Help Me Make My Oatmeal Taste Better!

There is practically nothing better for you to eat than blueberries and they just happen to taste delish in oatmeal. You don't even need sugar they sweeten it up so nicely. Just through a handful of frozen ones in after you cook it and they will soften in a minute or 2. Bonus if you top it with blood sugar-lowering cinnamon.

Oh that is so each.
I use steel cut oat make a batch every week .

Add cinnamon/honey
Banana /walnuts/almonds ( my fav)
blue berry or other berries with honey

Yummy yummy

Cut up some fresh apple. Raisins if you like too. Cinnamon, nutmeg... A bit of maple syrup.

Cut up banana or strawberries. Blueberries.

Just about any kind of fruit you might like is pretty tasty in oatmeal. At least I think so.

A bit of cocoa powder with a dash of sugar and extremely fine ground coffee (for a bit of added kick).

how about in lieu of some water, using unprocessed cider? just for a tiny bit for taste.. also, I like to add a little granola to it.. it gives it a crunch.... if you don't like the cider idea, can you add your own raisins and diced apples.. even apricots are good in it.. :)

like you, I too don't like prepackaged oatmeal.. Also, do you like yogurt? how about a small spoonful of it AFTER you take it out of the microwave? I think brown cow and or stoneyfields.. those brands are pretty tasty..

Add some honey, a little peanut butter, slivers of almonds, raisins or other dry fruits, banana, strawberries, blueberries. Applesauce, yogurt.

I remember answering a questions almost identical to this one a couple of months ago. I use the quick oats, but I do mine on the stove because I use milk instead of water. There seems to be something about starting with cold milk in the microwave that doesn't lend itself to thick oatmeal even if you've definitely measured correctly. Anyhoo! I put a few Tbsp. of shredded coconut in with the milk while it heats & then a few Tbsp. of chopped walnuts or pecans when I add the oats. When it's finished I usually toss in a packet of Splenda & another splash of milk if it even needs it. Yumm-o! I've been known to give the kids frozen pizza & make oatmeal for myself on nights when the hubby is working late &/or there are a lot of after school activities so too busy to really cook.

Add any combination of the following the liven up your oatmeal routine:

Butter
Applesauce
Banana
Cinnamin
Nutmeg
Clove
Vanilla or Almond Extract
Coconut shavings
Dried Cranberries
Raisins
Grapes
Black Cherries

I like coffee creamer in mine, they make lots of good flavors--sugar free/fat free too :)

Try raisins or your own cut-up fruit! We get frozen fruit and we put it in the microwave along with the microwave oatmeal. My daughter likes frozen peaches (heated up in the microwave) and then we put a little bit of whipped cream on top. Peaches and cream oatmeal!

We also like cinnamon sugar applesauce mixed in. Sure beats the mystery cinnamon sugar apple oatmeal!

I add Cinnamon, Local Honey, and Slivered Almonds to my plain oatmeal.

So go ahead and add the real thing! Strawberries, banana, blueberries. I was told by someone I work with to take a prepack of oatmeal and mix it directly with a cup of yogurt and put it in the fridge for an hour and then eat. My coworker told me it was awesome...Hmmm don't know about that but let me know if you try it...Also mix some fresh fruit with it and then for some extra crunch some almond slivers....

I have always HATED oatmeal..but did recently find a "multi grain" hot cereal (packaged..but better for me than other stuff) that I like..cheap, easy but plain. I think I just don't like the just oatmeal grain part.

Anyways..I can't do crunch due to sensitive teeth and jaw arthritis..so I have been experimenting too. I make home made baby food (just puree the leftover fruits my daycare children don't eat, with only water added for the right consistency, to make baby food for the other daycare children! Its a good system!). I have started thawing the cubes of fruit and adding to my oatmeal. Peaches...banana..blueberry...apple/pear....strawberry...so far all are good. Some I add a packet of Splenda if too sour...or some cinnamon.

Play around with it...do you want fruity? Crunchy? Rich and creamy? Be creative. This is all new to me, but I am catering to my sore jaw and mouth!

apple sauce instead of milk or water. Mashed banana. also raisins.

Since it was suppose to be good for the BFing and milk production, I lived off oatmeal for like 9 months after my son was born!!

I liked adding toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.

I'd also toss in fresh apple bits with a bit of cinnamon with the brown sugar.

Any fresh fruit worked too, especially as we cycled through the seasons - blueberries and strawberries worked best IMO.

I don't like it plain. :-)

Have fun with it and pick whatever you like!
~C.

I eat oatmeal every day as well for breakfast, although I don't mind the "mystery fruit" of pre-packaged oatmeal. So my suggestions:

For a different texture: add crushed walnuts (I am not a nut person, but found it a nice break from the gooeyness of oatmeal) Also craisins and golden raisins are good for same reason. Adding granola is always yummy too.

For sweet: maple syrup is probably the healthiest of sweetners out there or honey.

I have a vanilla chai flavored oatmeal that I have yet to try (prepackaged), but you could make a tea of chai (boiling water) then make oatmeal with it for same flavor... I assume somebody liked it or it wouldn't get past marketing.

I don't use water with my oatmeal gross I use milk instead skip the dash of salt but I do add in a dash of sugar with cinnamon,dried fruit raisins~cranberries~blueberries~apricots~bananas or fresh fruit or canned/frozen,drizzle of honey,add in almonds or walnuts to the size you like if you want them crushed more put them in a ziploc use your hammer or rolling pin,use plain or flavored yogurt.

Peanut butter is good and so is maple syrup. I also add wheat germ to give a little nutritional bump. Vanilla might be good, too, although I haven't tried it.

I make pumpkin oatmeal. Add pureed pumpkin, about a 1/4 cup (based on what you always make described in your post), some pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar to taste, milk, and sometimes chopped pecans. Yum! My kiddos LOVE my pumpkin oatmeal.

You could also add cinnamon and maple syrup, raisins, chopped cranberries. Gosh, you can do so much with oatmeal!

P.S. I never use water. I always replace it with milk...makes it creamier but use water if you are "dieting."

My basic oatmeal is: oats, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, ground flaxseed, and canned pumpkin! I never make mine with water - I always use milk. Usually I use vanilla soymilk or vanilla coconut milk. Then I add whatever I have on hand: fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries), banana, apple. I also thaw out frozen berries. My old stand-by if I have no berries is dried fruit - cranberries, berries, cherries, or raisins. I top it off with brown sugar. I LOVE my oatmeal - it's my favorite meal of the day!

Not sure this is 100% healthy but I grate 70% dark chocolate into the cooked oatmeal. It allows me to put less sugar in the oatmeal, turns the oatmeal into a funky brownish color and makes my son think it's desert. :)

I love oatmeal too. One of my favorite ways to eat it is to add 2 tbsp chopped walnuts, 2 tbsp sugar free maple syrup and 1/2 a banana. So simple. :-)

i add some low fat organic cheese to mine, so good kids r eating it right now:)

I haven't read all the posts, so sorry if this is a duplicate. I always add brown sugar to mine, but try adding frozen blueberries the last 30 seconds of your microwaving. When it's done, add a few slices of banana. Yum!

Not sure I can add much new here, but my daughter LOVES her oatmeal with brown sugar, coconut and raisins. And myself, I love to use coconut, a pinch of brown sugar and about 8-10 semi-sweet chocolate chips. YUM-O!
A few chocolate chips really goes a long way. I was worried about the calories, but I checked the calorie content, and a tablespoon of chocholate chips is not bad at all.

I also enjoy adding cinnamon, granola cereal and pecans or walnuts.

A note about the coconut - it comes sweetened and unsweetened. I think sweetened tastes better, but I have a sweet tooth. Unsweetened is good too and healthier, esp if you don't have much of a sweet tooth. Plus, coconut is excellent in fiber!

Also, I once ran across a recipe that used oatmeal in a very non-traditional way, serving it up more as a dinner. Some might not consider this very breakfast-y, but I figure that I often put many of these same ingredients in an omelette, so why not oatmeal? btw, in European countries, oatmeal is often served as a main dish for dinner. Here is the recipe I found:

Savory Oatmeal
Bring 3 cups chicken broth to boil
1 cup quick oatmeal
Return to boil and simmer for 5 min
Refrigerate for 4 hours
In sautee pan, add:
¼ c grapeseed oil (sweeter, higher smoking point than olive oil)
1-2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Fry garlic to light golden brown
Add 10 quartered cherry tomatoes
Add 5 torn basil leaves
Add oatmeal until warmed
Add kosher salt and pepper to taste
Serve with grated parmesan cheese (can also use mozzarella or cheddar cheese)
Add basil as garnish

I believe it's put in the fridge to make it more like a porridge and creamier. You could make the oatmeal the night before and add the other ingredients in the morning if you want.

oatmeal is an extravaganza at my house. I dice :
dried apricots
fresh apple
raisins
dates
sometimes canned peaches
and if i have them fresh berries and banana slices
chopped walnuts

. Then milk and brown sugar (though when I was prego I splurged and went 1/2 & 1/2. Its like eating oatmeal cookies for breakfast!

I love to add raisens in mine. But here is the thing that made all the difference for me. I buy a bottle of the coffee creamer and use that instead of the milk after its cooked. the vanilla is good, so is the hazelnut or the dutch chocolate etc. as far as add ins go. cutting up apple is good also. good luck

My favorite things to add to oatmeal are fresh berries or dried sour cherries along with a little brown sugar and milk. I've been eating mine with fresh blackberries lately, and it is really good!

I boil the water on the stove then pour it over my dry oats and let it set for about 5 mins- it doesnt' get so gooey that way. I have done the fresh diced apples with cinnamon and sugar- Maple syrup(the real stuff) with pecans or walnuts- raisins and brown sugar, frozen blueberries or raspberries with a little bit of sugar, flavored coffee creamer or just a half cup of dry oats with vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit and nuts- that's pretty tasty.
the chocolate chip idea sounds good- I think I will try that one!
~C.

When I make basic oatmeal for my daughter (the packets are way to full of sugars and processed stuff) I always add a couple of spoonfuls of baby food to it. Any of her favourites work, ie: banana, peaches, pears, etc. After heating it up I always taste test it to make sure its not too hot and everytime I try it, it always tastes awesome.

I cut up apple & add local wildflower honey. Be sure to put the apple in before you cook it. Yummy...

I sometimes use apple juice instead of milk or water for making oatmeal. It's a very different taste, but good. When I make it like this, I like to put fresh blueberries in it.

I always stir an egg (one egg per serving) into my oatmeal during the last few minutes of cooking. I usually make it on the stove, but it works in the microwave as well - you just have to keep stirring everything up. It adds protein and makes the oatmeal creamier, and you can't taste the egg in there at all.

It's funny that I saw this question today because as I was eating my oatmeal this morning, I commented to my husband how much I like it and how I have finally found a good mix of things to make it taste good:)

I use whole oats like you. I sweeten it with one or two natural sweeteners that I saw on the Dr. Oz show. He recommends either pure maple syrup (my favorite), blue agave, raw honey, and or cinnamon. I also mash half a bannana or other fruit and I also put a little bit of Shaklee's energizing vanilla protein: http://waterways.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=20665 This really helps fuel me till lunch.

I usually either add in water or milk and microwave it for a minute. I like the idea of flaxseed that people have said. I just learned that flax is a great way to keep your arteries clear. (also a dr. oz tip. lol)

I hope this is helpful and tasty for you. :)

R.

I like to put raisins and sometimes peeled and chopped up apples into my oatmeal. I put it in prior to cooking it, the texture and flavor is enhanced. Also you can try bananas, cinnamon, or maple syrup in place of the brown sugar.

I briefly read some of the responses and wanted to add mine too. Mind you, mine is not as healthy as the ones I read but it is super yummy and a good treat :) I use 1/2 cup oats, 3/4 cup - 1 cup skim milk (I really don't know how much I use, I just pour some in the bowl until it covers my oats) and either a hot chocolate packet or I use homemade hot chocolate, if I don't have either on hand, I'll use regular cocoa powder, sugar, dash of salt and a bit of vanilla. I also add a couple tsp of ground flax seed, I used to add wheat germ but found out I am gluten intolerant so I can't use that anymore. Like i said, it's not as healthy as the other suggestions I read but it is super yummy!

I vary. Sometimes fruit (berries) sometimes brown sugar with cinnamon. Sometimes flax seed.

I put a tiny bit of brown sugar then milk, bananas and toasted walnuts. I also mix in some ground flax seed to make it even healthier! For the walnuts, I keep them frozen, then about once per week I toast them in a dry frying pan and keep those in a little tupperware by my oatmeal. It really brings out the flavor!

Nuts, raisins, greek yogurt, bananas (not all at the same time though!)

Thanks for asking this question! I love my oatmeal but sometimes I get a little bored. It will be fun to try these options.

This is a super healthy protein-packed alternative to making regular oatmeal.
Oatmeal Egg Pancakes
beat some eggs (about 3-4)
add whole raw oats (enough to make it pancake like--I think about 1/2 to 3/4 Cup)
add a pinch of salt and/or pepper
cook on a griddle or skillet like a pancake
Sometimes, I add leftover steamed cauliflower to the eggs (before adding the oatmeal) for a little extra umph! Asparagus is good too.

A little baking cocoa will make it taste like cocoa wheats. Add a little honey, if you want it sweeter.

Berries of ANY kind, and/or pecans (adds more protein)

Crushed pineapple and walnuts!!!

The pre-packaged oatmel is not NEAR as good for you, is processed so there is much less fiber and lots more sugar.

adding a little flaxseed will help with nutrition but not taste.

My husband (rest his soul) use to love to put fresh blueberries in his.

My brother likes to put a drop of favorite syrup (Mrs. buttersworth)

A friend of mine mixes hers with yogart (any flavor)
I think you can add about anything you wish to try and "spice it up"
Let us know what you think works

Dried fruit, craisens, nuts (especially the glazed or cinamon), frozen berries (or fresh in season), juice (you can use it instead of water)

I put one or two splenda packets in my oatmeal to sweeten it a bit.

Try adding a pat of butter after it's cooked, and cinnamon is very healthy....or a fun thing I do with my kids )but who says you have to be a kid to enjoy your food) - a big happy face of whipped cream sprayed on! ;-)
Enjoy
L.