Instant oatmeal doesn’t have to come from the store in a container destined for the trash. You can easily make it at home for less money (!!), and without the 20-something long list of mystery ingredients. Let’s do this.
Round up all the mason jars in your house. I like to use these 16-ounce wide mouth Ball jars so there’s plenty of room for toppings. Really any microwave-safe vessel will do.
To each jar, add 1/2 cup dry oats, 1 Tablespoon chia seeds, a tiny pinch of salt, and any of the following mix-ins:
- 1/4 cup of freeze-dried fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc)
- 2 Tablespoons of dried fruit (apples, raisins, cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, etc)
- Up to 1 Tablespoon of dry sweetener (white or brown sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, honey granules, etc)
- 1/4 teaspoon of spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc)
- Up to 2 Tablespoons of powdered peanut butter or your favorite protein powder
To make the oatmeal, just add 1 cup of boiling water to the jar, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes, OR microwave with 1 cup of water (or milk of choice) for 60-90 seconds, cover, and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Pro tip: the Keurig in your office won’t give you boiling water, but it will be hot enough to make oatmeal. Just let it sit a few extra minutes to let the oats get soft & plump.
You can eat your instant oatmeal as is, or add toppings like:
- 1 Tablespoon of peanut or almond butter
- 1 Tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons of chopped nuts or seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, pepitas, etc)
- A small handful of chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- Anything else your heart desires!
Homemade instant oatmeal cups are so easy to make, and I love making a bunch of different flavors to keep my mornings exciting. You could even make these with your kids, letting them measure out the oats and pick which dried fruits, spices, etc, go into the jars. They’re great for busy weekdays, but would also be the perfect breakfast for camping or traveling. The dry ingredients can go through the airport without any issue, and you can get hot water on the airplane to turn your oats into oatmeal.
If you try out this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, or take a picture and tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see your favorite oatmeal flavors!
DIY Instant Oatmeal Cups
Ingredients
Per Jar
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- a tiny pinch of salt
Optional Add-Ins
- 1/4 cup of freeze-dried fruit strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc
- 2 Tablespoons of dried fruit apples, raisins, cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, etc
- Up to 1 Tablespoon of dry sweetener white or brown sugar, sucanat, coconut sugar, honey granules, etc
- 1/4 teaspoon of spices cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, etc
- Up to 2 Tablespoons of powdered peanut butter or your favorite protein powder
Topping Ideas
- 1 Tablespoon of peanut or almond butter
- 1 Tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons of chopped nuts or seeds almonds, walnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, pepitas, etc
- A small handful of chocolate chips or cacao nibs
Instructions
- 1. Assemble instant oatmeal in microwave-safe jars. Add oats, chia seeds, salt, and any add-ins of choice to each jar. Store at room temperature for up to a month.
- 2. When ready to eat, add 1 cup of boiling water, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Alternately, you can add 1 cup of water and microwave it for 60-90 seconds, cover, and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Add your preferred oatmeal toppings, and enjoy.