You’ve all heard it before:
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
And it certainly can be! It sets the tone for the rest of your day. Yet it can be so hard (at least for me) to find the time to make a healthy breakfast each morning. As a result, I often reach for things that are quick and easy, but pricey and maybe a little preservative and additive-heavy.
My kids LOVE oatmeal packets, and lately, I’ve really been enjoying the Quaker Medleys since they are multigrain and include real fruit and nuts. Even though my family enjoys dishes like overnight oats and baked oatmeal, instant oatmeal is one of those breakfast mainstays I usually keep on hand. But I wanted to find a way to cut the cost.
These homemade oatmeal packets do just that! Plus, they are quick and easy to make, and you know exactly what you are eating. Make up a bunch at once and store them in Ziploc bags. You can also put them in jars as one jar meal.
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Gather your ingredients. You will need:
- Oats
- Cracked cereal (I use Thrive’s Nine Grain Cereal and LOVE it)
- Nuts of choice
- Freeze dried fruit (healthier than dehydrated)
- Sweetener of choice (I like brown sugar, honey, or even honey crystals. Adjust the amount to taste)
- Spices (cinnamon, Allspice, etc.)
- Vegetable Powder is optional
In the picture below, I used peaches, almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon. However, you can make any combination you want when you are doing this at home!
At this point, you can put all the ingredients for your homemade oatmeal packet in a Ziploc bag. Make multiple bags at once. Then store the bags in your empty oats containers. Don’t throw the bags away though when you make the oatmeal. Just put them back in the container to be re-used next time you make a batch.
When you are ready to eat, put all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl.
Add water (or milk if you prefer), and cook the oatmeal in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
Let it sit for one more minute before eating!
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- 1/2 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/quick-oats-991.html”]quick oats[/url]
- 1 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/9-grain-cracked-cereal-1.html” target=”_blank”]cracked cereal[/url]
- 2-3 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/all-products/thrive-foods/fruits.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried fruit[/url] broken into small pieces
- 1 Tbsp. nuts
- Sweetener of choice (like [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/brown-sugar-1082.html”]brown sugar[/url], honey or [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/honey-crystals.html” target=”_blank”]honey crystals[/url]. I use just under 1 tablespoon. Adjust amount to taste)
- 1/4 tsp spices (cinnamon or Allspice)
- 1 cup water or milk (use 1 cup prepared [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/milk-powder.html” target=”_blank”]instant milk[/url] if making from 100% food storage)
- Combine all ingredients except water in a Ziploc bag
- When ready to eat, add 1 cup water
- Microwave on high for approximately 1 – 1 1/2 minute
- Let sit for 1 minute
- Enjoy!
Becky is a wildlife enthusiast and pet and livestock care expert with a diploma in canine nutrition. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Becky lends her expertise to Simple Family Preparedness through insightful info about pets, livestock, bee keeping, and the practicalities of homesteading.
Thanks for the recipe! I think your portion sizes are off, though. This is a much bigger serving than what you get in an instant oatmeal package.
Sounds delicious! Only problem I have is that I don’t own a microwave. Can this be made in a pot on the stove? I assume heating or boiling the water/milk then stirring in the ingredients and letting it set for a minute or two will work, however, I’m not familiar with the freeze dried oats or fruits yet, so I thought I would get your expert opinion. Any guidance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!