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

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.

You can lightly "toast" your old fashioned oats and make your own granola. Take a skillet, coat with coconut oil spray and add as much oats as you want to make. Stir frequently over medium heat 5-7 minutes. They can burn easily like nuts, so don't walk away from it (like I did once ) Let it cool on a cold cookie sheet then you can add fruit (fresh for serving at the time or dried fruit), nuts and seasonings (I like pumpkin pie spice). There are several recipes on the internet for granola to bake in oven with honey or maple syrup. Most commercial brands have preservatives, pricey and high in calories but tradeoff is the known nutritional value and not having to make it). I weigh all my added nuts and fruits. I like it with almond milk. Muesli is another option for rolled oats.

I like my oats warm, so none of the refrigerator ideas are appealing to me.

I make steel cuts in my rice cooker -- no fuss, and they get ready while I shower and do other things. Easy.

They taste great with just a banana or some berries.

Steel cut, 30 minutes on 50% in the microwave. I make a cup of the dry oats and w/ an apple or some golden raisins, and that makes 4 servings, which I eat over the week w/ 1/2 c Greek yogurt and 1T of syrup.

It's discerning eaters like we have here on MFP who are killing Kelloggs.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2015-02-26/for-kellogg-cereal-sales-recovery-may-be-lost-hope

I find steel cut and rolled oats(they're thicker) more filling than the instant. Also you can control the sugar and sodium. As other's have mentioned you can make overnight oats with steel cut and rolled oats the night before if you're under time constraints in the morning. Go to pinterest and you will find so many great options also, I like this brand from Trader joe's called ancient grain and super seed oatmeal because it has great texture and only takes about 10 minutes on the stove. It turns out well as overnight oats too.