Flavoired instant oatmeal? Good or bad

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Replies

  • twistofcain
    twistofcain Posts: 190
    The Maple and Brown Sugar is a staple for me in the winter.
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
    Oatmeal is good for you, but you can do a lot better than quaker instant. If I make oatmeal at home it's steel cut oats with either a little agave syrup or a little brown sugar with cinnamon and dried cranberries. If I buy instant, it's Oat Revolution oatmeal with flax seed. About the same as Quaker for sugar and calories, but the flax adds some extra fiber and protein.

    I like to add some peanut butter to mine..mmmmmmm
  • loope1
    loope1 Posts: 14
    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!
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I say bad. You can easily make your own tastier version with less added sugar. And random processed ingredients. You can buy a huge pack of plain instant oatmeal, add your own dried fruit, spices, nuts sugar and even protein powder and come out ahead. And change the flavors daily.

    (Even better to get the instant steel cut oats)

    I make proats a ton now

    No matter what I do I cannot recreate the goodness of Quaker banana bread :C

    LOL! For some reason I am not down with the banana in my oatmeal, but that is the only way my mom eats it. Maybe dried bananas from TJs + nuts, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg?
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
    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.
  • ChristySeeksBalance
    ChristySeeksBalance Posts: 43 Member
    I'm another that eats my breakfast at work, so I need quick and easy. I love the whatever and cream flavors, but they're too sweet for me. I usually eat two pakets, one regular and one flavored. Mixed together you still get the yummy flavor, but it's not quite so sweet.
  • joy31021
    joy31021 Posts: 216
    Way too processed for me
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I eat the Instant Quaker Oats Maple and Brown Sugar pretty much every work day. Sometimes add some fruit.
    Obviously, I like it a lot. :smile: It's a quick and filling breakfast.
    Ah, so you're the reason that flavor is never on my store shelves! :P
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    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.
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    Better for you than cereal IMO! I eat quaker instant maple and brown sugar everyday!
  • Feathil
    Feathil Posts: 162 Member
    Rolled oats are wholegrain, oatflakes are not. Oatflakes tend to be what's used in instant oatmeal.
  • MrsB123111
    MrsB123111 Posts: 535 Member
    I love them, personally! I get the low sugar variety
  • mznisaelaine
    mznisaelaine Posts: 2,262 Member
    I love Maple & brown sugar, Rasin & Spice, Apples & Cinnamon too.

    I mainly just buy Maple and Brown Sugar, I add banana and raisins in it, with a teaspoon of honey...It is delicious its about 400 calories all together which is perfect and I got some of my fruit in for the day already.
  • GurleyGirl524
    GurleyGirl524 Posts: 578 Member
    I prefer the Better Oats Oatfit brand. I get the no sugar added. I tastes awesome and is very easy for me to prepare at work.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    Thank you to the posters who replied with healthier versions. I am definitely up to trying some new ideas and do agree with you that the processed 'extras' add up...

    It didn't even occur to me to make my own - Quaker just made it so easy to tear open a bag of perfectly portioned breakfast.

    It worked for me to make my own, since I could put it in my microwaveable container. Then perfectly portioned and ready to go. And I don't like my oatmeal very smooth, so my trick was to put the milk (water, almond milk) when I left for work. Then pop it in the microwave when I got to work for 1-2 minutes and it was perfect. :)

    I found it really wasn't any more work than the packet. When I had plenty of room at my desk, then I would make a "big bag" of oatmeal, and grab a few spoons for daily consumption.
  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
    If you can eat regular oatmeal rather then instant you are better off, just because of the extra sodium in the instant oats. Regular oats doesn't have any :) If its not convenient premake it and put individual servings in tupperware containers or seperate oats into baggies so you can just dump them in a bowl, add water, and microwave :)
  • briyowes
    briyowes Posts: 757 Member
    I like instant oatmeal and I think it's ok to have. I only buy Better Oats Oat Fit Cinnamon Roll and Maple Brown Sugar. These are 100 calories per pack and no added sugar. I like to add a chopped apple or blueberries to it.
  • JustLena75
    JustLena75 Posts: 114
    I have recently fallen into lust with Cinnabon flavor Cream of Wheat...170 cals when made with 1/2c skim milk...NOM NOM NOM.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    I say yay. They tastes good and the people who sell it says they're healthy because companies never lie. NEVER :tongue:

    but seriously I eat them
  • soaps54
    soaps54 Posts: 564 Member
    I eat instant oatmeal practically everyday. I love the Maple & Brown Sugar and the Apples & Cinnamon that Walmart sells under its Great Value brand. It fits my macros and fills me up.
  • soontobesam
    soontobesam Posts: 714 Member
    Is it your best option? No - but its not bad for you. I eat it almost every morning with fruit mixed in.
  • Sabresgal63
    Sabresgal63 Posts: 641 Member
    I think its fine if it fits in your daily calorie intake. I make plain instant oatmeal for my children and then add some all fruit preserves to it. They love it and it cuts down the sugar intake a bit.
  • Marlene10025
    Marlene10025 Posts: 15
    I'm not an oatmeal lover, but I just read in Runner's World today that the flavored instant oatmeal is fine. Hope that helps!
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I use instant oatmeal as a last resort breakfast choice, when it's better than a bagel or a donut or nothing
  • kristinkt
    kristinkt Posts: 921 Member
    Cinnamon Roll Instant Oatmeal is my main breakfast now - mmmm... Comes in generic too which is still tasty
  • Stephanie198907
    Stephanie198907 Posts: 163 Member
    i'm team, "if it fits into your macros than eat it". I personally do not like the high sugar and high calories since my off days (days i do not workout) i only eat 1280 calories.
    I eat the original flavor, 100 calories and 0 grams of sguar, and add my own sugar.
  • knowledger
    knowledger Posts: 2
    I wouldn't say "bad" its better than a donut or other high cal foods you could be eating for breakfast however you'd get more nutrition out of cooking regular oats yourself and you'd probably get more fiber and feel fuller.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Taste good. SO to me, it's always good.
  • briyowes
    briyowes Posts: 757 Member
    I have recently fallen into lust with Cinnabon flavor Cream of Wheat...170 cals when made with 1/2c skim milk...NOM NOM NOM.

    I love, love, love this! It is one of my favorites, although I just make it with water. I like adding in a few raisins.
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