We LOVE oats. Take a peek at our recipes, and you will quickly see our obsession, which is luckily a healthy one! We thought we would share some healthy oatmeal breakfast recipes written by the To Taste team and some of our other registered dietitian friends, but first, let’s talk a little about oats!
Are Oats Healthy?
Oats are a whole grain, and according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you should make half of your grains whole.
When comparing whole grains to their refined counterparts, it’s easy to see the nutritional advantage. There are 3 parts of a whole grain: the bran, endosperm, and germ. The bran contains fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. The germ contains healthy fats, B vitamins, some protein, and minerals. The endosperm contains mostly carbohydrates, along with some protein and trace vitamins and minerals. (1)
When a whole grain is refined, the bran and germ are removed. What is left? Or more importantly, what was removed? To sum it up simply – all of the healthy stuff! Manufacturers enrich refined grains, adding back some of the vitamins and minerals that were lost, but not all of them. The fiber, phytochemicals, and healthy fats? Kiss them good-bye! (1)
At To Taste, we stress the importance of healthy whole foods for a reason; your body prefers food in its natural form, and whole grains are no exception.
Health Benefits of Oats and Other Whole Grains
Whole grains have numerous health benefits. Like fruits and vegetables, they are full of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber, all of which help fight disease.
Health benefits include:
Reduced risk of:
- Stroke (2)
- Heart disease (3, 4, 5)
- Type 2 diabetes (5, 6, 7, 8)
- Colon cancer (9, 10, 11)
- Weight maintenance (12, 13)
- Reduced inflammation (5, 13)
Types of Oats
For most of our recipes, we rely on old fashioned or rolled oats. We like their texture, versatility, and quick cooking time. Other varieties of oats include whole oat groats, steel cut oats, scottish oatmeal, quick or instant oats, and oat flour.
To learn more about these varieties, check out our article about different types of oats (includes recipes too)!
Pantry Staple Ingredients for Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes
Regardless of the style or form of the healthy oatmeal breakfast recipe, there are definitely some common ingredients that frequently accompany oats. Keep these ingredients on hand in your pantry or fridge, so that you will have what you need to make a variety of oatmeal recipes whenever you want!
- Nuts, nut butters, and seeds
- Dried and fresh fruit
- Sweetener: honey, maple syrup, brown sugar
- Milk or milk alternative
- Flavor extracts, such as vanilla, coconut, or almond
For more guidance on which ingredients are best, check out our ingredient guide!
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes by To Taste
These aren’t your traditional stovetop oatmeal recipes; instead, here are some tasty breakfast ideas that feature the goodness of oats.
Here are some of our favorite easy recipes with oats:
Baked Oatmeal Cups Base Recipe
Did you know that you can even add oats to smoothies? Try it out by making our Strawberry Kefir Smoothie with Oats!
We also asked our RD community to share some of their favorite healthy oatmeal breakfast recipes.
Here are 18 dietitian-approved oatmeal recipes:
Stovetop & Microwave
- Caramelized Banana and Peanut Butter Oatmeal – Julie Kay Andrews, RD
- Simple and Healthy Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Recipe – Melissa Nieves, LND, RD, MPH
- Protein Oatmeal – Ashlen Leonard, RD
- Banana Ginger Oats – Ginger Hultin, MS, RD, CSO
- Roasted Blood Orange Oatmeal – Kara Lydon, RD
- Cauliflower Oatmeal – Colleen Christensen, RDN
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Strawberry Swirl – Kara Holton, RD
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal – Rebecca Clyde, MS, RDN, CD
Slow Cooker & Instant Pot
- Crockpot Gingerbread Oatmeal – Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN
- Cranberry Apple Slow-cooker Oatmeal – Shannon Aleise Garcia, RD
- Carrot Cake Slow Cooker Oatmeal – Ashlen Leonard, RD
- Pressure Cooker Peanut Butter Banana Steel Cut Oats – Brittany Poulson, RD, CDE
- Apple Cranberry Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats – Josten Fish, RD
- Overnight Slow Cooker Oatmeal – Judith Scharman Draughon, RD
Savory
- Masala Egg Oatmeal Breakfast – Shahzadi Devje, RD, CDE
- Simple Savory Oats – Kelly McGrane, MS, RD
- Savory Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl – Shannon Aleise Garcia, RD
- Cheddar and Herb Savory Overnight Oats – Emily Cooper, RD
We hope that you find oatmeal recipes that are satisfying and delicious. What other fun ways do you like to use oats? Let us know in the comments section below!
To YOUR Taste,
Chef V
