Oatmeal is the breakfast of choice most days at my house. It's nice to cook up a warm, comforting bowl to start the day. But sometimes plain oatmeal can get boring, so it's fun to change things up and try new flavor combinations. Making DIY instant oatmeal packets is so much fun -- and it's nice to have everything contained so all I have to do is add water and pop it into the microwave for a few minutes. They're also perfect for storing in your desk drawer for those days when you don't have time to eat breakfast before work.
For every one-serving packet, you'll need:
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats or instant oats
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried milk
- 1 teaspoon dried sweetener of choice (maple sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, sucanat, etc.)
- A pinch of salt
- Add-ins of choice
Let's talk about the add-ins! You can use any kind of dried fruits and nuts you like, but these are some of my favorite flavor combinations:
Strawberries and Cream:
2 tablespoons freeze-dried or dried strawberries
2 teaspoons powdered milk
Blueberry Almond:
2 tablespoons freeze-dried or dried blueberries
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Maple Pecan:
1 tablespoon chopped pecans
2 teaspoons maple sugar
Ginger Apple:
2 tablespoons freeze-dried apples
2 teaspoons diced crystallized ginger
Apricot Hazelnut:
2 tablespoons diced dried apricots
1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts
Banana Walnut:
2 tablespoons dried bananas
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
Pinch of nutmeg
Cranberry Pistachio:
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped raw or roasted pistachios
Caramel Cashew:
1 tablespoon chopped dates
1 tablespoon cashew pieces
Place all of the ingredients into a small resealable bag or container, then store in a cool, dry place until you're ready to use them.
To cook, pour the contents into a bowl and add ¾ cup water. Stir to combine, then microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, taking care to ensure the contents don't boil over. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the oatmeal to thicken. The chia seeds and dried fruit will absorb some of the water, so if it's too thick for your liking, you may want to add more liquid.
So simple, right? Making your own oatmeal packets is cheaper than buying them and they're great if you want to avoid the artificial flavors and excess sugar in many store-bought brands. And a healthy breakfast in minutes is always a win in my book!
This post was originally published on October 21, 2014.
This is such a convenient idea! I love the combinations too
Yasmeen xx
Great idea Lindsey! These flavors sound delicious and I love that I could avoid the questionable ingredients from store bought oatmeal packets by making them myself. Pinning now so I can make a few to stock my desk drawer.
I LOVE this idea, I crave oatmeal in the morning, but hate to go to the effort, and your flavor pairing chart is brilliant!
Oh my gosh, I love this idea. Brilliant! Thanks for the inspiration!
Instead of putting them in ziplocs, I just spoon the oatmeal into a microwave-safe container (I like those pyrex bowls with lid, but a heat resistant paper cup works too) and heat it up at work.
Love the mix-in options!
I love this idea! Is there a vegan replacement I could use instead of dried milk?
Hi Niki! You can definitely use powdered soy milk instead of the instant milk.
Niki, You can use powdered coconut milk too, that's what I do... just be sure to check the ingredients as some brands include dairy derivative to prevent clumping.
You could also leave out the milk entirely. I started preparing oatmeal only with water because of lactose intolerance; it tasted odd the first time, but by the third day it felt normal!
Non-dairy creamer has a longer shelf life than powdered milk.
This is such a great post! I love flavored oatmeal but always sort of force myself not to think of all the added sugar, etc. in it. This way is so much healthier!
Where do you find powdered soy milk and powdered milk? These sound great!
Hey Amber! Sometimes you can find powdered soy milk in grocery stores - check the bulk section or health foods section. Whole Foods might have it. I know you can find it online on Amazon too. Just search for "powdered soy milk" and it should pop right up. Powdered (dairy) milk will usually be in the grocery store near the canned milks - typically in the baking aisle.
These are fantastic ideas! I LOVE oatmeal for breakfast
What would be a good replacement for chia seeds? I just don't like their taste.
Hi Beth - you can just leave them out. If you really want to add a substitution though, you could add a small spoonful of ground flax seed.
I am obsessed with instant oatmeal but have only ever store bought it before. This is seriously such a good idea to make your own! Definitely will be trying out a few of these combos.. thanks for the great idea!
For the "add ins", is the sweetener in addition to what's in the base recipe, or in replacement of?
Hi Liza! That's a great question, and I'm sorry I didn't clarify that in the post. It is instead of the sweetener in the basic recipe. So regardless of using granulated or brown, maple, or any of the other sugars available, each bag gets 1 teaspoon total.
Simplifying my life. I love this. Always great 🙂
love it! thank you for sharing 🙂
is powdered milk the same as dried milk? you refer to both... (strawberries & cream add-in and base recipe, respectively)
Great question, Erin! I'm referring to them interchangeably. I did, however, use instant dried/powdered milk that dissolves more readily. But the non-instant kind works too.
Lindsey, this is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love love love it. Sharing asap.
Wow. These look absolutely fantastic. Especially seeing as I'm such an oatmeal freak!
Can you just skip the powdered milk? I always make our oatmeal with almond milk instead of water to add calories for my small kiddos. So I'm wondering if that powdered milk is needed?
I love this idea! It's so fun and so easy in the morning!
I've been researching recipes for the homemade instant oatmeal, but what I can't figure out is why Chia Seeds? Or any seeds?
So far, your combination list is the best!
Julie
I know this is an old comment, but I add flax and chia because they are thickeners, add protein and fat, and fill up my pre-teens and teens nicely.
I'm so excited to try this! Just made a couple of bags to bring on my work trip. I have to get up so early in the mornings and do not have time to go down for a "proper" breakfast. I often just grab a Danish, which is usually gross. But, this is perfect! I always have a coffee maker and sometimes a microwave in my hotel room!
After the ingredients are combined, what amount equals a portion? Thank you for your time. JH
Found this on pinterest and LOVING it. Made the maple pecan and could barely finish 1 serving - I think the chia seeds and pecans really really held me. Thanks for posting these awesome flavor combinations. Not having great luck with the maple sugar and may throw a squirt of maple syrup on my way to work.
Can the milk be omitted? I'm dairy free. If not, do you know what I could use instead?
There are a few non-dairy milks available that you could substitute. Better Thank Milk is one brand I've seen around, but I haven't tried it. Otherwise, you could just leave it out. If you have some soy or almond milk on hand you could add a slash when it's time to serve the oatmeal, but it should be fine without it too. 🙂