The Best Microwave Oatmeal

The Best Microwave Oatmeal will make you fall in love with oatmeal and is so much better than the packets available in the store. Plus it's healthier, more affordable, and can be customized anyway you like.

The key to making a delicious microwave oatmeal in less than 3 minutes comes down to three things - using milk instead of water, choosing old fashioned rolled oats (not instant!), and adding a touch of cinnamon and vanilla. From there you can dress it up any way you want and you are guaranteed to have perfect oatmeal every time.

For a long time, I ate packets of microwave oatmeal every morning believing I was having a healthy breakfast even though I wasn't crazy about the mushy texture and flavorings. I just assumed I was someone who didn't really like oatmeal. That all changed when I finally started making my own oatmeal at home using old fashioned rolled oats and adding my own toppings. Not only was the oatmeal 100 times tastier, the texture was so much more appealing, and I could buy a whole container or rolled oats for about the same amount as the 6-8 packets.

Now when it comes to making the Best Microwave Oatmeal, toppings are your friend. Here are some of my favorites:

• Banana Peanut Butter: The oatmeal I eat most often is a simple combination of bananas and peanut butter. Just mash up a banana in the bowl before adding the oats and then follow the directions as usual. Not only will this sweeten up the oatmeal naturally, it makes the oatmeal super creamy and delicious. Then top of with peanut butter for one filling, tasty breakfast.
• Cinnamon Apple: We almost always have apples in the house, so I love making cinnamon apple microwave oats. Start by dicing up an apple. Place it in your bowl and microwave for 60-90 second until its soft. Then add the oats, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla and you'll end up with an oatmeal packed with apple flavor without the needed for added sugar or sweetener.
• Peanut Butter & Jelly: We love peanut butter and jelly so when I am in a rush I top my oats with some no sugar added preserves and a scoop of nut butter. Sometimes I use halved grapes or strawberries instead of the preserves to keep the oatmeal nice and light,
• Fruit and Cream: I love adding fresh fruit to my oats and usually add a scoop of Greek yogurt as well to create a creamy oatmeal packed with fruit. This also ups the protein content of the oatmeal to keep you full all morning.
• Pumping up the nutrition: To pack even more nutritional benefits into your morning oats, I almost add a teaspoon of chia seeds and flax meal to my oats. Sometimes I add protein powder as well, especially when I know I have a long morning and need lots of energy