How to Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal Packets & Bowls

Instant oats are a convenient breakfast on the go, full of fiber and whole grains. When you make your own instant oatmeal packets, you can save money and customize the flavors and ingredients to suit your preferences. 

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Oatmeal is a great breakfast. Not only is it cheap to make, but it’s also full of whole grains which are said to be good for digestion and heart healthy.

While there are many commercial products on the market, from Quaker Oats to Kodiak, making your own instant oatmeal packets is a great way to avoid high prices as well as artificial preservatives and flavors.

With our easy base recipe for instant oats, you can create your own custom flavor variety pack, adding different mix-ins to suit your preferences.

Why Make Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets?

Traditional oats are easy to cook. There are so many great oats recipes, from Raspberry Baked Oatmeal to Not Mushy Oatmeal. It’s even great served as an Oatmeal Bar with a variety of toppings. Why lean on instant oats?

It’s quick. Traditional oatmeal can take awhile to prepare on the stove; baked oatmeal takes even longer to cook in the oven.  Instant oatmeal packets make a quick and easy breakfast that takes just minutes to prepare.

It’s easy. A convenient breakfast can make your mornings go so much more smoothly. Serving food that is easy to prepare and easy to clean-up is like having the best of both worlds. A meal that the kids can actually do prep all themselves is like icing on the proverbial breakfast cake!

It’s cheap. A walk down the cereal aisle will show ya that it’s a pretty common thing, but also pretty pricey! Making your own instant oatmeal packets is so much cheaper.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own instant oatmeal packets:

rolled oats – I use what’s often labeled old fashioned rolled oats which are 100% whole grain. If you want what’s closest to the commercial packet, you can use quick oats or blitz the old fashioned ones in the blender for a few minutes. Quick oats are more processed so they cook more quickly, but I prefer the thicker variety.

salt – Don’t skip the salt. It really helps the oatmeal flavor. You just need a pinch per packet. When I’ve compared with commercial packets, I’ve found that they use more salt than you might think. Taste yours until you find the amount you like.

sugar – Use whatever dry sweetener you like, such as brown sugar, white sugar, or stevia. I make my own brown sugar which I think tastes amazing in oatmeal.

powdered milk or whey protein powder – If you like creamy oatmeal, be sure to add a bit of powdered milk. Since I like creamy oats and extra protein, I use unflavored whey protein powder. It adds some creaminess with extra protein. 

additional mix-ins – There’s no limit to what you can add to your instant oatmeal packets. I like to add chia seeds, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, nuts, and/or chocolate chips. (Scroll down for some ways to save money on these items.)

Variations of Instant Oatmeal Packets

There are lots of ways that you can jazz up your instant oatmeal packets. Consider these different flavor combinations:

• dried apples and cinnamon
• dried cranberries and walnuts
• dried cherries and almonds
• dried pineapple and coconut
• dried blueberries and nutmeg
• dried banana and chocolate chips

Containers for Instant Oats

Making your own instant oatmeal packets is incredibly easy. You can use plastic sandwich or snack bags or small meal prep bowls with lids. Small mason jars work great.

I love this set of glass bowls with bamboo lids. It’s perfect for heating the oats in the morning.

You can save the plastic bags and reuse them if you like. I sometimes make a few batches in disposable cardboard cups with lids for those days when I’m really in a rush. They are great for traveling.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make instant oatmeal packets:

Lay out the containers you’re going to place them in. You can make just one bag, but since they last a good long while, it’s more efficient to make many single-serve batches at once.

Using assembly line process, add oats in all your containers. Then the salt. Continue with the rest of your ingredients.

Seal up the containers and store them in the pantry. Store in the freezer for longer freshness.

Note to families: When my kids were very little, I made them ¼ cup batches of oatmeal packets. This was a better size for small tummies.

Serving Instructions

To serve: Place the dried oatmeal mixture in a bowl, add ½ to 1 cup boiling hot water and cover. Let sit 2 minutes. Stir and serve.

If you’re using protein powder, I recommend stirring the dry mix before you add the water and then stirring it well after adding the water. Then cover.

Save More Money with the Good Cheap Eats System

Save more of groceries when you plan, shop, and cook the Good Cheap Eats way. 

Plan budget meals – Oats is one of the best budget groceries to add to your list. Keep this instant oats recipes in your regular breakfast rotation.

Plan to use leftovers – This includes leftover ingredients as well as leftover prepped . Make sure that your don’t let the dried fruit go to waste. You only need a little dried fruit for each oatmeal packet. Make Trail Mix or this fruity bundt cake with what’s left.

Shop your kitchen – Shopping the kitchen will save you money and prevent overbuying. Oats, salt, and sugar are easy to keep on hand. Use up the little bits of chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit you already have. You can even use sprinkles or leftover holiday candy for a fun twist in your oatmeal.

Shop the best store for you – Not all grocery stores offer the best pricing. For ingredients for instant oatmeal, focus on stores like ALDI or Walmart for best everyday pricing. Learn how to know the best grocery store for you.

Shop the sales and clearance – Don’t discount traditional grocery stores. Shopping the sales and clearance saves me a small fortune. I recently found rolled oats on clearance at my local Ralphs for half the price of ALDI!

Cook meals you love – If you make homecooked meals so good, you won’t be tempted toward take-out or convenience foods. Play with this recipe so that you can customize your instant oatmeal packets to be exactly like you like them.

Cook extra to freeze – Making extra for the future buys you time for your Future Self. Oats will eventually go rancid. If you like, you can stash a few oatmeal packets in the freezer to extend their shelflife. I did this when my kids were younger and their appetites were more unpredictable.

More Budget Breakfast Ideas

This post was originally published on March 11, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.