Coffee Break with Liz and Kate » Headline, Let's Eat » Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets – Kate’s Escapades
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets – Kate’s Escapades
A few days ago I bought a 42 oz. container of Quick-1 Minute Oatmeal on sale for $1.88. I figured it would be much cheaper than buying the instant oatmeal packets that my family is used to.
The problem? My family expects things to be fast and easy. If all they have to do is empty a packet of oatmeal into a bowl, add water and pop it into the microwave for a minute or two, well, that’s doable. However, if the process involves opening an oatmeal tub, using measuring cups of TWO different sizes, adding sugar, salt, cinnamon, water…and then putting it all back away, whoa, way too many steps here.
Plus, my kids don’t really like the texture of ‘real‘ oatmeal. Too oatmeal-y, they say. Not as smooth as the oatmeal from the packets. The funny thing is, they’re right about that, the texture is different. They’re also right that it seems like a lot of effort to put forth to make yourself some quick breakfast before school or work.
Here’s the solution:
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets.
- They taste great
- They save you money.
- It takes less than ten minutes to whip it up and package it.
- It’s so easy to make a bowl that even the most rushed (or laziest) kid/spouse will be able to handle making a bowl during the morning rush.
Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
(Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
Ingredients: (makes 24 servings)
10 cups of quick oats (this is about 3/4 of a large tub of oats)
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
ziplock snack sized baggies
Directions:
1. Put 7 cups of the oats into a large bowl.
2. Blend 3 cups of oats in a blender until powdery. Do 1/2 cup at a time, and then add to the big bowl of oats. (Blending the oats gives it the smoother consistency of store bought packets.)
3. Add salt, cinnamon, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the oats. Stir thoroughly until well blended.
4. Measure 1/2 cup mixture and put into individual snack sized baggies and seal. This should make 24 servings of instant oatmeal.
5. To prepare, just empty 1 baggie of oatmeal into a bowl and add 3/4 cup of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute. (Microwaves vary, so add more time if necessary.)
I saved the box from the store bought instant oatmeal packets and use it to store my homemade packets. I also save the empty baggies for the next batch.
Enjoy!
Here’s the great part: cost savings.
Homemade Instant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Packets - Cost for 24 servings about $2.00.
Quaker Instant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Packets - Cost for 24 servings about $8.50.
Give it a try. I think you’re going to like it!
Want to copy and paste to print this recipe? Here it is.
Homemade Instant Oatmeal packets – Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Ingredients: (makes 24 servings)
- 10 cups of quick oats (this is about 3/4 of a large tub of oats)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ziplock snack sized baggies
Directions:
- Put 7 cups of the oats into a large bowl.
- Blend 3 cups of oats in a blender until powdery. Do 1/2 cup at a time, and then add to the big bowl of oats. (Blending the oats gives it the smoother consistency of store bought packets.0
- Add salt, cinnamon, brown sugar and granulated sugar to the oats. Stir thoroughly until well blended.
- Measure 1/2 cup mixture and put into individual snack sized baggie, seal. This should make 24 servings of instant oatmeal.
- To prepare, just empty 1 baggie of oatmeal into a bowl and add 3/4 cup of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute. (Microwaves vary, so add more if necessary.)
Other recipes from Liz and Kate
Our Cookbook: In the Kitchen With Liz and Kate
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Filed under: Headline, Let's Eat · Tags: better home magazine, coffee break, food, homemade instant oatmeal packets, how to make homemade instant oatmeal, motherhood, recipes, save money on homemade instant oatmeal














What a great idea! Thanks
This is great! My boy was just asking for the packet oatmeal, but the ingredients get scary, and my other boy is gluten free. I think you are totally right about the texture, and will be trying this with our gluten free oats!
Visiting from http://www.naturalparentsnetwork.com !
Love the idea – but my favorite is the strawberries and cream instant oatmeal. Have you tried other flavors?
I tried this recently but premixed everything (oats, cinnamon, dried fruit etc.) into one large container. Your idea of measuring out portions into small reusable bags is MUCH better. I’ll try it. Love your website!
~ Lisa… @PartyMummy
Good idea! but most of all, you think about our earth…
[...] days off and on and stumbled upon Coffee Break with Liz & Kate. They have a great recipe for Cinnamon Brown Sugar and others types. I was happy since I had all the ingredients already and I didn’t have to [...]
These are so yummy! I divide them into 1c ziplock plastic containers, which makes the perfect amount for me and my 2 little guys. I even use the ziplock container to measure the water and to feed my 2year old from. I think it would be good to mix canned pumpkin or banana in, too! We’ll try it sometime this fall for sure! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for this recipe. I used it exactly as you posted and my family enjoyed it. However, we eat it for breakfast at home, and don’t really need to have it in individual packets, so I put it all in a very large airtight rubbermaid container, shook vigorously to make sure it was all thoroughly combined, and then threw in a spare 1/4 cup scoop from the dollar store. Now when we want oatmeal, we just go to the pantry, scoop out what we want, add water or milk and any extras (like raisins, nuts, etc), and heat! Saves us on the baggies and the time to package them. I’m on my second batch, this time, I added 3/4 cup powdered milk and reduced the amount of sugar. My family liked it just a little less sweet. It’s a great basic recipe that I’m adding to my pantry staples now. Thanks again!!
We eat our oatmeal with a little less sugar, too. Try adding a spoonful of peanut butter before cooking. My kids love the taste. This is a great idea.
Thank you so much. My daughter has celiac and I just did this with her gluten free oats and she loves it. Will be so nice not having to cook oatmeal on the stove when she asks for oatmeal, can just pop some in the microwave with her like the rest of the family.
Thanks again!!!
[...] then I came across this recipe from Coffee Break With Liz and Kate and knew I was onto something good! Instead of adding several [...]
[...] /homemade-instant-oatmeal-packets-kates-escapades Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry was posted in DIY, Frugal and tagged oatmeal on October 21, 2012 by muskegonvegan. [...]
[...] after I got home I started searching online to look for some good recipes and I found this recipe from Coffee Break With Liz and Kate. Liz and Kate’s recipe suggests that you blend some of [...]
Great idea! Everyone is happy and catered, for and what a huge saving!
I just made homemade instant oatmeal for the first time, and I love to take it work with me. If you ever eat at KFC and order individual servings of mashed potatoes, cole slaw etc., the plastic containers they come in are the PERFECT size for a single serving of instant oatmeal. And they’re airtight. I love having a few handy containers of oatmeal to keep in my desk drawer.
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There’s one ingredient I add to my oatmeal packets-powdered milk. I use 1 Tablespoon per packet. Adds calcium, creaminess!