Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Ode to Oatmeal

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Oh the wonderful oatmeal!!! Well known as a “heart-healthy” food thanks to Quaker, oatmeal is a good-old fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. Oatmeal warms my body on a cold-winter day, and fuels my muscles on hard-workout day.

Oats are surprisingly cheap, too. I buy my rolled oats in bulk, and 1 serving costs me approximately 17 cents. And how much does the college staple, Ramen noodles cost? 17 cents. So let’s see, would I rather eat a nutritious bowl of oatmeal, or a processed bowl of Ramen? I think I’ll stick with Oats.

Vs.

Here’s a few of the many benefits of Oats:

  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Burns fat
  • Reduces risk of Type 2 diabetes
  • Regulate bowel movements
  • Reduce blood pressure
  • Reduce risks of cancer because of Oat’s phytochemicals
  • Reduces risk of heart disease

What can’t oatmeal do?

Sometimes I eat oatmeal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Well, maybe that’s a little too much, but oatmeal is so versatile, why shouldn’t I eat it all day long? Here’s one of my many delicious oatmeal recipes:

Chocolate-Covered Monkey Tail Oatmeal:

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1/2 sliced banana

Boil 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Add the oats and turn stove to medium-low. Stir occasionally until oats are cooked. Add cocoa powder and bananas. Stir and Enjoy!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What’s your favorite cheap, healthy food?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LOL love the cute name!

    Annd p.s. you just made me the HAPPIEST chocolate-covered vegan EVER for being an overachiever and already making the chocolate butter. You are awesomelicious (as is oatmeal heehee)

  3. Yum! I looooooooove oatmeal as well! Never thought about putting cocoa in it….I like mine with yogurt and craisons.
    Can’t think of a really good cheap food….but, I think one of my favorites is popcorn with parmesean cheese…tasty….

  4. I love popcorn! We eat it just about every night at our house! I always make it on the stovetop, and I like sprinkling nutritional yeast on it. It has a good nutty-cheesy flavor without the dairy, and it is FULL of Vitamin B! I saw a recipe to make a dairy-free cheese with cashews and nutritional yeast, so I’m going to try it!

  5. Love the blog! I also try to go sugar free with my baked goods. Your oatmeal looks sooooo good and easy. Perfect for a college girl. 🙂

  7. I love, love, love oatmeal, and I get mine from the bulk bins at the local co-op (so inexpensive!). Other favorite cheap, healthy foods are lentils, bulgur, and fruit.

  8. I LOVE oats! My go-to breakfast each morning is a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with some fruit and a dollop of cottage cheese. It always baffles me that people are so unaware of oatmeal’s versatility. I really like making savory oatmeal, too, not just sweet. Try making oatmeal with curry spices and some mango chunks. Add a side of veggies and beans and you have a complete meal that is unique, nutritious, and tasty!

  9. Have you tried overnight/refrigerator oatmeal? It’s wonderful and also fits your website. I make a weeks worth at a time and just grab it in the morning and eat it at work as I’m prepping my day.

    Mix 1-2 mashed bananas (can be omitted, but adds some additional sweetness) with 2 cups rolled oats, 4 cups almond milk, coconut milk or a blend of the two. I also add 5 tsp of chia seeds which gives it a pudding like consistency. Divide among 5 jars with lids and refrigerate (at least overnight). In the morning, if you like, you can add your favorite fruit and off you go!