Oatmeal with more sugar than a Snickers. Brought to you by ... McDonald's.

Others will argue that the McDonald’s version is more “convenient.” This is nonsense; in the time it takes to go into a McDonald’s, stand in line, order, wait, pay and leave, you could make oatmeal for four while taking your vitamins, brushing your teeth and half-unloading the dishwasher. (If you’re too busy to eat it before you leave the house, you could throw it in a container and microwave it at work. If you prefer so-called instant, flavored oatmeal, see this link, which will describe how to make your own).

If you don’t want to bother with the stove at all, you could put some rolled oats (instant not necessary) in a glass or bowl, along with a teeny pinch of salt, sugar or maple syrup or honey, maybe some dried fruit. Add milk and let stand for a minute (or 10). Eat. Eat while you’re walking around getting dressed. And then talk to me about convenience.

The aspect one cannot argue is nutrition: Incredibly, the McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin. (Even without the brown sugar it has more calories than a McDonald’s hamburger.)
You know, aside from the fact that the fruit they show raining down on the oatmeal in their commercials looks ... just wrong somehow to go on oatmeal ... I figured they were messing it up. Mark Bittman tells us all about it.

I, myself, am intrigued by his no-stove version of oatmeal. I always have a supply of homemade granola around but this sounds ... interesting. I'm going to try to remember it this weekend. And I'll report back.

UPDATE
I remembered later that, as Salome Ellen points out in the comments box, that this raw oatmeal soaked in milk is muesli. This made me even more curious to try it.

Saturday morning ... I did just that. I obviously am not a muesli person. The oats were so raw and floury tasting that to me it seemed perfect for anyone who loves eating raw oatmeal cookie dough. I, personally, found it disgusting. Though the sweet milk was good.

However, I would be happy to point everyone to Overnight Oatmeal which can be made in a slow cooker with a minimum of trouble and very little expense.

Comments

Salome Ellen said…
The Europeans call that raw-oat concoction muesli, and it's not half bad. I think I'm a secret Southerner, because I like my oatmeal buttered and salted as if it was grits.
Oh boy, I'm one of those people who eat raw cookie dough any time I make cookies-and my favorite raw dough is, gasp! oatmeal!!! So I thought it was funny you didn't like muesli oats!
I was aghast the first time I saw the McDonald's commercial on their oatmeal, aghast and then fell off the couch laughing! McDonalds/Healthy? don't belong in the commercial much less restaurant. What gets me is people actually are eating and believing it...sigh...
Julie D. said…
I know, right? Plus it looks terrible in the commercials. Right after we all laughed our heads off, we all said, "Ugh!" :-D

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