UPDATED: Help Me like oatmeal....how Do You Take Yours?

We love McCann's Instant Irish Oatmeal. 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup milk, sprinkle in frozen blueberries and microwave for 3 minutes. Then I sprinkle in a little bit of brown sugar. It's never gummy; maybe you're cooking it too long?

Cook with milk, a drop of vanilla flavoring, a tablespoon of maple syrup, and a dash of cinnamon. Top with crushed almonds and raisins.

I buy the old fashioned oats and microwave them at 50% power for 5 minutes. I used 1/3 cup oats, 2/3 cup water, 1/4 of berries (blackberries are my favorite) and a handful of chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts). Stir immediately, sometimes I add in a splash of milk and eat immediately otherwise it gets gummy. I really, really love it this way. So hearty and yummy - those little packets full of fake flavors and sweeteners are just gross to me.

I like mine in COOKIES, with chocolate chips! Or Honey Nut Cheerios.

teehehe, I'm with you, oatmeal does not turn me on, I think it's a textural thing. Bleck.

:(

If the consistency is what bugs you, turn it into an oatmeal smoothie and drink it! I've never made one but I know there are recipes out there. If I were to give it a shot I'd add a cup of milk, cup of OJ, cup of cooked oatmeal, a banana and a handful of strawberries, blend till smooth. Good Luck!

OMG..are we twins???

I have never liked the flavor..ANY flavor of oatmeal. Love the cookies, cereals and bars type stuff. No problem with hot cereal sort of consitency (I grew up eating instant grits..LOL. that was my hot cereal as a kid)

But I found a brand that is a multi grain kind..not just oats. I thought maybe that would make a differnece? Well for me it did a bazillion percent! Its called "Abundance" by Better Oats. I do the cinnamon one. I do sometimes sprinkle a tich of my Splenda on it when making my coffee to go with..just a teency weency bit.

But the different grains seemed to be the cure all for me. I eat it most days with coffee and fruit.

Its inexpensive too.

http://www.betteroats.com/oats/abundance/apples_cinnamon/

cinnamon , brown sugar, raisins, butter ,raisins. I use instant cinnimon oatmeal and then add raisins. you have to make sure you add the right amount of water so ti's not runny and not the consitstantsy of wall paper paste. I cook it and then add a bit of milk and butter to it and it makes it creamy.

I use the regular rolled oats, do it on the stove following the package directions. You can cook it a little longer until it's a bit drier if you don't like the slime. I mix in fresh fruit. You also might also try steel cut oats - they take longer to cook but the texture is different. There are lots of other hot cereals and grains - Wheatena, quinoa, etc.

Skip the "hot cereal" version and go with oatmeal cereals with crunch.

Sounds like your trying to make this work, but it just isn't your thing.

I'd liken it to a non-coffee drinker trying to fit in with co-workers on a coffee break. By the time you add enough sweets and junk to the coffee to make it tolerable, it will just be bad for you and you won't be getting any of the health benefits from what YOU'RE drinking (or eating).

Stick to Quaker oatmeal squares or granola. Lots of heart benefits, but not your husband's goopy oatmeal.

Yuck. I know exactly what you mean. The texture makes me sick.

What I do like is what's called "overnight oats" oatmeal and milk in a bowl (covered) left in the fridge over night. The oats soak in the milk and its more like a cereal with the health benefits of oatmeal! Give it a try. I like cinnamon, fresh fruit, freeze dried fruit, chocolate chips but you can try any combo.

Good luck!

I like it cooked thick - with maple syrup (sugar free aunt jemima) with cold milk.

But first, Try Malt-O- Meal!

I add brown sugar, walnuts and raisins to mine. Yummmmm

Have you tried Steel Cut Oats or a whole/raw oatmeal? They have an entirely different texture - more like a grain than gummy - esp. if you don't cook them too long (which will not hurt you). Stay away from instant, quick cook and Scottish oats. They are all processed to remove the whole grain and they are fine milled so they cook quicker (and end up gummy/paste like). The fortunate news is eating whole grains in their raw format is healthier for you! It sounds like the texture, not the taste is the problem - good luck!

I don't eat it anymore. The way I was raised on it, its NOT good for you! Im so used to having it with butter, sugar and evaporated milk, I can't handle it without it! Maybe get a flavored one? Brown sugar and cinnamon is the most tolerable imo. Yes, the instant ones have sugar in them but its still oatmeal! Good luck mama.

Wow! Too many good suggestions to read right now, but I may have to go back!
I'm not a huge oatmeal fan, but I eat it sometimes--cinnamon, honey and raisins.
HOWEVER, I do sprinkle some raw oats on my cold cereal each morning. I get the benefits of eating oats w/o eating actual oatmeal. I think it's good. You may want to give it a try!

Two words: STEEL CUT.
Seriously, I don't know what it is but they sell it at Trader Joes as "Irish" otmeal, and yes it takes 6 to 8 minutes to cook but OMG it is so much better than the soggy, instant stuff, MUCH better texture!
I like mine with about a tablespoon of brown sugar and a splash or two of 1 % milk :)

I like steel cut or thick rolled best. The quick cooking kind just looses any texture and becomes one sticky homogenous mass - yuck.

I like mine warm with cinnamon and a dash of brown sugar, occasionally I will throw in some applesauce with that as well.

I also like the overnight prep method someone mentioned, where you just stick it in the fridge overnight.

I always make mine with milk instead of water and add just a dash of salt for taste.

Have you tried steel cut oats? They have a lot more texture to them than regular oats and are less gummy/mushy. The regular steel cut oats take 30 min. or more to cook, but I found a brand that makes them in a 5 min. version. I would never go back to regular oatmeal. I like it plain with brown sugar or with fruit like strawberries or blueberries.

mine is odd..I think!! But it's normal for me and my family!!

I cook it on the stove top with 1/2 water and 1/2 milk.
Then when done - I put brown sugar, maple syrup and milk in the bowl.

my mom grew up during the depression - they had raisins and cinnamon in theirs..yuck! i don't do raisins!!

I don't like oatmeal.

I don't dislike it, but I don't like it either.

HONESTLY... I use oatmeal all the time... in cooking.

Meatloaf
Crumbly top of a tart
Oatbread
Oatmeal cookies

We also keep the instant kind on hand, because my son likes it. So he can have it, and I'll eat something else :)

Once in a very long while I'll make steel cut oatmeal with fresh cream and fresh figs and a little honey. Typically as a summer evening dish.

I CANNOT stomach starches in the morning. They make me nauseous AND sleepy. Not a great way to wake up!

I use regular oatmeal, and add a little nutmeg, a tiny bit of half and half. I think salt is the secret too. I don't use sugar, but don't forget a little salt.

Just a guess - but reading your description "gummy" makes me think too much liquid.

I eat instant, the raisen/walnut one. 2oz microwaved water (1 min).

The trick for me (i'm also eating for health reasons, not taste) - EAT FAST.

I shovel it while standing at the sink. 8 bites and i'm done. Lowered my cholesterol by 60+ points (which is also why I add nothing but water).

i cant eat mine all mooshy either. i buy the kind in packets. comes in a box by quaker or the store brand which i get with like 10 packets of oatmeal. i love the fruit flavors like apple cinnemon blueberry peach and strawberry. so pour the packet into a bowl then run the tap tilit gets it's hottest and then put a tad in the bowl..not too much or its soggy. stir it and eat. you can always add water but you cant take it out so go slow when putting it in your bowl. you need to eat it right away or it gets cold and soggy. i didnt like oatmeal for years til one year when i bought the right brand/flavors and made it this way.

I will eat oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bars, oatmeal in meatloaf or meatballs, oats in cereal, just about any which way besides as a bowl of actual oatmeal. It's definitely a texture thing for me. It seriously triggers my gag reflex. Like you, I tried it many ways, but nothing hid that texture.

You can still include it in your diet without eating it as a hot cereal, but even if you don't eat it that way, there's no reason you can't fix it for your husband. I regularly make it for my kids (who all love it), just by microwaving it with milk, brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon already added. I have one who likes it with blueberries (in which case, it's very easy to thaw a handful of frozen blueberries and toss them in before microwaving), and another who likes it with applesauce (added after cooking).

A nutritionist told me that oatmeal cookies are so healthy that they should be considered a meal instead of a snack. Throw in some raisins and you have nearly a complete meal.

The do have some sugar in them but the healthy benefit of everything that is in that cookie with the sugar, they sugar is so outweighed.

My brother has very high cholesterol, his wife started making oatmeal raising cookies for him and within 3 months his cholesterol came down 40+ points, it continued to decline and he continued to eat them every day.

I use the stove top 10 minute kind, I like the thick oats rather than pure mush. I cook it down to a thick lump, add milk, butter (maybe 1/2 table spoon?), and LOTS OF SUGAR! It's the most heavenly thing in the world.

Of course, this has been a comfort food I've been given by my great grandma since I was 5 or younger, so for me it's just been in my life forever :) I have texture problems with a lot of different things (bananas, strawberries) and I cannot get past them to save myself so I understand how gross it is.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fruity-Baked-Oatmeal

Try this recipe! I'm not a huge oatmeal fan, but I love this recipe! I usually make the night before and reheat in the morning. Use whatever fruit you like. Any fruit should work.

Sounds to me like you may be making it with too much liquid. But when it is made with too little liquid it can be rather thick and stiff. I would say have your oatmeal in granola bar form. Find a recipe for granola you can make your own and that may be a win win.

Personally I like longer cooking oatmeal over instant. I like mine with butter and brown suger and perhaps some fresh banana or nutmeg.

I hope that helps.

Have you tried steel cut oats? They have a chewy texture, not mushy. They don't gum up as fast as rolled oats do either. They take longer to cook, but are totally worth it. I make mine with water and add honey, craisens, slivered almonds, a little butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. YUM!

I am a plain jane. I like it with rasins, craisins and/or cinnamon:)
My boys like it with brown sugar.

I like the full oats, not the quick or instant kind.
some mom here posted this great "breakfast cookie" recipe that I printed off - it is oats, craisins, applesauce, mashed banana. . . yummy!

I would suggest if your hubby likes it cooked, buy him the single serve packets and you eat a good cookie/granola bar:)

I do mine on the stove using milk instead of water. While the milk heats up I put a good bit of shredded coconut in with it to kind of infuse the milk. When I put in the oats, I add a couple of Tbsp of brown sugar as well. When it's cooked to the consistency I like, I take it off the heat & add a lot of chopped walnuts & a drop or 2 of almond extract. It tastes like dessert almost & has a nice texture with the walnuts.

I have tried to make it a million times and it never turns out as good as my hubbies. He uses the old fashioned but NOT quick oats. And I like mine thick, with a little milk and a LOT of honey. Yum..I'm going to ask him to make this tomorrow. =)

I use the instant just because I'm lazy and there are more flavors LOL However, because it gets "thicker" (aka gummy) the longer it takes to eat it, I always add a little extra water.

For example ... if the package calls for 3/4 of a cup, I add 1 cup of water. Give it a good stir and let it sit a minute or two before eating. It's a little more toward the soupy side at first, but doesn't get that gooey, gummy part as time goes on.

When I make regular oatmeal, on the stove, I again add a bit of extra water (not a lot though), then add chocolate chips and milk .... sooooooo yummy.

My favorite flavors of the instant are the maple/brown sugar, apples/cinnamon, and the cinnamon roll.

Now if you ask me to eat grits or cream of wheat ... ummmm no. Although I did sometimes eat the chocolate cream of wheat when I was younger. Not a big fan now.

I eat my oatmeal with a bit of brown sugar, raisins, and pecans. Then I put just a splash of milk around the bottom.
I love oatmeal.
BUT, I understand what you mean about consistency. I can't stand avocados. I know they are so good for you but they are slimey and I wont eat them.
L.

I use regular oatmeal on the stove..less liquid to cook than needed. I add a little almond milk when its ready. I like it with a touch of maple syrup and raisins. However, if you want something decadent, try stirring a spoonful of peanut butter into the oatmeal. It is great. My picky eater even likes it that way.

Here's what I do. It's the only way I can eat it. But when I do eat it (this way) I enjoy EVERY BITE.

Cook it on the stove as directed. When it is finished cooking, add a couple of teaspoons of sugar (regular old granulated sugar), a couple of tablespoons of milk (just a little, you don't want it to get too runny and thin---just a bit to make it creamy) and stir it all up really well.

Toast some bread. Now spread the oatmeal on the toast.
YUM. :)

I've even made mine like a granola. I've added nuts and figs and wheat germ to it and eaten raw instead of cooked with milk and sugar. If I have it cooked I use the microwave and do it and then add my sugar and such on top.

You could get some rolled oats (like a flour) and grind them up and make muffins out of them and add some nuts.

Good luck to you.

The other S.

First check out this site - she is a blogger that LOVES oatmeal and has all kinds of creative ideas:
http://www.katheats.com/kaths-tribute-to-oatmeal

I eat the old fashioned kind (not instant) - I cook it awhile on the stovetop till it gets more solid/chewy like (letting the water and mushiness evaporate).

To sweeten I slice a banana and cook it in the microwave until it's mushy - this makes it super sweet, and I use this as a substitute for sugar. I then add whatever I feel like that day - frozen berries that I cook in the microwave, or nut butter, or raisins and walnuts, etc.

Another way I like it is savory - I add salt and cottage cheese to the cooked oatmeal.

Hope you can learn to love it, Let us know what you tried and what you thought.

I always use Quaker Oats Old Fashioned oatmeal (not the 1-minute). I add milk to just barely cover the oats, pop in microwave for 1 minute & 10 seconds (adjust to your microwave). When done, add Raw Agave (MUCH better than syrup or sugar- we use it because it has a low glycemic value), chopped walnuts, Craisins and/or raisins. I don't like mine mushy, I'd rather it be a bit more dry.
I can't stand the instant oatmeal or the 1-minute oats. Funny thing is the regular oatmeal doesn't take any longer to make!
Good luck! You'll have to do a follow up posting and let us know if one of these "recipes" worked for you!

I make and bring oatmeal with me to work almost every morning..love it! I make the 5 minute Quaker oatmeal with water, but add milk, cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar to it. Delicious!

Try McDonald's oatmeal. They have maple flavoring in it with apples and raisins. Excellent!

I add peanut butter! Yummy!!

I like the old fashioned oats cooked on the stove. I add cinnamon, sugar, milk and raisins.

I dont know if you will like it, but mine is..
1/2 cup Quaker Old fashion oats
1/2 cup skim milk

Microwave 2 min, then add couple tablespoons of light maple syrup, cinnamon to taste, and if I have time I will cut up strawberries and bananas for it.

For me I love the consistency, that might be my fav part!

Truly I like the old fashion oats that you have to cook on the stove. I don't care for the microwave version, it gets too mushy.

I buy the quick oats and make it with water and microwave until it's very thick. I will mix in raisins or other fruits (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) or just eat it plain. I don't really like it sweet so I don't add anything to sweeten it.

I like sugar and milk with mine or the flavors. I also like oatmeal cookies and granola. Mix it in a smoothie.

I feel the way you do with grits like you and oatmeal.

We always get old fashioned rolled oats. If it's gummy, you're not using enough water I think. I make mine a little "loose". It is very tasty. I usually cook dried cranberries in it. Then I add butter and brown sugar on top. I pour in a little milk. Delish!

My hubby and kids like oatmeal more than I do. But I do like it. Also you can look on the Quaker oats website. There's other recipes. I've also made it with applesauce in it and with mashed bananas in it.

I use the instant.
I like the maple and brown sugar ONLY.
I add water to mine. Just enough, not too runny and not too thick.
I look for it to be just right.
Then I sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the top and it taste great.

= )

My favorite is steel cut oats, milk, peanut butter, and a little organic cocoa. Yum!

I don't like instant oatmeal. I like steel-cut oats made on the stove or in the microwave. I add sliced bananas, apples, strawberries and blueberries.