Breakfast On-The-Go: Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal Packets!

published Mar 8, 2013
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(Image credit: The Kitchn)

Travel can be a tough thing for die-hard oatmeal fans. The packets of instant oats are convenient, but the often-artificial flavors and added sugar often detract from the wholesome oats and simple spices. The solution? Make your own on-the-go instant oatmeal packs!

Making on-the-go packs of oats is as simple as getting a few ziplocs (or other containers) and gathering up your favorite combination of oats, nuts, and spices. Let Kimberly Hasselbrink of the stunning blog The Year in Food help out. Of her recipe for travel oats featuring cranberries and ginger, she says:

I have a generous hand with the spices, and I make sure to add some nuts for crunch and protein, and some kind of fruit, dried or fresh, and a heaping tablespoon of crystallized ginger to elevate it from bland porridge to special bowl of coziness.

The nice thing about Hasselbrink’s recipe is its adaptability and simplicity. Don’t like cranberries? Toss in some plump cherries or currents instead. Low on oats? Try the recipe with other relatively quick-cooking grain flakes like barley flakes or rye flakes. Then when you’re ready to cook the oatmeal, it’s as easy as heating it on the stove (or in the microwave) with a cup of water until creamy. Couldn’t be easier. I might even go so far as to say it’s a road-trip game changer.

Get the Recipe: Cranberry Ginger Oatmeal | The Year in Food