Better Instant Oatmeal?

I make a big batch of steel cut oats and just heat up as I need it. You can then add whatever you want and control how much it is sweetened and with what you want to sweeten it with. My favourite oatmeal is strawberries, blueberries, honey, cinnamon and a dollop of plain greek yogurt!!

If you must buy instant oatmeal and you want one already flavored, I believe that Quaker makes one with the word "weight control" on the box. If memory serves me correctly, that one had the lowest sugar count. But any flavored one is probably going to be high on sodium.

Minute oats cook up in the microwave in three minutes. Do you need it faster than that?

Every week I put together 5 days worth of oats to take to the office. In a mason jar I put 1/3 cup of old fashion oats, 2 tsp nuts, 1 T of dried fruit (usually raisins or craisins) and sweetener. I add water and nuke for 1 minute.

Aldi has brown sugar instant steel oats that's awesome. I add flax seed and Brewers yeast to it... It's delicious

I prefer dressing up plain rolled oats myself. They cook just as quickly, you can control what goes into them, and the texture is so much better. I'll take 10 minutes on Sunday night and prep all of my portions for the week. When you're ready to eat, add 1 cup of water, microwave for around one minute and 45 seconds, and let stand for 3 minutes before eating.

The recipe I've been grooving on lately is a basic variant on cinnamon raisin. 0.5 cups of oats (dry measure - 150 cals), 10 raisins (negligible calories but call it 20 for this purpose), 1 banana (100-125 cals), sweetener of choice (50 cals), scant pinch of salt, a couple of drops of vanilla extract, and about a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon.

In total, you're looking at about 300 calories of whole grain breakfast goodness depending on what sweetener you use, ready to eat in less than 5 minutes (including advance prep time). Make sure to mash the banana into the final mix as it makes things extra creamy (I freeze bananas when they're getting overripe to use in oatmeal or other cooking applications). The oatmeal is admittedly lacking protein, but you can make that up with subsequent meals.

CMNVA wrote: »

If you must buy instant oatmeal and you want one already flavored, I believe that Quaker makes one with the word "weight control" on the box. If memory serves me correctly, that one had the lowest sugar count. But any flavored one is probably going to be high on sodium.

Weight Control oatmeal has added protein (some soy) and fake sugar. I'm okay with fake sugar, but the soy has a weird taste to me.

Quaker also makes lower sugar varieties, if you make it with milk you would get more protein.

Personally I LOVE the texture of steel cut. I make a big batch in the crockpot & then "sweeten" with mashed banana & cinnamon.

Instant oatmeal isn't any more instant than regular oats. I microwave my steelcut oats (from a Scottish farm, so as unprocessed as they come) in 1-2 minutes with milk.

I like old fashioned Quaker Oats. They cook up in about 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave and I add milk and sugar. Mmmmm delicious!

I prefer to toast my rolled oats. Can be done as a big batch in the oven or by the serving on the stove top. Noticed that they cook up faster and they don't turn into mush as easily. I like my oats with an al dente mouthfeel because the texture makes it a more satisfying chew. Add your mix-ins to your taste.

During the summer I like cold porridges. I mix up my ingredients in a container the night before and it's ready to eat in the morning. No cooking involved! It's a little on the calorie heavy side but it can be made lighter by adjusting down the oats, yogurt, and/or milk.

Another vote for cannister oats and adding your own seasonings. Do you know about 'overnight oats'? You add yogurt or whatever and let it sit overnight, which will 'cook' the oats. I add 100 g Greek yogurt, blueberries, and raspberries.

No matter what I add to it, an oat-based meal is too high carb for me so I have this for a bedtime snack instead.

I prefer regular steel cut oats, which I do in a rice cooker -- I like the consistency. I make them savory or just add berries and maybe some homemade cashew milk. (I don't care for the consistency of rolled oats, but that's just me.)

That said, I know I've had some McCann's and some Bob's Red Mill quick steel cuts (so, instant) at one time or another, and I recall the macros being pretty similar to the regular. The only difference is they are cut up more. I prefer the texture of the regular, like I said, but they are all just oats. (You can get flavored, but that's a different issue.)

Anyway, short answer: all oats will be high carb -- oats are basically carbs, although there's a little protein. But you can get any oats, including instant, without anything added, and that's what I would personally do.

I do the Quaker instant regular and add sweetener too. Every. Single. Day. It's only 100 calories. Quite a calorie deal if you ask me. Which you didn't. But still....

I just buy normal old fashioned oats (supermarket brand), and add some cinnamon or fruit.

I use Bob's Red Mill gluten free Rolled oatmeal. Love it