Say Goodbye to Froot Loops: Target Announces Plan to Stop Selling Cereal With Synthetic Colors

As part of his initiative to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), President Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). One of RFK Jr.'s first decisions in this role? Getting rid of food dyes.

Target is next on the list of businesses jumping on the bandwagon. In a statement on February 27, 2026, Target stated that it will no longer be selling cereal made with synthetic colors. According to the press release, this will make Target one of the first national retailers to make this jump.

Although Target hasn't announced specifically which cereals will still be offered in-store, many big-name cereal brands could be affected. In this slideshow, we'll discuss what you need to know about Target's announcement and some of the cereals that may no longer be sold at Target.

On February 27, 2026, Target released a statement about the future of its cereal aisle. The announcement stated that Target will become one of the first national retailers to only carry cereals made without synthetic colors. According to the press release, this decision is part of a strategy to drive the company's next chapter of growth.

If you currently stock up on popular cereal brands at Target, you might wonder how long these cereals will be on the shelves. The goal is to eliminate all cereals made with synthetic colors by May of this year.

As of right now, this change is only related to food in the cereal aisle. It's difficult to say which brands will no longer be sold at Target and which ones will appear with a new formulation. According to Target's press release, "Target has worked closely with national brand and owned brand partners to reformulate products where needed while preserving the quality and value guests expect. The result is a cereal aisle that maintains strong variety across flavors, dietary needs, and price points."

Simply put, some cereals may no longer be sold at the retailer, but others may appear with a new ingredients list. As far as which cereal brands currently have synthetic colors, here are some that you may not be able to purchase at Target after May 2026.

Apple Jacks is a cereal brand owned by Kellogg's. It's a favorite for many kids, with a mix of apple and cinnamon flavor in every bite. However, the current ingredient list includes dyes such as yellow 6, red 40, and blue 1.

It's challenging for any kid to resist the combination of crunchy oat cereal and brightly colored marshmallows in a bowl of Lucky Charms. The marshmallows have become so iconic that you can even buy a bag of them on their own at most grocery stores. Despite the delicious taste of this cereal, it has synthetic colors such as red 40, yellow 5, and blue 1.

Froot Loops have been the center of attention in many of RFK Jr.'s rallies against food dye. Although Kellogg's announced back in 2018 that it would remove all artificial food dyes from its ingredients list, these dyes can still be found in certain cereals in the U.S. It does take time for companies to find replacements for ingredients and implement these changes, but Froot Loops will likely look different considering the ingredients list includes Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1.

Cap'n Crunch is another popular children's cereal that comes in a variety of flavors — most of which are bright and colorful (thanks to artificial dyes). Although most of the flavors do contain synthetic colors, Quaker Oats recently released Cap'n Crunch's Mystery Crunch, which is made without artificial colors.

Although the decision from Target only involves cereal products, there's a good chance Target will eventually move to providing alternatives for other foods with synthetic colors as well. Here are some of the other popular food items that contain food dyes.

Even though chocolate milk is a classic choice, strawberry milk is another type of milk that kids love. TruMoo is one of the most popular brands, known for its creamy and sweet milk flavors. However, their current ingredients list includes Red 40 and Red 3.

Food dye is normally associated with sweet treats, but you'll find these artificial colorings in other types of food as well. MorningStar Farms uses Red 3 food dye to make their vegetarian bacon strips look more like bacon. The ingredients also include Yellow 6.

The strawberry shortcake-flavored ice cream bars made from Good Humor are a treat many of us loved growing up, and they're still popular today. However, they don't get their vibrant color without the help of some artificial color. Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bars include Red 40 and Red 3.

Many companies have scrambled to change their recipes since the banning of Red dye No. 3 was announced in 2025, but this food dye is commonly used in certain hot dog and sausage recipes. The dye is meant to give these foods a bright, appealing color, such as the color of Maine Red Snappers made by W.A. Bean & Sons.

Artificial dyes are often found in decorated items, such as cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. Sometimes it's in the frosting, other times it's in the sprinkles. The frosted sugar cookies that can be found at grocery stores such as Target and Walmart usually contain Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, and other dyes.

Red dye 3 is not only in foods — it's found in many drinks as well. The strawberry-flavored nutrition shake from Ensure contains Red 3. It's also found in other protein and nutritional shakes, such as Kellogg's Special K Rich Chocolate Protein Shakes.

Little Bites Muffins are a yummy treat kids love enjoying for breakfast or a mid-day snack. One of the favorite flavors is the Party Cake Muffins, which include rainbow sprinkles. Although these muffins are free of high fructose corn syrup, they do have Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1.