What's better old fashioned Oats or the packets of instant oatmeal?

Old fashioned oats are probably better for you because they are less processed and have less sugar. I do eat the instant because it's convenient and tastes good. I buy the Quaker Lower Sugar.

I prefer the plain, old fashioned, lumpy with milk and pure maple syrup, because that's what I was raised on. I do eat the instant stuff though, but it's just not the same.

I don't really like instant oats. I feel like they're dissolving in my mouth and I feel like they don't fill me up as much. But it's probably because I was raised eating old fashioned oats.

If I'm in a hotel and there isn't another option, I might eat them. But if I am at home, I'll always choose old fashioned (I even buy the extra-thick oats).

You can add oat bran, chia or hemp seeds and nuts to give your oatmeal more protein and "staying power." Dried fruit is good too. One of my favorite combos is blueberries and pecans.

The old-fashioned oats are a bit better. They have more fiber and less added sugar (depending upon how much sugar you chose to use.)

Try making overnight oatmeal.
You control what is put into it and it is ready to go in the morning.
There are tons of recipes for every taste.
You can eat it cold or heat it up in the microwave.
I also make big batches of steel cut oatmeal on Sunday and freeze individual portions to take to work.
Both options are better tasting (and better nutritionally) than instant.

Virutually alwasys, the more work it takes for you to cook it, the better it is for you. I soak the steal cut ones overnight with a teaspoon of cinnamon per cup of cooked oatmeal. It sweetens it so I don't need sugars. I cook a tub of it weekly, and nuke a cup daily, adding ground flax seed and dried fruit. Cleans you out good too.

puffbrat wrote: »

TeaBea wrote: »

I love the texture of steel cut, but I know I won't eat if often (if I have to cook it for 20 minutes).

How does it take 20 minutes? I eat steel cut oats several times a week. At home on the stove (no microwave) it takes a few minutes to boil the water and fewer than 5 minutes to cook them. At work, I cook them in the microwave for 1:30, which is usually perfect.

For the OP, I could guess that old fashioned might be a little healthier because it comes with fewer additives, but it will really come down to which you prefer and are more likely to eat. It is also easier to prepare more of the old fashioned which could result in eating more calories, compared with pre-packaged.

I like adding some combination of dried cherries, brown sugar, almonds, apples, cinnamon, and greek yogurt to my steel cut oatmeal.

Every package I've ever bought says steel cut is at least 20 minutes.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2242991_cook-steelcut-oats.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe.html

Instant steel cut - those cook "fast" like old-fashioned oats.

TeaBea wrote: »

puffbrat wrote: »

TeaBea wrote: »

I love the texture of steel cut, but I know I won't eat if often (if I have to cook it for 20 minutes).

How does it take 20 minutes? I eat steel cut oats several times a week. At home on the stove (no microwave) it takes a few minutes to boil the water and fewer than 5 minutes to cook them. At work, I cook them in the microwave for 1:30, which is usually perfect.

For the OP, I could guess that old fashioned might be a little healthier because it comes with fewer additives, but it will really come down to which you prefer and are more likely to eat. It is also easier to prepare more of the old fashioned which could result in eating more calories, compared with pre-packaged.

I like adding some combination of dried cherries, brown sugar, almonds, apples, cinnamon, and greek yogurt to my steel cut oatmeal.

Every package I've ever bought says steel cut is at least 20 minutes.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2242991_cook-steelcut-oats.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe.html

Instant steel cut - those cook "fast" like old-fashioned oats.

Interesting. Thanks for the info. I should try following the directions and see how the texture would be affected.

Good news, you don't need to eat oatmeal to lose weight. The various ways that oatmeal can be presented makes very little difference. The rougher ground like steel cut will not give you as sharp an insulin spike as the instant packets. Often there is salt and flavourings added to the instant packets that make them slightly more calorific. But again, nothing to do with losing weight.

I find it helpful to start my morning with a little protein. I happen to love oatmeal but my breakfast yesterday was Red River cereal with peanut butter, blueberries and Greek Yogurt. It was the portioning that allowed this meal to stay within my goals. This morning it was a slice of French Toast, blueberries, Greek Yogurt, and peanuts. Because I like all these things.

If you're not a huge oatmeal fan (but wanting to eat it?) you can also google baked oatmeal recipes which use the instant oatmeal, I think. I just made slow cooker oatmeal for the first time, which uses steel cut oats, and it was tasty too. The consistency of it after the first day is definitely not "oatmeal"-y though. I love oatmeal anyway you dish it up though, so I'm always eating the stuff.

Agree that you don't need to eat something you don't like, but it's smart to be open to be to new (low calorie) things. I used to eat the oatmeal packets years ago- thought I had to have the extra sugar & flavorings. Now I make my own for a couple of reasons. You totally control what goes in it and the big thing for me is those packets seem to cook up to practically nothing, but a 40 g serving of instant oats (and you might want to weigh it because I have found 1/2 cup does not equal 40 g), fills my bowl, especially with a handful of blueberries or other fruit. I would never want to eat it plain, but usually add a tsp of brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, orange marmalade or other fruit spreads, or flavored extracts.

I prefer the texture of old fashioned or steel cut, so that's what I make at home. (note: the kind that takes 20min? can be cooked in a rice cooker!) But I've kept packets of instant at work for when I oversleep. I always need two packets made with not quite two's worth of water, or I don't find it filling. I'll have one packet of plain and one flavored, mixed together. That way there's less sugar.

I cook up a pot of steel cut once a week using the quick method..bring six cups of water to boil then add in two cups oatmeal then cook for one to two minutes turn burner off let cool and cover and place the whole pot in refrigerator overnight! Next morning I divide into one cup servings and refrigerate for the week. I microwave for two min...makes nice thick oatmeal and I have been putting Greek yogurt on it instead of my usual almond milk and I put some kind of fruit in it if I have some on hand and the best is if I have done up some baked apples I half one and chop it up into my serving...gives me 17 protein to start my day and I sweeten with stevia if I need to. This is so good and you won't be hungry at all till on or later. I have been trying to add protein to each meL.