d9f49f-d4> |
85mg 23331_dfde1d-40> |
Carbohydrates 23331_6844e1-40> |
32g (%) 23331_911440-fe> |
34g 23331_b0af42-4e> |
Dietary Fiber 23331_255b5a-c0> |
2g 23331_6731ff-a1> |
0g 23331_7e5b49-85> |
Total Sugars 23331_7250a4-03> |
18g 23331_b9e68c-cf> |
21g 23331_ea953c-c6> |
Added Sugars 23331_d69b50-8d> |
18g 23331_7fc8c5-1c> |
21g 23331_008d37-0f> |
Protein 23331_dabade-54> |
2g 23331_32d833-8e> |
2g 23331_4607b7-73> |
Nutrition facts are based on cereal only, before adding milk. For informational purposes only.
Golden Crisp has a higher sugar content with 21 grams of sugar per serving.

Compare nutrition facts in Frosted Mini Wheats.
Food producers may change their recipes and product formulations without notice. Although we update our guides regularly, we recommend checking the nutrition facts and ingredient line information on the packaging for the most accurate information about a specific product.
Ingredients
Golden Crisp and Honey Smacks are made with fewer than a dozen ingredients.
There is no doubt that these are sugary cereals. Consumer reviews are often focused on how much sugar is in each serving.
Each sweetened puffed wheat cereal is made with sugar, corn syrup, and honey, three ingredients that are considered added sugars.
Nutritional Note: The American Heart Association recommends limiting calories from added sugars to no more than 6% of total calories.
Food Coloring
Golden Crisp cereal contains a coloring agent. Cocoa Pebbles is made with caramel color, a water-soluble dark-brown material used in foods.
Caramel color is derived by cooking sugars with one or more food-grade acids, alkalis, or salts. The generic term “caramel color” is used without insight into the formulation.
Many other commercially processed foods and beverages, including Original Coke, Chick-fil-A milkshakes, and Dunkin’ Donuts Maple Frosted donut, are made with caramel color.
Here is the complete list of ingredients in Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp cereals.
List of Ingredients
HONEY SMACKS | GOLDEN CRISP | |
---|---|---|
Wheat | Yes | Yes |
Sugar | Yes | Yes |
Corn Syrup | — | Yes |
Glucose Syrup | Yes | — |
Salt | Yes | Yes |
Honey | Yes | Yes |
Palm Oil | Yes | |
Fruit Juice (for color) | Yes | |
Canola Lecithin | Yes | |
Caramel Color | — | Yes |
Mixed Tocopherols (for freshness) | Yes | |
Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) | Yes | |
Calcium Pantothenate (B-vitamin) | Yes | |
Folic Acid | Yes |
Ingredients may not be listed in order of dominance by weight.
To learn more about packaged cereals, check ingredients in Fruit Loops Cereal.
FAQs
Nutrition facts, prices, and ingredients are based on available information as of the date of publication. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change recipes or formulations without notice. Check package labels and ask the product manufacturer or restaurant for the most up-to-date information. Unless otherwise stated, %DV is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. All reports and reviews published on this site are for informational purposes only. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide healthcare advice or dietary recommendations. Always consult your licensed physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.