Instant Oatmeal

My whole family loves oatmeal but sometimes it just is not practical to make.  We usually make regular Old Fashioned Oats on the stove top, I was never sold on Organic until recently because of our families quest to cut GMOs out of our diet.  My husband and I have came to the conclusion the only way to cut GMOs out at this point is to buy organic because if it is organic it is not allowed to be GMO, and anyway the other alternative is to grow all of your own food and that is not happening for us now, maybe ever!  Anyway I have side tracked myself once again back to the task at hand oatmeal. 

Instant Oatmeal is a breakfast miracle all on its own but the ingredients that come with it are not.  Previously, when I would buy instant Oatmeal it would be whatever was cheapest, so my test subject today is Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Regular & Maple & Brown Sugar, must of been on sale the last time I bought it.

Maple & Brown Sugar

Serving size 1 Packet (43 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 160		Calories from Fat 25

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.5g			4%
	Saturated Fat 0.5g		2%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 260mg			11%
Potassium 125mg			4%
Total Carbohydrate 32g			11%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		12%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 9g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			20%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			20%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			10%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

 

Do you have all of these ingredients in your kitchen?  What are these ingredients?  Guar Gum that sounds just tasty put double in mine:) Guar Gum is a water soluble paste made from the Guar plant and is used a thickener and a stabilizer.

 

Regular Instant Oatmeal

 

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

Same idea of the Maple & Brown Sugar.  However, on my box of instant Quaker Oatmeal it also lists riboflavin, thiamin momonitrate, and folic acid as additional ingredients.  Keeping in mind this is a convienence food, it still does not make it ok for all of the ingredients we do not know or the use of GMO products.

 

I have found a wonderful alternative that is still instant oatmeal called Better Oats.  Better Oats is Organic, Pure & Simple.  Better Oats does have additional ingredients(over my 5 ingredient ban) but they are a plus to your diet  Here we go:

 

Better Oats Organic Raw Instant Oatmeal.

 

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

Serving size 1 Packet (28 g)

Amount per serving
Calories 100		Calories from Fat 20

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g			3%
	Saturated Fat 0g		0%
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg			0%
Sodium 75mg			3%
Potassium 105mg			3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g			6%
	Dietary Fiber 3g		11%
		Soluble Fiber 1g
		Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin A			25%
Vitamin C			0%
Calcium			10%
Iron			40%
Phosphorus			10%
Magnesium			8%

*	Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

		Calories	2,000	2,500
Total Fat		less than	65g	80g
	Sat. Fat	less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol		less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium		less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate			300g	375g
	Dietary Fiber		25g	30g

Ingredients

WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

 

I have found a wonderful alternative to conventional instant oatmeal, Better Oats.  Better Oats are Organic so there are no worries about GMOs.  Better Oats do go over my 5 ingredient rule but I think it is ok because the ingredients are all things that are needed in your diet not outlawed flavors or fillers with cancer causing ingredients.  We eat the Better Oats Organic Raw instant Oatmeal alot:)  Better Oats does have flavored oatmeal too which I must say is awesome.   I like the maple and brown sugar and the blueberry muffin and strawberries and cream.  I know alot of people think but how much does it cost, well surprisingly it is more affordable than Quaker. You can find Better Oats in most stores from $1.39 to $1.79 for 5 packets. In a box of instant Quaker Oatmeal you get 7 packets for $3-$4 dollars, sounds like healthy just got a whole lot better.  I encourage everyone to try Better Oats, you know the ingredients and that is what is important.

 

Here is the Maple & Brown Sugar Better Oats

 

Abundance®

View Nutrition Facts

MBG 3.2 OAT

Maple & Brown Sugar

• Six whole grains, 30 grams per serving
• Real fruit pieces
• Omega-3 from flaxseed
• Good source of protein
• Good source of Fiber

Abundance delivers a cornucopia of the best flavors and textures the Earth has to offer-whole grains, including Omega-3 rich flax seeds.

All are harvested and milled to retain their thick and varied multigrain textures and mixed with real fruit. Nourish your body with Abundance, and live life to the fullest.
Our cereals don't contain artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. Our cereals also do not contain high fructose corn syrup, trans fat or hydrogenated oils. We're also continually searching and reviewing ingredients that allow us to give families a better breakfast option while keeping our product prices affordable.

Raw Pure & Simple®

View Nutrition Facts

PLO 3.0 OAT

Bare

• USDA Organic
• 41 grams of whole grains per serving
• 200 mg of ALA Omega-3 per serving
• Organic whole grains: Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat
• Organic whole flaxseeds
• Good source of Fiber

Raw Pure & Simple is a better way to eat. We start with the finest quality 100% organic, whole grain oats blended with organic whole grains and seeds, like flax, barley and quinoa, for a wonderfully wholesome and nutritious breakfast. You'll love the thick, hearty multigrain texture and natural, robust flavors. Raw Pure & Simple is naturally good, straight from Mother Earth.