Last Updated on 22nd April 2022 by
If you like how healthy oatmeal is but aren’t too crazy about the taste, then you may be interested to know about how to make plain oatmeal taste good. I know oatmeal is good for me, but the thought of having plain oatmeal for breakfast isn’t enough motivation to get me out of bed in the morning.
I need something more, so I have learned how to flavour my oatmeal and find the right ingredients to make it more interesting and appealing.
Of course, I want to share those flavouring ideas with you so that you can spice up your own oatmeal, turning it from a boring health food to a tasty food that you look forward to having.
I’m going to show you how to make oatmeal taste good and give you some ideas that you can use so you can make it to your liking.
How to Make Oatmeal Taste Good without Sugar
I think for most people, the amount of sugar they have to put into oatmeal to make it palatable is problematic. You want it to still be healthy but you want it to be tasty as well. Regular, plain oatmeal is kind of bland, to put it mildly. I’m pretty sure there is an expression about something being as boring as oatmeal.
However, you can sweeten oatmeal without using sugar at all. How to make oatmeal tasty but still be healthy? Just use a different kind of sweetener.
My go-to sweetener for oatmeal is honey. You don’t have to add a lot to your oatmeal to make it sweet either, and it is a lot healthier for you than granulated sugar.
I’m going to give you a suggestion for sweetening your oatmeal that I think will really help you keep things healthy. When you sweeten it, you will be inclined to use a lot of sweetener to balance out the blandness of the oatmeal.
That’s what most people do, and they go overboard on that. I suggest cutting back your sweetener a little bit at a time each time you make oatmeal. Your palate will start to get used to the reduced sugar levels over time.
At first, your tongue may resist how you are cutting back the sugar, but over time, as you cut back a little at a time, you will get used to it and eventually not need as much sweetener for your oatmeal.
Another sweetener I use for how to make regular oatmeal taste good is syrup, and any syrup will do. If you use an artificial sweetener like xylitol, that can do the trick as well. There are quite a few different sweeteners that are effective at making plain oatmeal taste good.
Use Berries to Flavour and Sweeten
Berries are a natural way to sweeten and flavour the oatmeal. They do double duty in your oatmeal, adding some flavour variety and making the oatmeal sweet as well. They also add in some texture to the oatmeal, which I think is wonderful.
I suggest trying strawberries, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries in your oatmeal as a method for how to make oatmeal taste good but healthy. Many berries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, so they are good for you but also make your oatmeal taste better.
One method for how to make oatmeal taste good Reddit users like is using dried or dehydrated fruit. Dried strawberries, cranberries, and blueberries are all popular choices, and these will give you a new texture in your oatmeal as well as flavour and sweeten it.
I much prefer fresh berries and other fruits, but these work well too. You can also use dried apricots, apples, mangoes, and more to give your oatmeal a lot of extra flavour.
How to Make Oatmeal Taste Good with Water
Part of the reason your oatmeal might not be tasting very good is because it is too dry and fibrous. You may need to soften it and make it creamy. Water does the job well without adding any calories or sugar to the oatmeal.
You may think that your oatmeal needs some extra flavour or sugar, but just adding a bit of hot water to it can make a big difference.
A creamy oatmeal is definitely more palatable than dry, rough oatmeal. The hot water can also ensure that all of your oatmeal is fully cooked, getting rid of tough, dry bits of oatmeal and turning them smooth and creamy.
Only add a little water at a time to your oatmeal, and then stir it in each time you add some. It is tough to take water out from the oatmeal, but adding more as needed is a cinch.
If you add too much and need to take out some water, just tip the bowl slightly and drain out the excess water. You may want to partially cover the bowl of oatmeal or the saucepan (whichever you have it in) as you drain it.
Leave just enough of a gap open in the lid of the covering to allow liquid to come out but not solid from the container. That way, you can drain off only the water you don’t need.
Use Milk to Flavour Oatmeal
Another simple method for how to make regular oatmeal taste good is to add some milk. I think too many people just try oatmeal with water and never bother to give milk a try. I like to teat my oatmeal like a do my coffee- adding sweetener and milk to it. You can even add creamer, if you like.
The milk will sweeten the oatmeal as well, so adding some milk can mean that you are able to leave out the added sugar. Your oatmeal can still taste good without being unhealthy.
You can use all of these methods for flavouring and enhancing any kind of oatmeal, even the oatmeal you make by boiling water on the stove. These methods are perfect for how to make old fashioned oatmeal taste good, and they work on instant oatmeal as well.
Why only add sugar to your oatmeal when there are so many other ingredients you could try that work just as well and yet are much healthier for you? I have given you a few suggestions, and I hope you try some of these out and give your oatmeal a second chance.
If you have never tried oatmeal before or you eat oatmeal but don’t care for how much sugar it needs to taste good or you think it is too bland, try these flavour enhancing methods and see which one works for you.
You may want to try a different flavouring method each time for some variety, adding milk one day, fruit another, and honey on another day.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!