Make homemade instant oatmeal packets for an easy way to start the day! Combine oats, dried fruit, and spices, plus plenty of options for your favorite flavors – say goodbye to Quaker instant oatmeal and make your own!
We love oatmeal at our house! My kids get excited when I make Instant Pot Oatmeal (adding fresh fruit as a topping), Blueberry Baked Oatmeal, and Leftover Oatmeal Cakes.
And I remember eating instant oatmeal almost every morning growing up. My favorite flavor was maple brown sugar. If the dark brown packages were gone, I’d choose cinnamon and spice next.
I felt like such a big kid being awake before everyone else, making my breakfast all by myself. Like my mom trusted me (and my cooking skills) enough not to set the house on fire.
As my kids have gotten older, I’ve tried to pass on cooking skills to them as well. And one of the easiest places to start is homemade instant oatmeal packets.
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS
Whether you’re feeding small children or yourself, these instant oatmeal packets are a great choice! They’re:
- Frugal. Oatmeal for breakfast is one of the cheapest options out there!
- Simple. Made with wholesome foods and real ingredients.
- Kid-friendly. Great for kids to help put together.
- Quick and easy to make in the mornings.
- Can even take on the go! Just bring a packet with you and add hot water.
- Have lots of options for delicious flavors.
- A yummy way to start the day!
DIY INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS INGREDIENTS
The specific ingredients you’ll need for DIY instant oatmeal packets will depend on which flavor(s) you choose to make, but they all start with 3 basics and go from there.
- Oats
- Dried Fruit
- Spices
- Cream Option (optional)
- Nuts (optional)
- Seeds (optional)
- Sweeteners (optional)
- Healthy Fat (optional)
Let’s talk about the best options for each oatmeal packet recipe ingredient.
OATS
I like to use rolled oats (or old fashioned oats) because they’re less processed than instant oats and more affordable than steel-cut. Quick oats work too. And you can choose gluten free oatmeal if needed.
The amount of oats you use will depend on the age and appetites of the person eating them, but I’ve found these measurements worked when our kids were younger:
- 1-3 years old: ¼ cup
- 3-5 years old: ⅓ cup
- 5-7 years old: ½ cup
You can use up to ¾ cup for a larger bowl of instant oatmeal and adjust your fruits, spices, and optional ingredients accordingly.
Tip: Want your oatmeal to taste and feel more like the boxed packets? Add 1 tablespoon of oat flour per ½ cup of oats!
DRIED FRUIT (VS. FREEZE DRIED VS. FRESH)
- A good rule of thumb is to use a ratio of 1:2 for dried fruit to oats. For example, you’d go with ¼ cup of dried fruit with ½ cup of oats for breakfast. The dried fruit measurement should be total, so reduce as necessary (or not!) if you’re mixing and matching multiple types.
- I use dehydrated fruit in this recipe because the point is to make several bags ahead of time. If your kids don’t mind adding fresh fruit to oats (and you’re comfortable with them potentially needing a knife without you supervising), feel free to use whatever fresh fruit you have on hand. For quicker mornings and more independence, dried fruit is the way to go!
- You can also use freeze-dried fruit, although it’s pricier. Homemade dehydrated fruit is by far the most frugal option.
- Have fun with flavors! Try raisins, dehydrated cranberries or apples, strawberries, banana chips, dried pineapple, coconut flakes, and more!
SPICES
- A little bit of spice goes a long way in a small package of oatmeal, so start with ¼ teaspoon and add more from there. Cinnamon is the most popular spice, but you can add Pumpkin Pie Spice, apple pie spice, or mix and match cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice from the cabinet.
- Salt is also an option, although personally, we don’t add any. A pinch of salt per packet will enhance the flavor, but any more than that will simply make the oatmeal taste salty. Use cautiously and remember that you can always add more if you want.
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!)
“AND CREAM”
You have two options to turn any instant oatmeal recipe into an “and cream” version (think the Quaker instant oatmeal flavor peaches and cream):
- Add 1 Tablespoon of powdered milk to the dry components, OR
- Substitute ¼ cup of milk for part of the water when cooking
Adding powdered milk to the individual packets makes it easier to prep ahead. You can choose a packet and make it the same way every time.
Using milk in cooking is a bit healthier option, since you eliminate the slightly processed powdered milk, but it is likely more difficult for smaller kids with both measuring and pouring from a potentially heavy and full container of milk.
Simply choose whichever is best for you in this season. Either option is better than store-bought oatmeal packets! If you choose to cook with milk, make sure to label those oatmeal packets with a reminder.
NUTS
If you want to add nuts, stir them in after cooking the oatmeal, or they lose their crunch and don’t taste nearly as good. We only add nuts beforehand when making the Amish flavor (my favorite right now, recipe below); otherwise, we wait until there are only crumbs left in the packages of nuts and then add those to our homemade instant oatmeal recipes.
SEEDS
You can increase the protein in your oatmeal packets by adding 1 Tablespoon of one of these seed suggestions:
- Chia Seeds
- Flax or Flaxseed meal
- Oat Bran
- Hemp Hearts
- Sunflower Seeds
- Or any other seed you have
Chia seeds will absorb quite a bit of moisture as they cook and sit, so you might need to add more liquid upfront. Flaxseed and oat bran will absorb a little, and hemp hearts and sunflower seeds won’t absorb any at all.
SWEETENERS
Adding sweeteners to your homemade instant oatmeal packets is also optional, but can be a great baby step if you’re switching from Quaker instant oatmeal to homemade or just trying to eat less sugar.
- You should not feel guilty for adding sweetener if it means oatmeal for breakfast. I’ve found that one teaspoon of brown sugar OR 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup tends to be sufficient when you’re combining it with the naturally sweet dried fruit.
- Although better for you, I purposely don’t use coconut sugar, palm sugar, or any other less processed granulated sugar in oatmeal. I’ve found that these sweeteners aren’t as sweet, which means having to use more to please the taste buds.
- Personally, I’d rather use less sugar than more, even if it means using a less healthy option during the transition. Plus, the better-quality sugars cost twice as much, a fact you can’t overlook when you’re trying to make one of the most frugal breakfasts known to man.
- Whichever you decide, add dry sugar to the dry packets or maple syrup (or honey, if you prefer) just after cooking. Like adding cream, choose whichever fits the cooking capabilities of your kids or the amount of time you have in the mornings.
- You can also add chocolate chips to your instant oatmeal packets! They’ll melt when you cook the oatmeal, giving you chocolate instant oatmeal. Yum! Start with 1 Tablespoon of mini chocolate chips.
HEALTHY FAT
This is totally optional, but one Tablespoon of butter or coconut oil is a tasty option to add to instant oatmeal, and it makes for a smooth, creamy texture. My daughter likes butter in her oatmeal, but my son doesn’t.
Peanut butter counts in the Healthy Fat category, too. It’s best stirred into the warm oatmeal.
Obviously, this is something you can’t add to dry packets, so if this is breakfast for young kids, make sure they can measure butter or coconut oil on their own to add after cooking.
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL FLAVORS
When you learn how to make instant oatmeal packets yourself, you have UNLIMITED flavor combinations. My kids helped me choose the flavors for these photos, and it was so neat to watch their wheels turn as they paired fruits and spices, each to suit their own unique personality.
The most frugal option is to make your oatmeal based on what you already have in the house, but I’ve also put together a few combinations for those who struggle with creativity in the kitchen. Add any of these to ½ cup of oats:
- Strawberries / Blueberries / Peaches & Cream: ¼ cup dehydrated fruit + cream option
- Apples & Cinnamon: ¼ cup dehydrated apples + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Raisins & Spice: ¼ cup raisins + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Banana Bread: ¼ cup dehydrated bananas + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Amish Style: 2 Tablespoons raisins + 2 Tablespoons dehydrated apples + ¼ teaspoon cinnamon + 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
In the end, add whatever you want – that’s the beauty of doing it yourself! Besides, we’re not that fancy. Sticking to basic dried fruit + spice and/or cream makes it easier to make a big batch of these upfront (meaning less work for breakfast with each subsequent week!).
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS
The easiest way to make your own instant oatmeal packets is to mix everything up in a big bowl and portion out a heaping scoop into a plastic baggie (which you can re-use for future batches of instant oatmeal, by the way). But if you’re looking for a more hands-on activity, or are type-A when it comes to the ratio of fruit to oats (like me), here’s the method I use:
Step 1. Pull out all of your coffee mugs from the cabinet and set them on the table.
Step 2. Line each mug with a small resealable bag.
Step 3. Measure the oats into each mug. (Bigger kids can probably handle this step, but I don’t recommend letting the little ones do this part. Tiny flecks of rolled oats on the floor are a HUGE pain to clean up.)
Step 4. Let the smaller kids measure the dried fruit and/or nuts into each mug.
Tip: Give them the appropriate measuring tool and tell them how many scoops per mug.
Step 5. Finish off with the sweetener and/or powdered milk (if using).
Step 6. Seal the bags and store them in a basket on a shelf in the pantry that the kids can see and reach.
I once timed this process to see how long it took to make homemade instant oatmeal packets. In one hour, we made enough for six weeks’ worth of breakfast. How’s that for time well spent!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT OATMEAL FROM A PACKET
You can always boil water on the stove and add it to the dry oatmeal, but that won’t work for little kids. But it’s still easy to teach them how to make instant oatmeal from one of these homemade packets!
Step 1. Empty an oatmeal packet into a heatproof bowl.
Step 2. Add ¾ cup water and stir.
This is a good amount of water for the ½ cup of oats, resulting in thick and creamy oatmeal. You’ll need less water for a smaller amount of oats. Remember, you can always add more water, but you can’t take water out!
Step 3. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 minute.
Step 4. Open the microwave and stir.
Step 5. Cook again for 30 seconds, if needed.
Step 6. Remove the hot bowl from the microwave, stir, and let it cool.
BEST INSTANT OATMEAL PACKET TIPS FOR KIDS
- Set out everything the kids will need for breakfast the night before: bowls, spoons, measuring cups, and a basket of oatmeal.
- Plug in the microwave if you know the kids will be awake before you.
- If you keep your water in a large jug or something that isn’t very kid-friendly, consider pouring some into a glass for them to measure from.
- Even better, measure the water for them into a glass the night before. Then in the morning, they simply empty the glass into the bowl, and they’re done!
If you’re not sure if your kids are ready to handle breakfast on their own, another awesome option is to make these packets but cook them individually in the slow cooker. You empty the packet and add water. They take the jar out in the morning. Find that method here.
Find more frugal, affordable, and awesome breakfast ideas here, or check out “The Healthy Lunchbox” – it’s one of the best eBooks I’ve read!
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS FOR THE ADULTS
I know I’ve talked a lot about making these for kids in this post, but instant oatmeal packets work for a quick and easy breakfast for adults, too!
Since adults are less likely to have a morning snack than kids, we need to make sure our oatmeal is going to carry us through until lunchtime.
Oatmeal has plenty of carbohydrates, but on its own, it doesn’t have enough fat or protein to keep you going until lunch. Adding both will keep your blood sugar stable and give you the sustaining energy you need.
I dug into this in my High Protein Oatmeal recipe that I developed while training for a marathon, and there are plenty of options there for yummy additions to your bowl of oatmeal.
Since we’re trying to make homemade instant oatmeal packets, opt for the dry ingredients you can add ahead of time: protein powder, collagen, and seeds are easy to add to the packets, and a spoonful of butter, coconut oil, or nut butter plus a sprinkle of chopped nuts is easy to add afterwards.
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL RECIPE FAQS
Is instant oatmeal healthy?
Store-bought instant oatmeal packets are not great for you. The flavored options are loaded with added sugar, preservatives, and artificial flavors. When you make it homemade, you can control the ingredients and amount of sugar.
Is it okay to eat instant oatmeal every day?
Consuming whole grain oats is a great choice! They are a good source of fiber and will stabilize your blood sugar. They can also be a great gluten-free breakfast option.
MORE YUMMY OATMEAL RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST
- Oatmeal Pancakes
- Stovetop Breakfast Oatmeal and Porridge
- Cinnamon Oatmeal Blender Waffles
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Instant Pot Oatmeal
- Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins
Great article! You might consider flax seed meal or putting whole seeds through a blender or food processor so the nutrients are available to you, otherwise they pass thru not digested because of the hard seed coat. I buy flaxseed meal thru Azure, but have blended them before to open. The finer the meal, the more they disappear in recipes.
Hi!! I would really love to try this recipe, but I don’t have a microwave. In the comments, it has been mentioned that you can use boiling water instead. How much would I use? Is it the same 3/4 cup water for 1/2 cup oats? I’m off to dehydrate some fruit!! Thank you!!
I didn’t meant to post it twice, sorry!!
Hi!! I really want to try this recipe, but I don’t have a microwave. In the comments, it has been mentioned that you can use boiling water instead. How much would I use? Is it the same 3/4 cup water for 1/2 cup oats? I’m off to dehydrate some fruit!! Thank you!!
My Niece & I made some with freeze dried mangoes & strawberries this morning, then taste-tested them, of course! They were delicious & the portions were just right. Thanks for the info!
You are most welcome, Laura. So glad you liked it. 🙂
This is exactly what I was looking for! I’m up at 5:30 many days and there’s only so many times I can tolerate cold cereal. Not to mention trying to be fairly quiet in a small house! I have always enjoyed the instant packets but they’re not good on the budget. Lol. I’ve tried making it myself but always struggled to get the proportions right. I’m excited to try some of the flavors here too!
Hi Caroline! So glad this is helpful for you. 🙂
I realize this isn’t exactly on topic with this post, but here is what I have been doing lately: I soak the oats and then cook them in a crockpot. We then put peanut butter and a portion of a scoop of probiotic powder and a packet of Emergen-C. My mom usually makes unsoaked oatmeal in a large bowl with milk and brown sugar. I got sugared out as I got older.
We have a 4 cup coffee maker that we use to make hot water for tea, hot cocoa and/or certain soups.
Enjoy!
Do you have the amounts to use if you just want to make a big batch of the flavored oatmeal and then take a measured amount out at a time? That would be better for my husband and I.
How big of a batch depends on you Michele, but for adults I’d measure 1/2 cup oatmeal + 1/2 tsp flavor, per person. So if you wanted to make 5 days worth for 2 people, it would be 5 cups of oats + 5 tsp of flavors. You can also add more/less flavor, to your own preference!
I love that you list the different amounts of oats that work best for the different ages of your kids, but I didn’t understand what the corresponding water measurement is for each of those varying oat levels. Can you clarify for me.
I see what you mean Brittney. My general rule of thumb is 1:1.5 for oats to water ratio. So if you’re making 1/2 cup oatmeal, use 3/4 cup water. But then again, my kids like THICK oatmeal. I suggest starting there, because you an always add more water, but you can’t take it back out!
this would be great except the you promote cooking it in a microwave. Microwaved food has lost most of its nutrition. It changes the food on a molecular level. Microwaves are banned in parts of Europe. There is a lot of info on this if you take time to research. cheers!
Thanks Christina! We haven’t gotten that far in our natural living journey yet, but I appreciate you sharing this with me!
I admit my research is limited, but what I’ve found is that microwaving is actually one of the better cooking methods to retain nutrients. Regardless of the method, heat destroys nutrients, but reducing the heat exposure with a quick cooking method retains more nutrients. It is important not to use too much water (like when boiling vegetables) since that destroys a lot of nutrients. This was an issue in some studies that supported the nutrient killer theory (i.e., food was microwaved with too much water, so that may have caused the nutrient loss).
I haven’t spent hours researching this, so maybe there’s strong evidence I haven’t found that shows microwaves really should be avoided. I do prefer more traditional methods when I have time because the results are usually better, but if I’m in a hurry, the evidence I’ve found makes me comfortable with the microwave. If you ever research this, I’ll be very interested in your conclusions!
Gotta agree with ChristinA on this one. I’ve scoured the web for information on the possible dangers of microwave cooking and I am still not convinced either way. But my wife and I ditched our microwave oven about a decade ago and never regretted it. The old adage “better safe than sorry” might apply here? In regards to cooking oatmeal… how hard is it to boil water in the traditional manner? Don’t want to run the risk of kids scalding themselves on the stovetop? I daresay that scalding is still possible with oatmeal heated in a microwave.
That said, I appreciate the ideas presented here and will give homemade instant oatmeal a try! Thanks Tiffany!
I sewed us some little washable bags lined with nylon that close with velcro that i use for homemade oatmeal (or goatmeal as we call it in our house). My favourite flavour is dried pineapple and unsweetended coconut. But 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and ground ginger makes it taste like gingerbread. I like to put in a spoonful of molasses into that one to sweeten it. I also add 1 TB sesame seeds to each one for a bit of crunch as well as 88 mg calcium
This is awesome, I love my oatmeal in the morning but never thought about making my own. Thanks for the ideas 🙂
You’re welcome!
Is the boiling water/microwave method enough to cook the rolled oats or is the texture more like hot muesli? Whenever I have seen recipes like this in the past they have always been sure to specify quick-cook oats. It’s easy to buzz rolled oats in the blender to break them down a little, but is it necessary?
Oh no, not necessary at all. If you look at the cook times on instant oats vs. rolled oats, it’s the same. 😉 The only difference is that instant oats have been chopped into smaller pieces for you. We’ve been using the method outlines for several years and enjoy the thick texture of it. 60-90 seconds in the microwave (or 1-3 minutes for hot water) plus a cool down time is enough to cook the oats thoroughly. If you like it runnier, or a more “creamy” than hearty texture (but still not as hearty as muesli), then just add a bit more water. 🙂
I’m expecting a baby late this year, so these would be perfect for those early days of no sleep when everyone still needs to eat! I am curious about the texture. When I ate instant oatmeal in the past, I quickly found I hated it when I cooked it in the microwave because it was so mushy. Do these have a similar texture when microwaved, or are they more pasty/less overdone? If the oatmeal is mushy, could that be remedied by shortening the cook time? I did see that you told another reader you could just add hot water, which is what I always did before. Is that sufficient to cook regular old fashioned rolled oats, or would I need to use quick cooking oats, add more water, make sure the water is boiling, etc. in order to make it work? I’ll definitely be experimenting with this in the next couple months, but any extra advice I could get before I mess up ingredients would be welcome! (I’m not that good a cook, so I appreciate all the help I can get!)
Thanks so much for your blog. Like so many others, I really appreciate it as I try to live a more natural lifestyle on a tight budget.
The key to non-mushy oatmeal is the amount of water you use, choosing rolled oats instead of instant and not cooking to obliteration, lol. We like it on the thicker, heartier side, and this recipe will give that. 60-90 seconds in the microwave plus a cool down time is spot on for us. About 3/4 cup of water for the oats/fruits works well, but honestly, I tend to eyeball it and add water JUST to the point where I see it peeking out behind the oats. Remember that you can always add more water, but you can’t take it back out!
Can you reduce the cook time to prevent mushiness, yes. Yes, adding boiling water (stirring and covering and waiting 1-3 min) is sufficient.
Here’s what I would do. Start with oats + 1/2 cup water, microwave 1 min. If needs more water, add 2 Tbsp, stir and microwave for 30 s. Stir and if cooked, let sit. It’ll thicken as it cools. If not cooked and dry, add 2 Tbsp water, microwave 30s more and call it done.
Thank you for the encouragement Kim – you are very, very welcome! 🙂
This is genius. I don’t even have children and I want to do this for myself. I’m 31 and single and my work/private life is just so busy. I love breakfast, but sometimes I don’t always have the time (or desire) to cook it. I love it. Thank you so much.
You’re most welcome! Another tip Rachel – if you have access to hot water at work, grab a packet and go. Use the styrofoam cups that offices provide for coffee and use the hot water option. Breakfast on the go! 😉
Yes, thanks!
A word of warning. Never put hot liquids in styrofoam cups. The heat leaches styrene out of the cup and can wreak a lot of havoc in your body. Best to use paper cups if you have to use disposables. I just use my own personal mug. It only takes seconds to wash it out.
I’ve found I prefer flax meal to flax seeds in my oatmeal…I prefer the lack of flavor, per se, of the meal to the seeds, which don’t seem to cook properly in a microwaved bowl of oatmeal. I mix my oatmeal “packets” in microwave safe seal-able containers for preparing/eating at work.
That’s a great addition Scott – thanks for sharing!
HI. You can save a step on the preparation with this tip. Put a plastic baggie in each coffee mug; open it and fold the top back over and around the rim of the mug. This lines the mug with the baggie you are trying to fill, keeps the baggie open, and keeps the zip closure out of the way so it doesn’t get food on it before you are ready to close it. I do this when I save leftover spaghetti for a future thermos lunch for my son. I put a baggie in the thermos and fill it so I know how much will fit, then lift if out, zip it, and freeze it for a future hot lunch. When needed, I take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge the night before, microwave it in a bowl in the morning, then load it into the thermos (knowing it’s the right amount).
This is PURE genius Cheri! I’m updating the post right now – thank you so much for sharing this with us!!
Ah thanks. And now my son says I’m famous 🙂 Just fyi though, you accidentally typed “instead of mixing in the bowl and pouring into the mug” when you meant to say instead of mixing in the mug and pouring into the baggie. I can’t imagine how much effort you must spend getting all your words thought out and typed coherently for a post like this. Thanks for all your information. I enjoy reading your blog and check it frequently.
Doh! I’ll fix that. Thank you for pointing that out to me! Yes, it is hard to get it all out, and get it all right!! 😉
I’m with you in the maple brown sugar!! I also lived the peaches and cream;). I think this is a great idea and will add it to the mid week list of breakfasts in our house.
Ooh, peaches and cream! Loved that one too!!
As a fellow foodie, modern-homesteader-to-be;)& nutritionist I’m loving your blog! We’re actually dehydrating fruit at moment! Great explanation for getting the kids involved, love it and will attempt the packet prep with them in the morning! 🙂
Thank you Kayla! I hope your kids enjoy it like mine do. It makes them feel so much more involved – plus there’s no complaints about eating it!