Flavoired instant oatmeal? Good or bad

This really shouldn't be an either-or question between the instant and the less processed stuff. I'm a big oatmeal fan, and cooking from scratch is one of my ways to have a good relationship with food and favour (economically) less processed products, so my normal preference is to have old-fashioned or steel-cut oats and take care of flavoring myself. However, convenience is a virtue, and the sachets of pre-packaged flavored instant stuff are a 100 times better snack at work than anything from a vending machine, so I have a packet of assorted ones in my desk drawer. (A store brand rather than Quaker, which I find a little too mushy.) I'd just pay attention to the amount of sugar and prefer brands without artificial flavors and sweeteners. But even they aren't really "bad" -- they just tend to spoil the fun for me a little.

I tend to eat the less processed steel cut oats and naturally flavor it. If I want it to cook faster I soak them over night

Those instant oatmeal packs are very high in sugar IMO. You'd be much better off mixing your own, and it works out to be cheaper too. My staple breakfast is 60g oats mixed with 5g sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. I add hot water, microwave for 20 seconds and then add a dash of milk. Very yummy and filling!

Or if you wanted to use the instant packs because of the flavor then mix it with some plain oats, to reduce the sweetness.

its not great. its better to have plain normal porridge and add your own stuff. them flavoured instant oatmeal sachets actually make me crave sugar all day xx

What do you think of the Quaker flavored instant oatmeal packets? Strawberries & Cream....Banannas & Cream, etc.
Yay or nay? A friend said to eat oatmeal but now I am questioning this as maybe she meant plain?

It says a packet has 12g of sugar, 3g protein, 2 g fat.

I eat that stuff all the time, anywhere from 2 to 6 packs of that stuff when im cycling off cell-tech and I stay lean as hell, but the thing is I only advise eating it post workout since the sugars are good for you at that time anyway. so if I work out twice in a day ill eat 3 packs after each workout. and of course theyre just delicious

The Maple and Brown Sugar is a staple for me in the winter.

What do you think of the Quaker flavored instant oatmeal packets? Strawberries & Cream....Banannas & Cream, etc.
Yay or nay? A friend said to eat oatmeal but now I am questioning this as maybe she meant plain?

It says a packet has 12g of sugar, 3g protein, 2 g fat.

If you are also concerned about nutrition and your body operating optimally, go with steel cut oats or even regular plain oatmeal, as both are far superior to instant. The instant flavored oatmeals are already processed so much, that your body does not have to work at breaking them down, and they have little if any fiber.

If time is a factor in instant vs. other, you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. You can also make overnight no cook oatmeal, such as Mango Almond Refrigerator Oatmeal, Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon Refrigerator Oatmeal, Banana Cocoa Refrigerator Oatmeal, Raspberry Vanilla Refrigerator Oatmeal. I don't know what the nutritional values on these are, but since there aren't too many ingredients, you can customize them to your needs/taste.

Check out the following link for the 6 recipes for no cook refrigerator oatmeal: (She also has a fewrecipes for cooked steel oats at the bottom of the page - Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal, Slow Cooker Cherry Almond Steel-Cut Oatmeal, Slow Cooker, Banana & Coconut Milk Steel-Cut Oatmeal.)

http://www.theyummylife.com/blog/2012/03/293/Overnight,+No-Cook+Refrigerator+Oatmeal+--+A+healthy+breakfast+made+in+mason+jars+in+six+different+flavors!

I prefer steel-cut oats over the instant, myself - I like the texture and it's not as bland. But of course it's not as convenient as the instant packets.

When i do make it, I'll usually cook up a big batch and then dish up several individual servings that can be reheated in the microwave. Boom! Breakfast for a week.

Way too processed for me

I eat my breakfast at work. Microwavable oatmeal packets fit into my timeline. There's a lot worse foods I could be eating than processed microwable flavored oatmeal.

Agreed! It's much better than what I used to eat and I love the convenience. I don't add much to mine other than maybe some fruit and/or some chopped almonds.