Make homemade instant oatmeal packets for an easy way to start the day! Combine oats, dried fruit, and spices, plus plenty of options for your favorite flavors \u2013 say goodbye to Quaker instant oatmeal and make your own!<\/p>\n
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\n<\/picture>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWe love oatmeal at our house! My kids get excited when I make Instant Pot Oatmeal<\/a> (adding fresh fruit as a topping), Blueberry Baked Oatmeal<\/a>, and Leftover Oatmeal Cakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n And I remember eating instant oatmeal almost every morning growing up. My favorite flavor was maple brown sugar. If the dark brown packages were gone, I\u2019d choose cinnamon and spice next.<\/p>\n I felt like such a big kid being awake before everyone else, making my breakfast all by myself. Like my mom trusted me (and my cooking skills) enough not to set the house on fire.<\/p>\n As my kids have gotten older, I\u2019ve tried to pass on cooking skills to them as well. And one of the easiest places to start is homemade instant oatmeal packets.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re feeding small children or yourself, these instant oatmeal packets are a great choice! They\u2019re:<\/p>\n The specific ingredients you\u2019ll need for DIY instant oatmeal packets will depend on which flavor(s) you choose to make, but they all start with 3 basics and go from there.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about the best options for each oatmeal packet recipe ingredient.<\/strong><\/p>\n I like to use rolled oats<\/a> (or old fashioned oats<\/a>) because they\u2019re less processed than instant oats and more affordable than steel-cut. Quick oats work too. And you can choose gluten free oatmeal<\/a> if needed.<\/p>\n The amount of oats you use will depend on the age and appetites of the person eating them, but I\u2019ve found these measurements worked when our kids were younger:<\/p>\n You can use up to \u00be cup for a larger bowl of instant oatmeal and adjust your fruits, spices, and optional ingredients accordingly.<\/p>\n Tip: Want your oatmeal to taste and feel more like the boxed packets? Add 1 tablespoon of oat flour<\/a> per \u00bd cup of oats!<\/em><\/p>\n Psst! If you\u2019re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane\u2019s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics<\/a> (gross, right?). Ava Jane\u2019s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it\u2019s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)<\/em><\/p>\n You have two options to turn any instant oatmeal recipe into an \u201cand cream\u201d version (think the Quaker instant oatmeal flavor peaches and cream):<\/p>\n Adding powdered milk to the individual packets makes it easier to prep ahead. You can choose a packet and make it the same way every time.<\/p>\n Using milk in cooking is a bit healthier option, since you eliminate the slightly processed powdered milk, but it is likely more difficult for smaller kids with both measuring and pouring from a potentially heavy and full container of milk.<\/p>\n Simply choose whichever is best for you in this season. Either option is better than store-bought oatmeal packets! If you choose to cook with milk, make sure to label those oatmeal packets with a reminder.<\/p>\n If you want to add nuts, stir them in after cooking the oatmeal, or they lose their crunch and don\u2019t taste nearly as good. We only add nuts beforehand when making the Amish flavor (my favorite right now, recipe below); otherwise, we wait until there are only crumbs left in the packages of nuts and then add those to our homemade instant oatmeal recipes.<\/p>\n You can increase the protein in your oatmeal packets by adding 1 Tablespoon of one of these seed suggestions:<\/p>\n Chia seeds will absorb quite a bit of moisture as they cook and sit, so you might need to add more liquid upfront. Flaxseed and oat bran will absorb a little, and hemp hearts and sunflower seeds won\u2019t absorb any at all.<\/p>\n Adding sweeteners to your homemade instant oatmeal packets is also optional, but can be a great baby step if you\u2019re switching from Quaker instant oatmeal to homemade or just trying to eat less sugar<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is totally optional, but one Tablespoon of butter or coconut oil<\/a> is a tasty option to add to instant oatmeal, and it makes for a smooth, creamy texture. My daughter likes butter in her oatmeal, but my son doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Peanut butter counts in the Healthy Fat category, too. It\u2019s best stirred into the warm oatmeal.<\/p>\n Obviously, this is something you can\u2019t add to dry packets, so if this is breakfast for young kids, make sure they can measure butter or coconut oil on their own to add after cooking.<\/p>\n When you learn how to make instant oatmeal packets yourself, you have UNLIMITED flavor combinations. My kids helped me choose the flavors for these photos, and it was so neat to watch their wheels turn as they paired fruits and spices, each to suit their own unique personality.<\/p>\n The most frugal option is to make your oatmeal based on what you already have in the house, but I\u2019ve also put together a few combinations for those who struggle with creativity in the kitchen. Add any of these to \u00bd cup of oats:<\/p>\n In the end, add whatever you want \u2013 that\u2019s the beauty of doing it yourself! Besides, we\u2019re not that fancy. Sticking to basic dried fruit + spice and\/or cream makes it easier to make a big batch of these upfront (meaning less work for breakfast with each subsequent week!).<\/p>\n The easiest way to make your own instant oatmeal packets is to mix everything up in a big bowl and portion out a heaping scoop into a plastic baggie (which you can re-use for future batches of instant oatmeal, by the way). But if you\u2019re looking for a more hands-on activity, or are type-A when it comes to the ratio of fruit to oats (like me), here\u2019s the method I use:<\/p>\n Step 1. Pull out all of your coffee mugs from the cabinet<\/strong> and set them on the table.<\/p>\n Step 2. Line each mug <\/strong>with a small resealable bag.<\/p>\n Step 3. Measure the oats into each mug. <\/strong>(Bigger kids can probably handle this step, but I don\u2019t recommend letting the little ones do this part. Tiny flecks of rolled oats on the floor are a HUGE pain to clean up.)<\/p>\n Step 4. Let the smaller kids measure the dried fruit <\/strong>and\/or nuts into each mug.<\/p>\n Tip: Give them the appropriate measuring tool and tell them how many scoops per mug.<\/em><\/p>\n Step 5. Finish off with the sweetener <\/strong>and\/or powdered milk (if using).<\/p>\n Step 6. Seal the bags and store them in a basket<\/strong> on a shelf in the pantry that the kids can see and reach.<\/p>\n I once timed this process to see how long it took to make homemade instant oatmeal packets. In one hour, we made enough for six weeks\u2019 worth of breakfast. How\u2019s that for time well spent!<\/p>\n You can always boil water on the stove and add it to the dry oatmeal, but that won\u2019t work for little kids. But it\u2019s still easy to teach them how to make instant oatmeal from one of these homemade packets!<\/p>\n Step 1. Empty an oatmeal packet <\/strong>into a heatproof bowl.<\/p>\n Step 2. Add \u00be cup water <\/strong>and stir.<\/p>\n This is a good amount of water for the \u00bd cup of oats, resulting in thick and creamy oatmeal. You\u2019ll need less water for a smaller amount of oats. Remember, you can always add more water, but you can\u2019t take water out!<\/em><\/p>\n Step 3. Place the bowl in the microwave <\/strong>and cook for 1 minute.<\/p>\n Step 4. Open the microwave<\/strong> and stir.<\/p>\n Step 5. Cook again for 30 seconds,<\/strong> if needed.<\/p>\n Step 6. Remove the hot bowl from the microwave,<\/strong> stir, and let it cool.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure if your kids are ready to handle breakfast on their own, another awesome option is to make these packets but cook them individually in the slow cooker. You empty the packet and add water. They take the jar out in the morning. Find that method here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Find more frugal, affordable, and awesome breakfast ideas here<\/a>, or check out \u201cThe Healthy Lunchbox<\/a>\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s one of the best eBooks I\u2019ve read!<\/em><\/p>\n I know I\u2019ve talked a lot about making these for kids in this post, but instant oatmeal packets work for a quick and easy breakfast for adults, too!<\/p>\n Since adults are less likely to have a morning snack than kids, we need to make sure our oatmeal is going to carry us through until lunchtime.<\/p>\n Oatmeal has plenty of carbohydrates, but on its own, it doesn\u2019t have enough fat or protein to keep you going until lunch. Adding both will keep your blood sugar stable and give you the sustaining energy you need.<\/p>\n I dug into this in my High Protein Oatmeal recipe<\/a> that I developed while training for a marathon, and there are plenty of options there for yummy additions to your bowl of oatmeal.<\/p>\n Since we\u2019re trying to make homemade instant oatmeal packets, opt for the dry ingredients you can add ahead of time: protein powder, collagen<\/a>, and seeds are easy to add to the packets, and a spoonful of butter, coconut oil<\/a>, or nut butter<\/a> plus a sprinkle of chopped nuts is easy to add afterwards.<\/p>\n Store-bought instant oatmeal packets are not great for you. The flavored options are loaded with added sugar, preservatives<\/a>, and artificial flavors. When you make it homemade, you can control the ingredients and amount of sugar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop<\/strong>\u00a0and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS<\/h2>\n
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DIY INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS INGREDIENTS<\/h2>\n
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OATS<\/h2>\n
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DRIED FRUIT (VS. FREEZE DRIED VS. FRESH)<\/h2>\n
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SPICES<\/h2>\n
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\u201cAND CREAM\u201d<\/h2>\n
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NUTS<\/h2>\n
SEEDS<\/h2>\n
SWEETENERS<\/h2>\n
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HEALTHY FAT<\/h2>\n
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL FLAVORS<\/h2>\n
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HOW TO MAKE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS<\/h2>\n
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HOW TO MAKE INSTANT OATMEAL FROM A PACKET<\/h2>\n
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BEST INSTANT OATMEAL PACKET TIPS FOR KIDS<\/h2>\n
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HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS FOR THE ADULTS<\/h2>\n
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL RECIPE FAQS<\/h2>\n
Is instant oatmeal healthy?<\/h3>\n
Is it okay to eat instant oatmeal every day?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
MORE YUMMY OATMEAL RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST<\/h2>\n
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Fight Inflation Workshop!<\/h4>\n
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