Instant Oatmeal "Packets"

Homemade Instant Oatmeal - the topping possibilities are endless!

My brother just called this week and reminded me that I haven’t put my Instant Oatmeal recipe onto the blog. We love Fruit and Cream Instant Oatmeal packets at our house; they are creamy, sweet, and so tasty. To save money, we buy non-Quaker Oats brands, like Great Value, but it is still pricey when each person in the family wants at least 2 packets in their bowl for breakfast. Also, the purchased packets sometimes seem a little too sweet.

Our solution was to make our own Instant Oatmeal. I’m not sure where the recipe originated, but we have been making and enjoying our version for years. Some of the benefits of making our own Instant Oatmeal are that we can determine our own portion size, the amount and type of sugar used (such as white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, Splenda, etc.), and the best part: choosing our own flavors! 

My kids usually favor Oreo cookie crumbs, so I use the food processor to crumble a package of Oreo cookies, and store this “topping” in a covered plastic container for easy access. My favorite flavor is chocolate chip cookie. I buy the cheapest, crispy, chocolate chip cookies, and crumble them just like the Oreos. One tablespoon of crumbs in a bowl of oatmeal is delicious! Fresh fruit is a close second-favorite for me. Fresh berries, Mmm, good!

Sometimes we do use purchased Instant Oatmeal packets, supplemented with a few tablespoons of our own Instant Oatmeal. We save money that way too, by using fewer of the purchased packets.

Instant Oatmeal

Yield: 8 servings, 4 cups dry mix

2½ c Quick oats

1¼ c Powdered quick oats*

1 ts Salt

10 TB Non-dairy powdered coffee creamer

  6 TB Sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Store in a covered container until ready to use. For a serving size comparable to a Quaker Oatmeal packet, measure out ⅓-½ cup of the oatmeal mixture into a bowl; add desired topping, and boiling water to desired consistency. Stir and enjoy.

*NOTE: To make the powdered oats, grind some oatmeal/quick oats in a blender or food processor on HIGH, to a coarse powder. This is what makes the mixture creamy.

Some Topping Possibilities:

• 2 Tbsp. dried fruit, chopped in food processor, with ¼ tsp. cinnamon

• 1 crushed Oreo cookie (food processor crumbles them well)

• 2 small crushed chocolate chip cookies (like Mothers brand)

• Use brown sugar instead of white, and add ¼ tsp. cinnamon

• Use brown sugar instead of white, add 1 Tbsp. raisins, and ¼ tsp cinnamon

• ½ crushed cinnamon graham crackers

• 1 tsp. cake decorating sprinkles

• ½ tsp. “Pop Rocks” candy—for a celebration day!

• 2 Tbsp. Butterfinger Babies, smashed, or ⅓ of a regular Butterfingers candybar, crushed

It takes a little advance preparation, but you save a lot of money doing them this way!

Store 4x the recipe in a gallon jar