Oatmeal - How long does it take to get used to it???

Dnsnyder

Try adding sugar free pancake syrup of splenda brand brown sugar (zero calories).

Also, fresh fruit like bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, etc. are great with slightly sweetned oatmeal. Or try dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.

There are lots of healthy options!

BeLightYear

1 tablespoon of peanut butter (100 calories) and 2 tablespoons of light hershey syrup (45 calories) on your oatmeal (150 calories) will make it taste like a chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter cookie and it's only 300 calories

Forgot to mention that I use steel cut "groats", it's waaaay better than the instant stuff!

Nlongenecker

I always make mine with skim milk. I know its more calories, but it adds protein and dairy is good for you. I like my hot cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.) thick. So instead of 1 C. water (or milk) I use 3/4 C. I add lots of different things for variety. Sometimes I mash up a banana and add just a little bit of chopped walnuts, it's like banana bread. I also love adding strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. You can also add peaches (I just thaw out frozen ones and add). I've also chopped up an apple real fine and added it with cinnamon. I've also heard of people adding almond/peanut butter or a little bit of pumpkin & pumpkin pie spice. You just have to be creative according to your taste.

jackal75

I just started eating oatmeal today and I was almost getting sick eating it but I really want to try to eat it. I got the plain Quaker oats and used 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of boiling water and a spoon of honey.

Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated as to how to make it nicer! My husband says to use milk instead of water but I think that will defie the purpose of eating it (low cal) and also that it keeps you full and in fairness I do feel full.

I was surprised how quickly I got used to it. Here are a couple of things that I do....

A.) While the instant oatmeals are not as good for you usually, I found one that is awesome. Find "Oat Revolution" by Better Oats and you will be glad you did. They have simialr flavor choices to Quaker, but they are less calories and have flax seed or flax oil included to help provide Omega 3's in addition to the dietary fiber you get from the oats. Much higher quality and nutrition than Quaker (in my opinion) and very tasty!

B.) For plain oats, I have been getting the can of Quaker Oats. What I do to keep it interesting is grab a can of fruit (usually peaches.) I am making 1 cup dry. The directions call for 1-3/4 cups of water. I tend to take out 1/4 to 1/2 cup water out of that and substitute the same amount of peach juice to cook it in. Once the oats are cooked, I then mix in half of the can of peaches (drained), chopped into smaller pieces. Sometimes I use a little Splenda if I want to sweeten it up some more, but usually the fruit is enough.

I had to quit eggs and go to oatmeal for cholesterol reasons. I thought it would be hard, but that actually has been one of the easier transitions for me.

kimeister

The instant stuff is, quite frankly, processed cr@p.

Make a batch of REAL oatmeal and heat it up in the microwave for the next ten days: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/creamy-oatmeal-recipe/index.html (I substitute almond or soy milk for cow milk). Lots more of the good macro-nutrients, less fat and cals.

You honestly wouldn't know this recipe and the instant stuff are supposed to be the same food.

rmhand

what don't you like? the texture? I love old fashioned oats cuz they have whole oats. I just add a little brown sugar and raisins. I also love Malt-O-Meal hot cereal, its kinds like grits I think and its low calorie too.

Nlongenecker

Oh, I forgot to tell you...for awhile I was used to eating instant oatmeal, when I went to Old Fashioned Oats (or steel cut), it was a little chewy for me. So I ran the oats thru my food processor to make them more of a fine texture then added my milk (water). it was more creamy that way.

lloydrt

NO SODIUM, NO CHOLESTEROL

Lots of postives for eating oatmeal. I just add ONE tsp of sugar, ONE tsp of I Cant Believe Its Not Butter ,and I consume 1.5 cups a day, and it fills me up.....I really like the part about no sodium or cholsesterol..............Lloyd

cupajoe

I mix in Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and I sub 1/4 cup water for 1/4 Mrs. Butterworth's Sugar Free Maple Syrup. I like to cook it all together with 1/2 cup of water in the microwave because it seems to bake in the flavor a bit.

I add my sweetener to the liqued while it is cooking too...I find it just turns out a bit sweeter and doesn't thin out my oatmeal the way it can when you stir it in at the end.

Def. make it with milk...skim milk or a milk substitute work well. Adding fruit will make it sweeter and give it a bettter texture. I like a tablespoon on pb (mixed in with the milk as it is cooking) and add some sliced bananas and walnuts on top. brown sugar added to the milk-just a bit-and a swirl of sugar free maple syrup and nuts on top is yummy.

liagarden

If you hate it, why eat it? I only like it with lots of butter, half & half, and brown sugar or real maple syrup (hee hee) so I don't eat it.
Well, I also like raw oats (not instant) with plain yogurt, a few walnuts, and real maple syrup. Probably has a lot of calories, too.
I find if I eat carbs in the morning, I feel ravishing hungry an hour later. That's why i usually like to stick with a higher-protein breakfast (but not today--I have these sweet potatoes I have to finish up!)

kdiamond

I use unsweetened almond milk (1/2 cup is 20 calories) and a teaspoon of peanut butter. I really don't like it any other ways.

barneygoogle

I hate oatmeal more than Facebook and that's saying something. Disgusting excuse for food.

musiclady54

My husband is a diabetic so we buy Weis brand Instant oatmeal - no sugar added. It comes in Apples and CInnamon flavor and Maple/Brown Suagr flavor. I use 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soy milk in it. It is DELICIOUS soy milk...and very healthy.(Check out the 8th Continent Soy milks. They are very low on fat and carbs (unlike even skim milk...which has high sugar content). The milk is delicious and adds "depth" to the cereal as well. 8th Continent milk is much better for you than Silk Milk. Silk Soy milk is higher in calories and generally higher in carbs.

If you can't get Weis brand...try one of the reduced/low sugar Quaker oats,,,or get plain oatmeal and add cinnamon yourself...along with a little truvia or splenda. You could even cut up fresh strawberrries or add blueberries to the oatmeal before cooking it. It adds a nice flavor too...AND the strawberries and blueberries are low carb, low fat fruit.

Hope this gives you some other things to ponder. Good luck!

Check out this link. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/8th-continent-soymilk

feliciapeters

frozen blueberries & sugar
apple slices & brown sugar
fresh beaches & honey

sweet_lotus

I hate oatmeal too!

Low cal is all well and good, but if you eat a lot of carbs with no fat, you're going to be hungry and possibly blood sugar spike-y soon. So, when I eat oatmeal (I use the super cheap 7 grain mix from bulk foods) I add in nut butter. The texture becomes creamier, and it tastes a lot better.

Another option is to soak the grains overnight in the refrigerator. This is great when it's hot in the summer and you want to eat cold food. You can use water but I use low fat dairy (almond or soy milk is a good low cal option) and than sprinkle with nuts or dried fruit.

Lots of good ideas in the thread!

modernmom70

Why would you force yourself to eat something that you hate? Find something else to eat. I don't like oatmeal, so I don't eat it. You don't have to eat oatmeal to be healthy, there are lots of other filling/healthy things for breakfast!

barneygoogle

Buy Quakers instant.

Top with brown sugar and fresh berries.

Add one cup of skim milk.

Heat for 2 minutes.

Throw in garbage.

BeLightYear

Buy Quakers instant.

Top with brown sugar and fresh berries.

Add one cup of skim milk.

Heat for 2 minutes.

Throw in garbage.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

BigMama53

I combine regular quick oats with a packet or two of the flavored instant stuff so my family gets the benefits of regular oats with a little more taste. Adding fruit is another good option. I cook the oats with water and serve with skim milk. If the flavor ideas don't help, it may be the texture of oatmeal that you don't like, in which case there are plenty of other good things to eat.

ruststar

I love oatmeal but rarely have time to make it in the morning (I don't do quick oats because of the sugar). This morning I mixed in a teaspoon of almond butter, a 1/2 tsp of brown sugar, and a drop of vanilla. The almond butter helped fill me up and it added a nice flavor.