The best part of waking up is oatmeal in my daughter’s bowl. The morning is the most routine part of her day and she sticks by it with military precision. This is her own doing. She rises at 8, requests a bowl of oatmeal, and then gets dressed. Every single day. Her penchant for oatmeal used to be a sticking point for us; I had to boil the water and prep the oatmeal from scratch. This wasn’t feasible every morning.
Have you looked at microwave oatmeals? Honestly, they’re gross — at least to me! For something so pure and natural, most of those boxes read like a chemistry experiment. So we reserved oatmeal for the mornings I had time to make the real thing. Until I discovered Better Oats Raw Pure & Simple Oatmeal. I swear this isn’t sponsored; my endorsement is as organic as the oats themselves! I found it on the shelf at my Kroger one day, and at $1.99 per eight-count box, I couldn’t afford not to stock up. Now it’s a staple on the grocery list and for six months my daughter has had a bowl of this oatmeal every single morning.
Each pouch is filled with raw, pure oats and a blend of quinoa, flax, and barley. We buy the “Bare” — just plain Jane oatmeal. It takes two minutes to prepare: Oats in the bowl, water, microwave for 1:45, and serve. We’ve found that using a little less water than recommended and cooking for less time gives a thicker oatmeal, which my kiddo prefers.
What she actually ends up eating is anything but plain Jane. She has a standard recipe that we abide by: butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dried fruit, fresh fruit.
Cinnamon Pear Oatmeal serves 1
INGREDIENTS
1 pouch
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. reduced-sugar dried cranberries
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup diced, fresh pears
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Microwave the oatmeal per package instructions.
2. Remove and add the butter and brown sugar, stir to combine. Top with cinnamon, chopped pears, and dried cranberries.
3. Serve with a glass of milk.
This entire bowl gives her a serious nutritional boost to fuel that tiny body for a big, busy day. It’s simple enough that she often does a lot of the prep herself, and hearty enough that I don’t mind a sweet touch of sugar in the morning. Sometimes we swap cranberries for dried apricots and the pears for apples. She’s no stranger to a fully loaded bowl topped with the usual suspects, plus strawberries, bananas, and even nuts.
We traveled on a 15,000 mile road trip this summer and these Better Oats pouches were with us every step of the way. They packed so easily and ensured that no matter where we were she was guaranteed a solid breakfast.
Here are a few other variations that we enjoy sometimes and keep this otherwise simple oatmeal very deliciously interesting!
Blueberry & Walnut Oatmeal
serves 1
INGREDIENTS
1 pouch
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup blueberries
1 oz. halved walnuts
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Microwave the oatmeal per package instructions.
2. Remove and add the butter and brown sugar, stir to combine. Top with blueberries and walnuts.
Honey-Berry & Banana Oatmeal
serves 1
INGREDIENTS
1 pouch
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 banana, sliced
2-3 strawberries, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Microwave the oatmeal per package instructions.
2. Remove and add the butter, stir to combine. Top with strawberries, bananas, and honey.
Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal
serves 1
INGREDIENTS
1 pouch
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 apple, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Microwave the oatmeal per package instructions.
2. Remove and add the butter and brown sugar, stir to combine. Top with apples and cinnamon.
ALSO READ:
5-Ingredient Fig & Honey Breakfast Quinoa
Nuking the Microwave Myth: Microwaved Foods are Actually Safe and Nutritious
10 Breakfast Foods with as Much Sugar as a Candy Bar
photos by Kacy Meinecke for DietsInReview.com