Traditional breakfast foods can be very healthy or quite unhealthy depending on the choices you make. Whether you start your day off with smoothies, eggs, doughnuts, or cereal can affect how you feel the rest of the day and what you choose to eat later in the day too.
One of the best and most classic breakfast options is oatmeal, but this breakfast food can feel pretty bland and boring on its own. So, here are some ideas for how to make your morning oatmeal more interesting, healthy, and delicious.
Fresh Fruit
Oatmeal pairs wonderfully well with fresh fruits of all kinds, including bananas, apples, pomegranate, peaches, and berries. Fruits add color, texture, and flavor to your oatmeal while also packing in some antioxidants, potassium, and fiber. Frozen fruit also works in oatmeal because you can add it into your hot oatmeal for a quick defrost and infusion of fruit juice into the mixture.
Dried Fruit
If you don’t have any fresh fruit in the kitchen right now, another option is to toss in a few pieces of dried fruit to liven up your standard bowl of oatmeal. Although dried fruit tends to have more sugar than fresh fruit, it is still a good choice in moderation. Pick up some dried pineapple, papaya, mango, and cranberries from the market to have on hand for those days when you run out of fresh fruit.
Nuts and Seeds
For a protein boost, omega-3s, and a satisfying crunch, add some nuts and seeds into your morning oatmeal. Almonds and walnuts are great nuts to put in oatmeal, as well as chia seeds and pumpkin seeds.
Plain Greek Yogurt
Many people eat yogurt on the side of their breakfasts, but you can also add it into your oatmeal directly to make a creamy and unique blend. Plain Greek yogurt without added sugar or flavors is great for this purpose. You’ll get a little extra protein and probiotics to go with the healthy grains you’ve cooked up.
Vegetables…Yes, Vegetables!
Fruits might make the most sense in oatmeal based on what you’ve tried before, but there are creative and tasty ways to sneak some vegetables into your morning routine here too. Carrots are naturally sweet and can be finely shredded to make an oatmeal topping along with a little cinnamon, honey, walnuts, and coconut. Pumpkin purée complements oatmeal well too, especially to get your taste buds in the mood for the fall season.
What is your favorite way to eat oatmeal in the morning? Share your favorite oatmeal add-ins with us in the comment section below.