Go beyond the packet! Here's how to add flavor to oatmeal with fruit, nuts and other sweet and savory mix-ins.
This Is How to Make Oatmeal Taste Better, According to a Cookbook Editor
Delicious and healthy, oatmeal takes the cake when it comes to a hot, satisfying breakfast. Not only is oatmeal one of the easiest dishes you can make, but it is also high in protein and the variations on these cozy bowls of comfort are only limited by your pantry and imagination. See how simple it is to make this modest little oat taste amazing when you add fruit, nuts, spices and other tasty mix-ins.
How to Add Flavor to Oatmeal
Whether you’re whipping up a bowl for yourself or treating overnight guests to a homemade breakfast, try one of these fresh takes on the old-fashioned favorite.
Stir in fresh or dried fruit
Looking for an easy way to get an extra serving of fruit into your day? Add essential vitamins and nutrients by topping your oats with fresh apple, banana, pineapple, peaches, cherries, kiwi or berries. And don’t forget dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, figs, dates, currants and apricots. With these ideas, or tasty recipes like Brown Sugar & Banana Oatmeal, eating more fruit with breakfast has never been easier.
Add savory ingredients
Take oatmeal to the next level by giving it a savory twist. The flavor goes up a notch when you toss in cooked meat (bacon, ham or sausage), any type of cheese, pico de gallo, or even a poached or sunny-side-up egg. And if you want to get really crazy, add some hot sauce to turn up the heat.
Top with crunchy extras
If you like a little crunch when you munch, top your oats with chocolate chips, pecans, almonds, peanuts, toasted coconut, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds or pumpkin seeds. Nut lovers will enjoy this fruit-nut baked oatmeal.
Mix in a natural sweetener
If you have a sweet tooth, skip the sugar-laden instant packet and instead add one of these delightful mix-ins: honey, maple syrup, peanut butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, agave nectar or flavor extracts such as vanilla, almond or cherry. Or make your bowl extra creamy and indulgent by stirring in dairy milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, Greek yogurt, kefir or chocolate milk.
Health Benefits of Oatmeal
If these fresh and fun flavor variations still haven’t convinced you, ponder the health benefits of oatmeal before your next breakfast.
- Helps manage weight. Oatmeal helps curb your cravings because it takes a long time to digest, making you feel fuller longer. Goodbye, midmorning snack attack!
- Keeps your heart healthy. A nurses’ health study found those who ate oatmeal five or more times a week reduced their risk of heart disease by 29%.
- Wards off diabetes. The high fiber and complex carbohydrates in oatmeal have been shown to reduce both blood sugar and insulin levels, an important asset in controlling diabetes.
- Keeps high cholesterol in check. Studies have shown that oatmeal lowers LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and may also boost levels of HDL cholesterol (the good, protective kind).
So there you have it. Oatmeal can be a tasty, healthy part of any meal. And in additional to being a meal on its own, you can mix oatmeal into meatloaf, burgers or fish cakes, use it to thicken soups or sauces, or even turn it into a topping for a fruit crisp.
Our Favorite Ways to Eat Oatmeal
Overnight Baked OatmealThese pancakes have less sodium per serving than other pancakes made from mixes. Decrease sodium even further by stretching the mix with banana, oats and walnuts. - Patricia Swart, Galloway , New Jersey
Cranberry-Walnut OatmealMy family loves cranberries but we can get them fresh only during the holiday season. This recipe lets us enjoy the tartness of cranberry with the comfort of oatmeal all year long. —Teena Petrus, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Overnight Oats with YogurtI tasted muesli on a trip to Switzerland, and when I came home, I made it my way. Keep things interesting (and avoid midmorning munchies) by adding different fruits and nuts every day. —Maddie Kirk, Springfield, Pennsylvania
Fruit & Nut Baked OatmealIn my part of the Midwest, baked oatmeal is a Mennonite specialty. My daughters are always delighted if we have leftovers for them to take home.—Fancheon Resler, Albion, Indiana
Overnight OatmealStart this breakfast the night before so you can get some extra sleep in the morning. My husband adds coconut to his, and I stir in dried fruit. —June Thomas, Chesterton, Indiana.
Banana OatmealEnjoy a cozy and customizable breakfast with our easy banana oatmeal recipe, perfect for busy mornings.
Spiced Apple OatmealThese easy apple-y oats let your family have a warm and cozy breakfast no matter how busy you are. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan
Slow-Cooked Fruited Oatmeal with NutsThe beauty of this breakfast is that you can set the slow cooker overnight and, with nothing more than a ladle, spoons and bowls, feed a crowd in
the morning. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Gluten-Free Baked OatmealThis fruity, delicious oatmeal would be so good served with vanilla soy milk. Give it a try! — Jennifer Banyay, NorthRidgeville, Ohio
Oatmeal Brulee with Ginger CreamThis is an awesome dish for a chilly morning. I love the crispy, caramelized top and raspberry surprise at the bottom.
—Yvonne Starlin, Portland, Tennessee
Michigan Fruit Baked OatmealWhole-grain oatmeal is a delicious way to start every day. For a change, swap chunks of granny smith apples for the dried fruit. Leftovers warm well in the microwave.—Jeanette Kass, Ravenna, Michigan
Amish Baked OatmealBrown sugar and spice and everything nice-like cinnamon, coconut, oats and chips-are layered together in pretty jars of yummy, ready-to-bake cookies. A quick and easy gift idea that's appreciated any time of year, it was shared by our Test Kitchen.
