15 Easy Ways To Make Your Oatmeal Anything But Boring
Oatmeal has a reputation for being boring and unsatisfying. And it can be. Sometimes it's just a means to an end, and a quick way to get breakfast on the table. But this morning classic can easily turn into a filling, craveable, and (yes) blood sugar-friendly bowl. You just need the right mix ins.
Here's how to give your usual oats, whether they're hot or overnight, a little more personality and a lot more protein.
Combos to try for hot oatmeal
Hot oatmeal is a particularly easy place to experiment because you can build flavor right into the bowl while the oats cook—or pile on toppings once they're ready.
- Chocolate peanut butter: 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips + 1 tablespoon nut butter
- Blueberry tahini: Blueberries + tahini + a drizzle of maple syrup
- Southwestern: Egg + hot sauce + shredded cheddar cheese + avocado
- Peach cobbler: Diced peaches + cinnamon + nutmeg
- Banana bread: Mashed banana stirred into the oats + cinnamon + chopped walnuts + almond butter
- PB&J: Peanut butter + mashed raspberries or strawberries + chia seeds
- Savory miso: White miso + sesame oil + scallions + a soft-boiled egg
Prefer overnight oats?
Overnight oats are my personal go-to because I'm someone who needs to have breakfast ready. I make a match of 3-4 servings at a time (in individual mason jars) and it's easy to switch up the flavors depending on what you’re feeling.
- Tropical: Mango + unsweetened coconut flakes + chia seeds + lime zest
- Pumpkin spice: ¼ cup pure pumpkin puree + pumpkin pie spice to taste
- Strawberry matcha: 1–2 teaspoons matcha powder + fresh or freeze-dried strawberries
- Coffee crunch: Instant espresso powder + your favorite crunchy topping, such as cacao nibs, chopped nuts, or seeds
- Carrot cake: Grated carrot + cinnamon + ginger + walnuts + raisins
- Almond joy: Cocoa powder + shredded coconut + sliced almonds
- Blueberry lemon: Blueberries + lemon zest + vanilla
- Chocolate cherry: Unsweetened cocoa powder + frozen or fresh cherries + cacao nibs
How to make oatmeal more filling
However you take your oats, there's one addition that can make your breakfast actually keep you full until lunch. And that's protein (of course). The goal for breakfast should always be to get at least 30 grams of protein. That is possible with oatmeal, but really only with a high-quality protein powder.
That's where mindbodygreen's grass-fed whey protein isolate+ comes into play. This powder (available in both vanilla and chocolate) delivers 25 grams of complete protein and 2.5 grams of leucine. It's made from whey sourced from grass-fed cows and contains minimal, wholesome ingredients, including organic cocoa, Himalayan salt, and organic cinnamon. It's also sweetened with organic monk fruit rather than artificial sweeteners.
For hot oats, stir it in after cooking, adding a splash of milk if needed to reach your desired consistency. For overnight oats, mix it right in before refrigerating.
The takeaway
Oatmeal is truly a blank canvas, and you have the ability to mold it into any type of breakfast (or snack even) you desire. A few flavorful toppings can turn a boring bowl into something that, excitedly, gets out out of bed in the morning. To help support satiety and blood sugar balance throughout the morning, you'll want to add a high-quality protein powder to turn it into a complete meal.