The Sneaky Mama is back with another delicious and healthful way to feed your picky eaters! For those of you who are new or don’t remember, the sneaky mama (yes, it’s really me–but don’t tell anyone!) is a pro at getting good healthy food into her extremely picky daughter and her other not so picky kids.
Why Oatmeal?
Oatmeal is just one of those miracle foods. It is a whole grain, and is high in water soluble fiber. The reason I love oatmeal is that it is a win/win breakfast for our family: it’s good for my husband and I, it’s good for the kids AND they like it–you just can’t go wrong. Well, that’s if you make it right.
Wrong Oatmeal
In the Sneaky Mama’s world there are two types of wrong oatmeal. The first is instant oatmeal. While instant oatmeal is better for you than say. . .Sugar Laden Chocolate O’s, it still has a lot of junk in it that your kids don’t really need to eat. Instant oatmeal has been processed so much that it loses many of it’s nutrients. If you have a kid whose on a three food diet, you should really go for the good stuff when you can.
The second kind of wrong oatmeal is the kind my mother used to make me eat. She cooked whole oats over the stove according to the package directions and served them with a dab of honey. They were mushy and chewy which is definitely not the texture that earns a glowing endorsement in the breakfast food category. They were also devoid of flavor. Suffice it to say that if you cook oatmeal exactly according to the box directions for your picky eater. . .oatmeal will earn a place on the reject list. But never fear. . .if you follow my directions, your little one may very well gobble down every last bit of oatmeal that you serve.
Oatmeal Tips & Tricks:
Used quick cooking oats. These are just old fashioned oats that are cut into smaller pieces so they cook more quickly. . .the result is a better texture for picky ones.
If you’re short on time and want to use the package directions you can add a few things to the water to make it taste better. Our favorite additive is Coffee Mate powdered creamer in any flavor, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.
Brown sugar is great on oatmeal. So is fruit and milk.
The powers of baked oatmeal can never be underestimated. Check back tomorrow and I will share with you many of our baked oatmeal recipes. One of the great things about baked oatmeal though is that it’s one of those recipes you can play with until you get it just right for your family.
So why are you still reading? Go make some breakfast!