Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix
Skip the store-bought packets and instead spend a few minutes making your own instant oatmeal. Only four ingredients and still just as delicious!
My three year-old’s favorite breakfast for the last several months has been instant oatmeal— the kind that comes in little brown packets and mixes up with a little hot water in just a few seconds. For a groggy sleep-deprived parent it couldn’t be more ideal. I can make it without even really waking up.
The problem is that even though it seems like instant oatmeal should be healthier than a bowl of sweet cereal, it too is packed with sugar and whole lot of other processed ingredients. Plus, it ain’t cheap. So I decided to make my own.
Which, as it turns out, is so easy!
This DIY instant oatmeal has only four essential ingredients— oats, powdered milk, sugar and salt. Add to that some dried fruit (I used dried cherries for this batch) and/or nuts if you’d like and you have a quick, filling and delicious way to start your day. I certainly feel a lot better feeding it to my son.
The “instant” part of this oatmeal is possible by breaking down the oats in a food processor. You can use quick-cooking oats and skip a step, but I only stock old-fashioned rolled oats in my pantry and they do just fine. Also, this mix still contains sugar, but the amount you use is completely up to you, so feel free to alter the amount below to fit your preferences.
Spending 5 minutes making this mix is well worth the effort. Store it in one large container or portion it out into individual bags for an even easier quick morning meal. Just add water!
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix
Ingredients
- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (500 grams)
- ⅓ - ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar , depending on desired sweetness (66-105 grams)
- ½ cup powdered milk (42 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional additions:
- ⅔ cup chopped dried fruit (approximately 75 grams)
- ⅔ cup chopped nuts (approximately 75 grams)
- ½ - 1 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
Instructions
- In a food processor pulse the rolled oats 4-5 times, just until they start to break up. Remove about two-thirds of the oats (3 ⅓ cups, but no need to be exact) and pulse the remaining oats to a fine powder.
- Combine the oats, sugar, powdered milk, salt and any optional additions. Store in a large airtight container or portion out into individual servings and store in zipped bags. Mix should keep for 1-2 months.
To serve:
- Combine ½ cup instant oatmeal mix with ½ - ¾ cup boiling water and stir.
This is such a great idea.
I hadn’t thought of adding powdered milk! We make it with brown sugar and then package it in little baggies for the week. I agree, so much better than the packaged kind!
I just had instant oatmeal for the first time in years! We had to make an emergency trip to my mother-in-law’s house in CA and she had a ton in her pantry. So shamefully delicious. I never thought of doing a homemade version, but oh, the possibilities! Maple sugar, freeze dried apples, cardamom… Thanks! I think I’ll try this out!
You are hands down a genius!! I love oatmeal on crisp fall days!!
I love making my own oatmeal mix – what a great and easy recipe!
Love this! And I need to do this…oatmeal is my favorite, so this would make it easier for me to eat it since mornings are super hectic with two littles…
What is a good non-dairy alternative to the powdered milk?!
Powered coffee creamer instead of dry milk works..