A bad breakfast can kind of crush your soul. If you've ever choked down a sad granola bar, rubbery eggs, or a dry scone, you know the weirdly depressing effect that these things can have on your morning. But perhaps the worst AM offender: bad oatmeal—you know, the kind that somehow morphs itself into wallpaper paste on your stovetop.
It's all too easy to transform this wholesome, fiber-rich grain into something seriously depressing. So in the name of happier mornings, put an end to these common oatmeal mess-ups. (Want to pick up some healthier habits? Sign up to get slimming recipes and more delivered straight to your inbox!)
Making it with water instead of milk
You've probably heard that oatmeal is a super-satisfying breakfast that'll sit like a brick—in a good way—in your stomach until lunch. That's true, but only if your oatmeal is made with a protein, which you won't get from water. So cook your oats in regular dairy milk or unsweetened soymilk. Rather use almond or coconut milk? That's fine, as both will lend a little bit of extra heft and creaminess. But since they're still pretty low in protein, you'll need another source—like nuts, seeds, or some sort of nut butter.
MORE:The 6 Healthiest Protein Powders For Your Smoothie
Using a small pot or bowl
You might not feel the need to bust out the giant soup pot if you're making oatmeal for just you. But oatmeal has a viscous texture that's really great at forming big bubbles. And if you use a small cooking vessel, you're pretty much asking for your porridge to spill over. And make a gigantic mess on your stovetop. Ditto for cooking your oats in a smallish bowl in the microwave. Bigger, deeper bowls can go a long way toward preventing a spillover.
MORE:5 Worst Things You Can Add To Your Oatmeal
Adding your oats at the wrong time
Microwave users, feel free to ignore this. But if you're doing the stovetop thing, when you add your oats to the pot plays a role in determining your oatmeal's final texture. If creaminess is your goal, add the oats after your liquid has come to a simmer. If you like your oats to keep their shape, add them to the cold liquid before cranking up the heat.
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Not adding salt
Whether you're making savory or sweet oatmeal, you need to add a pinch of salt. Always. Do it at the beginning of cooking, and your porridge will taste nutty, toasty, and delicious—not boring and glue-like. (If you do it at the end, then your oatmeal will just taste weirdly salty. Try not to do that.)
MORE:7 Mistakes You're Making With Your Pancakes
Forgetting to stir
Stirring helps break up all those bubbles before they get too big, so you're less likely to end up with an explosion. If you're microwaving, keep a close eye on your oats and give them a good stir every 45 seconds or so. If you're cooking on the stovetop, just stir your porridge frequently. You'll stop big bubbles in their tracks. But also, all that stirring will help your oats release extra starch, giving your oatmeal a creamier texture.
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Not cooking them long enough
Rolled oats cook up into a dreamy porridge pretty quick. But they're not instant. They need some time to soak up their cooking liquid in order to get soft and creamy and delicious. So let them do their thing for 5 minutes or so before digging in. Your patience will be rewarded.
Marygrace Taylor
Marygrace Taylor is a health and wellness writer for Prevention, Parade, Women’s Health, Redbook, and others. She’s also the co-author of Prevention’s Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet and Prevention’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Visit her at marygracetaylor.com.
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