One of my favourite breakfast foods is oatmeal so naturally I had to write an ode to oatmeal (with some of my favourite ways to share this yummy food)!

We love oatmeal in our house. We go through a lot of it. E and I eat it everyday for breakfast. Next to yogurt it’s one of my favourite foods. And for good reason!

Ode to Oatmeal

Oatmeal is so versatile. There are hundreds of combinations you can make for breakfast. Or you can buy the packets that are premixed and ready to go. Either way, you can change it up every day so it’s never boring.

Plus it’s cheap. You can get big boxes of oatmeal at Costco that last forever and a day, depending how much you eat. With the price of groceries and boys that are always hungry, we need cost-effective food!

And it’s healthy. According to Healthline, oatmeal can lower cholesterol and blood sugars. With so many processed foods or cereals full of sugar it’s important to have options that are good for you.

Our Favourite Oatmeal Combinations

We prepare our oatmeal in the microwave. Approximately 2/3 cup instant oats, covered with water or milk and microwaved for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Or a package of flavoured oatmeal with an extra 1/3 cup plain instant oats.

And you can use any sweetener…sugar, brown sugar, Splenda, honey, maple syrup etc. Same with milk, any percentage of cow’s milk, soy, cashew, almond etc. Oatmeal lends itself to just about everything.

If you want some breakfast inspiration, here are some of my favourite combinations:

Peanut Butter & Jam

• Prepared 2/3 cup oats
• 1 1/2 TBSP peanut butter
• 1 TBSP jam (any flavour)
• Sweetener & milk as needed

Add ingredients to prepared oatmeal and stir to mix. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice

• Unprepared 2/3 cup instant oats
• Water or milk
• 2 TBSP canned pumpkin purée
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon works)
• Sweetener & milk as needed

Add ingredients to unprepared oatmeal. Microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir, add additional milk & sweetener as necessary. Enjoy!

Peaches & Cream

• Prepared packet of “peaches & cream” instant oatmeal & 1/3 cup plain oats
• 1/3 cup frozen peaches
• 1 TBSP vanilla yogurt (I often use plain Greek yogurt and add additional sweetener)
• Sweetener & milk as needed

Add ingredients to prepared oatmeal, stir to combine. Enjoy!

Cinnamon & Apple

• Unprepared 2/3 cup instant oats or Unprepared “Cinnamon Apple” packet & 1/3 cup instant oats
• Water or milk
• 1/4 of an apple sliced into small pieces
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TBSP unsweetened apple sauce
• Sweetener & milk as needed

Add ingredients to unprepared oats. Microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir, add additional milk and sweetener as needed. Enjoy!

Note: I almost always add frozen fruit to my oatmeal. It helps cool it down but also adds extra nutrients in the morning!

These aren’t exact measurements, oatmeal is adaptable to your taste. If you prefer a sweeter breakfast or more spice, you can add as necessary. That’s another reason I love oatmeal, it’s so versatile! I’m always experimenting with new flavours and ideas.

And oatmeal is good for more than just breakfast! Cookies, bars, cakes…the list is endless. Hence my ode to oatmeal! You can check out some of my favourite recipes, Oatmeal (Rice Krispie) Cookies, Flourless Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies or No Bake Chocolate Cookies!

What’s your favourite way to eat oats?