Oatmeal seems to be one of those highly divisive foods–people either love it or they hate it. I think it’s really about the consistency or texture. It could added to the list of foods like tapioca pudding (or any pudding), yogurt, and stuffing that has the potential to trigger one’s gag reflexes. At least that’s what it used to do to me.
(side note–I have grown to love yogurt and have moments of really loving pudding. But tapioca pudding or stuffing are still on my “most hated” foods list.)
When my sister and I were kids, she was all but obsessed with “ointmeal”–her 3 year old name for oatmeal. She loved the little Quaker Instant Oatmeal packs of peaches and cream, strawberries and cream, and brown sugar. I would enjoy the smell of these warm breakfast cereals from across the table, begin to be convinced that I would love the stuff, give it a taste, and gag my way to the garbage can. Yuck!
I stayed away from oatmeal of any kind until college. The dining commons produced this extremely thick oatmeal with a side of brown sugar that I just HAD to try. And you’ll never guess–I LIKED IT! I quickly realized my previous issues with the oatmeal was the runny consistency. Thanks to the DC, I realized the oatmeal could be made to your desired thickness.
I was still into the heavily-sugared varieties (included the Brown Sugar instant packets), until senior year of college. On my meager budget, I decided it would be much more frugal to buy a canister of dry, rolled oats rather than the pre-made packages. Thanks to my need to save money, I gradually began to wean myself off of the tons-of-added-sweetener bowls of oatmeal.
A year or two into marriage, I really began to experience oatmeal to its fullest potential. Now, it’s my most favorite breakfast! I combined old fashioned rolled oats with water or milk, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped fresh fruits like apples or bananas. If I’m feeling especially indulgent, a swirl of peanut butter or a sprinkle of chopped nuts tops it off to perfection.
And so, my friends, the moral of the story is Give Good Foods a Second (and hundredth) Chance. Tastebuds are always changing and it might become a favorite in the future.
The end.
How do YOU feel about oatmeal??
I like oatmeal sometimes… but I like it thick and with brown sugar!