I need more protein with my breakfast.

Word.

Peanut butter for breakfast was a huge revelation for me.

I've been eating oatmeal for the past two weeks or so, each day for breakfast. Then I eat a big blob of cheddar cheese. I'm sure the cheese is cancelling out the health benefits of the oatmeal, but it is totally necessary for me.

We do steel cut, with a bit of local honey (allegedly fights allergies!) and frozen fruit, usually peaches but also berries and with chopped almonds. Everyone eats it, including Grace, but she gets hers via tube.

Then, when I'm still hungry I have cheese.

I eat a PB&J sandwich for breakfast every day, pretty much

shrift: [link] we usually get this one, though it would be cheaper to buy a 25 lb from Amazon.

Thanks, Kat! I was going to try Whole Foods, and maybe a different grocery store or two. I've had some really fantastic wheatberry salads and wanted to try making my own.

My issue with oatmeal is that even though I feel full after eating it, I will be hungry in about an hour. I need more protein with my breakfast.

I add protein powder to my oatmeal, because I need protein with breakfast, too.

I have a cycle of 20 different breakfasts that I work my way through because that is my particular brand of crazy. Oatmeal is the lead-off hitter.

I don't mean to be contentious, and I'm not on Quaker's payroll, but this is NOT UNHEALTHY

I don't want to be contentious either but:

1) Oatmeal and brocolli are very different carbs. Even though a whole grain, oatmeal is a more concentrated carb, and the fiber to carb ratio is much higher in broccoli. Not to say they are not both healthy in their own ways. But very different. On the plus side oatmeal has some protein.

2) Oatmeal itself is healthy. And a little maple syrup probably does no harm. And a little dried fruit does no harm. But when you put the three together you are starting to get pretty carbtastic. Especially since dried fruit takes something already sweet and concetrates it more. Dried fruit was sugar before we had sugar. I think maybe substituting fresh fruit for the dried (in the morning)and keep the maple syrup and you would be fine. (I'm assuming in all cases dairy or soy or almond or whatever milk to make a complete protein).

Whole wheat toast is pretty healthy (real whole wheat not mostly-white-flour whole wheat). But if I made a whole wheat sandwich with raisins and maple syrup, and drank a half glass of milk with it. don't think anyone would pretend it is especially balanced. Oatmeal is healthy and nutritious. But what you have with it determines whether the meal based on it is balanced and healthy or not.

All this talk about oatmeal reminds me that I bought some TJ's steel-cut oats a few months ago and have yet to open it, mostly because of the protein issue. I was talking to my sister today and realized that I really need to add more fiber to my diet for various reasons. She suggested picking up some fiber gummies at Target, but maybe I'll start making oatmeal and adding protein powder to it, like Teppy. I might give that a try tonight!

Thanks for the recipes for overnight cooking, everyone!

Oatmeal is healthy and nutritious. But what you have with it determines whether the meal based on it is balanced and healthy or not.

I can understand calling it not balanced, as it's v. low in protein. But I simply don't agree that it's not healthy.