If I was forced to stop at McDonalds for breakfast, had a gun to my head and had to choose something real quick without thinking, I’d probably choose oatmeal. But let’s be real here, I’ve never HAD to go to McDonalds.
Oatmeal is one of the most benign health foods in the world. It’s pretty hard to screw it up but that’s exactly what fast food has done. If you make oatmeal at home, it’s easiest thing to make ever – hot water/milk and some oats straight out of your pantry and voila – you’ve got breakfast with soluble fiber, protein, and real whole grains that will keep you full for hours.
But when you buy it on the run and or get it “to go” because pouring hot or even cold liquid over something straight out of your pantry is just too much for your busy life – you get cheap GMO oils that promote prostate and bone cancer, coloring that could be cancerous, nasty preservatives, heart disease promoting transfat, stabilizer causing intestinal distress, and oh boy – natural flavor that comes from who knows what.
The ingredients that are added to oatmeal by places like McDonalds, Panera Bread, Jamba Juice, and Quaker (which Burger King, Dunkin Donuts and other fast food places use) are dreadful. This why you must it a priority to make your own oatmeal, even when you don’t think you have time to make it.
I used to travel for work every single week for a few years and I was never forced to buy oatmeal because I had my recipe for oatmeal “on the go” down pat.
Here’s what I did and still do when time is short or when I’m on the run:
- I carry a mixture of 1/4 cup instant plain organic oatmeal, 1/4 cup rolled organic oatmeal, and a few sprinkles of organic cinnamon in a ziplock bag.
- In another ziplock bag, I have one whole date and a few walnuts.
- When I am ready to make oatmeal – I get a cup of hot water from a place like a hotel, gas station or even Starbucks. (No, this is not stealing because they will gladly give this to you for free and I’ll tip the barista for the free water)
- I break or cut up the date into pieces and add the oatmeal into the cup of hot water, do a quick stir and let it sit until it’s warmed through and the oats have soaked up all the water and the date dissolves.
- Before eating, I add the walnuts for a crunchy topping, sometimes I’ll add a packet of almond butter too for a long lasting meal.
- The cinnamon and date act as amazing (real!) natural flavor and sweetness. The date actually dissolves quite a bit in the oatmeal which leaves a great delicious consistency.
- Sometimes this recipe varies, depending what I have access to. I like to add banana, raisins, goji berries and/or other nuts. The toppings you can carry in your bag that travel well are really endless.
Thank you for reading – love you guys.
If you know someone who is still buying fast food oatmeal, please share this post with them. You’ll save their health and help them save lots of cash too.
Xo,
Food Babe
Contest is now closed. Congratulations to Doug J., Nichole , Jackie D. for winning the Country Choice Organic giveaway! Please check your email for details. If you didn’t win – Country Choice Organic is available on Amazon and most natural food stores.
I subscribe to food babe and I love reading all your valuable information! You are helping me eat healthier.
It’s funny, i like oats in things, but I don’t like oatmeal! I eat a ton of oats when you consider my homemade granola, breads, cookies, muffins, etc. But to eat out of a bowl is just not for me. Every week when I find myself buying more oats I wonder why because I don’t eat them! Then I remember how much homemade granola I eat.
I agree…stop messing with oatmeal! Thanks for the recipe! Healthy food on the go is a must here!
I give my daughter instant oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast. Looks like I should really stop doing this. 🙁
Great post! I’ve just started making homemade “instant” oatmeal for our family and this would be great. THANKS!
LOVE my oatmeal for breakfast! Thanks for posting this info. I’ve never had the ast food oatmeal, but could have guessed they wouldn’t leave it to be natural!
Hi, what is bad about sunflower oil? Thanks! I LOVE your blog 🙂
I eat oatmeal every single day for breakfast and I make it myself! It’s a whole lot cheaper and healthier :).
I live in a rural area with only WalMart and one other grocery store. I wish I had more access to organic products!
Love Country Choice and I already Subscribe!
I absolutely love oatmeal and nearly anything made with Oatmeal and sadly I normally end up buying the Qaker Oats at the store but I didn’t realize that their parent company is Pepsi. I would love to win this giveaway but if I don’t I am glad to know of a great non-GMO brand to begin buying!! Thanks!!!
I subscribe and I love your blog! Keep up the good work of uncovering all the nasty things in everyday food. Thanks!
I have subscribed and I love oatmeal 🙂 I always make it the old fashioned way and love to mix mine with cinnamon, blueberries and bananas.
Very disappointing to learn about Starbucks oatmeal. I knew it wasn’t perfect but thought it was “good enough” for those few times I leave the house unprepared.
Thanks food babe for the insight! I often get oatmeal from Starbucks but now I certainly won’t until they commit to making a change! Knowledge is power!
Wow! Who knew and I thought the Jamba Juice Steel Cut Oats was good – sheesh!
Thank you so much for another great give away! We love you and your website! And we also love oatmeal 🙂
What a bummer that even when you choose a health-conscious food like oatmeal at a restaurant, it can still be full of garbage!
Other than eating oatmeal traditionally, I love to throw it in smoothies! About 1/4 C. rolled oats + 1 ripe banana + almond milk + 1 scoop vanilla whey protein + cinnamon—- tastes just like banana bread!
I subscribe to Food Babe. Would like to try their oatmeal!
I love Country Choice oatmeal — especially the steel cut oats. Yummy!
Hi food Babe. I LOVE oatmeal! =D pick me! pick me!
I love learning and eating healthier from the info you provide! Thanks!
Thanks for all the information. Can you tell us why sunflower oil is listed as bad? I am not very familiar with this oil. My daughter and I eat oatmeal everyday for breakfast and would love to try Country Choice organic oatmeal!
I love your blog. I have and continue to refine how I eat thanks to you. I love oatmeal and don’t know what there has to be any of this bad stuff in it. I’m going to steer clear of those location and products with the “extras” from now on. Thanks again.
This is an awesome giveaway – thanks Foodbabe! Lately when I know I have an early morning or just want to be a bit lazy when I get up – I have been making refrigerator oatmeal and can take it to work with me. This brand looks fantastic and will look for it.
Thanks for all you do in keeping us up to date in this crazy world.
JDM
I just found your website recently thru a friend and am very thankful for it!!!
Thanks so much for putting all your knowledge about food on this site.
Would love to try this brand and support completely organic companies!
I LOVE OATMEAL!
Love the site! Love oatmeal! Love a giveaway!
Oatmeal is so simple. I like making my own.
Thanks Food Babe for writing about the apparent “healthy” oatmeal out there. I actually bring all of my oatmeal ingredients to work and make it there. Hot water, oats, almond slivers, raisins and agave nectar make for a great treat. I might need to try your recipe though!
I am really learning a lot from my subscription to your newsletter and would love to win the case of oatmeal.
Sign me up! We make our own ‘instant’ oatmeal the same way. Not only is it better for us, it saves TONS of money. For about $4-$8 (including the baggies) we have oatmeal packs that equal about $35 worth of those ‘packets’ of oatmeal. Free is even better! Thanks for letting us know!
I love this post and do many others! I just chided my husband this weekend for buying the Quaker oaks instant packs loaded wirh sugar – and I said the grandpa on their logo would be ashamed of the people running this company now…..
I am wondering what you think of the oatmeal some at Peet’s coffee. I had it without brown sugar the other day and liked it. I hope it has no additives….and did notice (happily) that it has flax seeds. I have eaten country choice for years (get if at trader joes or Anazon) and love it!
Sounds like a great product to try. i have not seen this in my area but would love to have some to share with the family.
Great information!
Love, love, love your posts! I too travel almost every week for work and have brought my own breakfasts, snacks, veggies, and even a large tub of hummus to go with in my travel cooler.
Thanks for the information. I thought the new treats at Starbucks were healthy.
Would love to try the oatmeal!
I love oatmeal!
I am already subscribed and would love to try these out, I buy local right now but i also shop at EF and wholefoods!
Thank you for sharing all of your research!! I am getting my family to adopt a whole grain/real food lifestyle. Unfortunately I can only control so much since my husband is in the Navy and he can only eat what is available on his ship; or what he can fit into small living spaces. I appreciate your blog so much for helping us make this transition. Oh! & I live in CA, I WILL be voting for prop 37 =)
I subscribe and am shocked by how little I knew about the oatmeal these places carry. Thanks for informing us.
I am a subscriber and always appreciate the tips and recipes from Food Babe. A recent convert to vegetarianism and still happy to include oatmeal in my daily meals.
Thank you for keeping it real and eye opening. Labels are so sneaky and you have inspired me to clean house (pantry) of everything that is processed or contains gm ingredients! We have got to take a stand on this issue! It’s literally going to kill us and our kids! 🙂
Love country choice oats. I eat them every morning. Seriously the easiest breakfast to put together in my opinion. Would love to win a case of it:-) Thanks!
I’ve only been a subscriber for a few weeks, but I’m loving everything you post! As a frequent oatmeal eater, this is a great instant oatmeal alternative for me to keep at the office. Definitely going to check for it the next shopping trip!
i make my own oatmeal but would love to try Country Choice!
Who would dream that oatmeal would have additives like that. So scary. Love the oatmeal above!
I have been subscribed for a while, but here is my comment! I eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast, so this would be great for me!
I subscribe to Food Babe. I LOVE Country Choice oatmeal, which I get from my local Whole Foods store. My favorite new way to make oatmeal is “Baked Soaked Oatmeal” (http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/03/healthy-breakfast-recipe-from-sue-baked-soaked-oatmeal.html) – delicious!!