For me, there’s no better way to start a chilly day than with a hot bowl of oatmeal. At my house, we make oatmeal the old-fashioned way, on the stove. Instant oatmeal has way too much sugar.
“Those packets of sweetened instant oatmeal typically have about 2 to 3 teaspoons of added sugar. That’s about one quarter sugar by weight,” said registered dietician Lindsay Moyer, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The best oatmeal is the kind you make yourself, Moyer told me.
“Start with a half cup of plain rolled oats. Add your own fruit and nuts or seeds. I think that’s the way you get great taste. You’re also getting lots of nutrient dense additions to your oatmeal. You’re getting little or no sugar,” she said. “So, making your own oatmeal, even if you add a teaspoon of brown sugar or honey to your bowl, you’re still doing way better than the sugary packets.”
Another option: Hot oat bran. It has a creamy texture and a few more grams of fiber than oatmeal.
More Info: Some of the best oatmeals & other hot breakfast finds
