Need Breakfast In A Hurry? Make These Easy Instant Oatmeal Packets

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

People who have addictive personalities (such as myself!) tend to share a few common quirks. One of those quirks is our tendency to get a little obsessive about certain foods! I’ll have a craving for a particular food out of the blue, and then I’ll end up eating that same food every single day for a few weeks. I eventually get tired of that food, but then I’ll have a different craving and the whole cycle just starts over again. A few years ago, I got trapped in a particularly odd food obsession cycle starring instant oatmeal packets, of all things!

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After a few days of eating those little oatmeal packets, it occurred to me that it shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate them at home. I mean, an oatmeal packet is just some oats and a few others things, right? Well, it turned out that I was only partially right. The batch I had mixed up at home tasted right, but my version didn’t turn out nearly as thick or creamy as the store-bought packets. So what was I missing?

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

I read dozens of search results about homemade oatmeal, and eventually figured out what my homemade recipe was missing. It ended up being the KEY to making thick and creamy homemade oatmeal, and I couldn’t believe how simple it was. The secret ingredient is blended oats! You just blend a portion of your oats into a powder, and the oat powder helps give your oatmeal the thick and creamy texture that I had been missing.

Once I had figured that out, it was easy to whip up a batch of single-serving packets of delicious, homemade oatmeal. They’re so easy and delicious, and it’s a great way to ensure that the whole family can have a delicious and hearty breakfast and STILL get to school and work on time! Here’s how you can make them at home.

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

You’ll need:

  • 10 cups quick oats, divided
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1-2 cups brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal)
  • 1 cup non-dairy creamer
  • Snack-sized ziplock bags

Directions:

Measure out 7 cups of quick outs and place them in a large bowl. Then add the remaining 3 cups of quick oats to your blender and blend until powdery. Pour the powdered oats into the bowl with the other oats.

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Add the salt, brown sugar, and creamer to the bowl of oats, and stir until well mixed.

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Next, you’ll divide up the mixture into your “packets.” Scoop 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mixture into each snack-sized ziplock bag, then seal each bag tightly. The recipe makes approximately 24 single-serving bags.

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Preparing Your Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Empty one “packet” of oatmeal into a bowl or mug, then add 3/4 cup of water. Microwave on High for 1-2 minutes until hot. Let cool for a minute or so, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy! :-)

Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

Jill Nystul
These homemade oatmeal packets are so easy and delicious, and they're a great way to ensure that the whole family can have a delicious and hearty breakfast and STILL get to school and work on time!
3.70 from 76 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 413 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 10 cups quick oats divided
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1-2 cups brown sugar depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal
  • 1 cup non-dairy creamer
  • Snack-sized ziplock bags

Instructions
 

  • Measure out 7 cups of quick outs and place them in a large bowl. Then add the remaining 3 cups of quick oats to your blender and blend until powdery. Pour the powdered oats into the bowl with the other oats.
  • Add the salt, brown sugar, and creamer to the bowl of oats, and stir until well mixed.
  • Next, you’ll divide up the mixture into your “packets.” Scoop 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mixture into each snack-sized ziplock bag, then seal each bag tightly. The recipe makes approximately 24 single-serving bags.
  • Empty one “packet” of oatmeal into a bowl or mug, then add 3/4 cup of water. Microwave on High for 1-2 minutes until hot. Let cool for a minute or so, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 11gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 492mgPotassium: 361mgFiber: 7gSugar: 25gCalcium: 58mgIron: 3.9mg

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Jill Nystul Photo

Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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3.70 from 76 votes (73 ratings without comment)

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20 Comments

  1. I have made this several times, and it is always perfect!!!
    I just made a double batch to give away!
    Grinding the 3 cups of oats makes it so creamy!

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  2. I LOVE this recipe and use it all the time! I add 2-1/2 cups of vanilla protein powder and 2 cups of toasted pecans or walnuts. DELICIOUS. Also, I don’t separate it into individual bags, I just put it back into the oats container (will have some overflow) and use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop out into my bowl every morning. LOVE LOVE LOVE! Thanks for the recipe!

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  3. This looks great – I’m going to try protein powder instead of creamer :o)

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  4. Could I used powdered milk in this instead of the non-dairy creamer? I’m not a huge fan of it so it’s not something I’d have in the house.

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  5. You can use the “oat powder” – as oat flour, and substitute for part of the flour in banana breads and muffins to increase the fiber content. I have also used oat flour instead of part of the whole wheat flour in the bread machine. It produces a denser loaf that doesn’t rise as tall, but my family loves it.

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  6. I bake (8×10 pan) oatmeal with fruit and nuts in the winter months and enjoy muesli (cold, uncooked oatmeal) in the summer with yogurt and fruit mixed with it. Make up batches in individual cups with covers so I can grab and go.

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  7. Great idea. I like my Oatmeal with the little freeeze dried fruits. I’ve never really been a fan of the spice variety.

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  8. Is it just me? Every time I try to make oatmeal is a regular sized bowl or a cup, it gets everywhere. I have to use a really big bowl which isn’t practical at work. Anyone got a great suggestion to keep the darn stuff IN the bowl while cooking?

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    • Are you using the quick kind? When I use the ready made packets for my daughter 20 seconds is enough to heat it through on our 1,100 watt microwave. If they’re not instant, I presoak so they cook faster whether that’s in the fridge overnight, or letting it soak while I unload the dishwasher.

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    • Sounds like you might be cooking it too long – it shouldn’t be bubbling out of the bowl. :-) You could also try turning down the power level on your microwave!

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  9. I eat my oatmeal hot in the winter and raw in the summer. My favorite is pineapple coconut. About half cup of Bobs Red Mill rolled oats, teaspoon of flax seed and chia seed, 2 tsp almond meal, cinnamon to taste, dried pineapple and coconut to taste and about a tablespoon of coconut oil. Sugar can be added if desired. Best breakfast on a warm summer morning.

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    • I make mine the same way but I use real maple syrup for the sweetener :-)

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  10. I save time and money by doing this more simply. Each morning I put 1/2 cup instant oatmeal, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for two minutes.

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  11. I have done this for a long time. I mix 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon of flax seed, and one tablespoon of wheat germ. I add 1/2 cup of berries before I microwave it. When it is finished cooking, I add one tablespoon of honey, and almond milk. Love it. I am going to try your recipe, Jillee, for a switch.

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  12. Great idea, but I would leave it in a sealed jar and just tell everyone how much to scoop out to equal a snack bag instead of encouraging more plastic waste that is not biodegradable and eventually end up floating in our oceans for a few hundred years

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3.70 from 76 votes (73 ratings without comment)

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