Do-It-Yourself Instant Oatmeal

Has anyone but me noticed how the price of boxed, instant oatmeal has shot up? I mean, seriously. It's oatmeal with lots of sugar, a few artificial flavors and colors, and fake fruit disguised as peaches 'n cream.

But, because it's so conveniently packaged in cute, individual servings, and because there's a Quaker guy on the front of the box, you better expect to pay over $3.00. Or, if you're like me and take a more organic approach, Lord help us. Not only do boxes of instant, organic oatmeal have six individual servings, rather than Quaker's eight, but they also cost between $4.00-$5.00.

Well, a while back, I quit that nonsense. I figured if convenience costs that much, I'll go the plain-Jane, regular, 'ol oatmeal route.

And then I decided convenience really was worth it, so I did what I normally do in these situations: I made my own.

The following recipe makes 15-16 half-cup servings of instant, flavored (sans artificial junk) oatmeal.

Easy, Do-It-Yourself Instant Oatmeal

Ingredients:

8 cups instant oatmeal (any brand will do, even Quaker)
1 cup dark brown sugar (I use organic.)
3 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix everything in a large bowl, transfer to gallon-size bag or an airtight canister, and voila! you've just spent less than $4.00 for 16 servings of oatmeal. To cook, add 1 cup of milk and microwave or 1 cup of hot water to 1/2 cup of oatmeal.

Now, if you want to get crazy and vary it a little, here are a few "knock-offs" from boxed, instant oatmeal:

• Add frozen blueberries before cooking with milk for Blueberries 'n Cream
• Add 1/4 of a mashed banana after cooking with milk for Bananas 'n Cream
• Cook plain oatmeal, then drizzle pure maple syrup and sprinkle brown sugar on top for Maple 'n Brown Sugar
• Add 1/4 of a peeled, diced apple, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon before cooking for Apple Cinnamon
• Add 2 Tbsp. raisins and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar for Oatmeal Raisin

All of the variations are to be used when cooking with plain, instant oatmeal (NOT with the recipe above) and are one serving.

Enjoy NOT paying $4.00 a box anymore for eight servings of oatmeal!


Written and submitted by Lindsey @ Penny-wise