In just a few minutes, you can make enough homemade instant oatmeal for the entire week. Add chia and ground flax seeds for texture and flavor, then customize with your favorite mix-ins.

Homemade instant oatmeal is more affordable than store-bought oatmeal packets and cooks in exactly the same way (with hot water poured over top). It’s so simple that my six-year-olds use this recipe to make their own breakfast most mornings.

It’s back to school time! And although I’m not really feeling that exclamation mark, I’m trying my best to get my head back in the game in this very strange year. I always love the return to regular routines that the fall brings. I love the chance to reset, buy the kids new supplies and lunch boxes, get back into my meal planning groove (including making a lot of a twist on this instant oatmeal recipe, Mason Jar Overnight Oats), and embrace the shift in seasons.

But this Covid year is a weird one. Next Tuesday is our first day of school. Molly and Clara are entering first grade and it will be entirely online. We’re trying our best to look at this as a temporary twist that gives us more flexibility than usual. I’ve got a white board purchased and a home school station set up. We’re trying our best to stay positive!

A positive start to the morning can take a lot of different forms, but for us this fall, it will look something like cheerful jars of homemade instant oatmeal lined up in the pantry. These sweet little instant oatmeals are customized with our favorite mix-ins. Chocolate chips and peanut butter for the kids. Cinnamon and apples for me. Mixed berries for Frank.

Assemble the jars with mix-ins ahead of time, or just mix up a big batch of the oatmeal, scoop out individual servings whenever you’re ready and top them at the table. Either way, you’ll never need to buy those expensive store-bought oatmeal packets again!

Be sure to see below for more information on the flax and chia seeds included in the recipe. They add flavor, texture, and nutrition.

Ingredients

• Quick-Cook Oats – These are regular rolled oats that have been ground down to smaller pieces so that cook more quickly. They are also sometimes called 1-Minute Oats. See below for an easy substitute using rolled oats.
• Dark Brown Sugar – I like to lightly sweeten the oatmeal ahead of time with dark brown sugar. It has a rich caramel flavor and a little goes a long way. If you prefer, you can skip this and add sugar to taste once the oatmeal has been prepared.
• Chia Seeds – These little nutritional powerhouse chia seeds turn creamy in hot water, so they add great texture to the oatmeal. I usually buy them at Costco, off Amazon, or at Trader Joe’s.
• Ground Flax Seeds – These can be found at most grocery stores. I usually buy mine in a large bag at Costco, off Amazon, or at Trader Joe’s. It’s important to use ground flax seeds (not whole) to get all of the nutritional benefits. They taste slightly nutty and give the oatmeal a flavor similar to all those fancy store-bought oatmeals with “toasted oats” without the extra effort. I store ground flax in the freezer and a bag lasts forever. 

Substitute for Quick-Cook or 1-Minute Oats

Instead of Quick-Cook (1-minute) Oats you can substitute “Rolled Oats” or “Old-Fashioned Oats” that have been pulsed in a blender or food processor until they are roughly half of their original size.

Why I make Homemade Instant Oatmeal

I originally started making this years ago when I found myself looking for a quick, reasonably healthy mid-morning snack at an airport. I was tempted to buy an adorable pre-packed cup of oatmeal that said the barista could just add hot milk or water when I noticed that those single serving oatmeal cups were six dollars. For oatmeal.

This homemade oatmeal costs less than 50 cents per serving. It’s enough to make me remember to pack my own oatmeal when I travel. 

Favorite Dry Mix-ins for Oatmeal

The sky is the limit, but here are some of our favorite dry mix-ins for instant oatmeal. All of these can be added to the dry oatmeal and will rehydrate when you add hot water.

• Dried / Dehydrated Berries
• Dried / Dehydrated Apples
• Ground Cinnamon
• Peanut Butter Powder  
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Cocoa Powder
• Dried Coconut Flakes
• Goji Berries
• Cacao Nibs

More Easy Oatmeal Recipes

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Overnight Oats with Flax and Chia Seeds

Mason Jar Overnight Oats