Stretching My Food $$ - Oatmeal

 

I’ve noticed, along with everything else, the price of oatmeal just keeps going up and up.  During the pandemic I could easily buy a large tub of store brand oatmeal for $1.98 and now that same size tub of oatmeal is $3.98.  I stopped buying those tubs and now I get my oatmeal from Costco because it is the best value five pounds for $10.  Nonetheless, despite inflation, oatmeal still gives us a lot of bang for our buck.

 

I love to add raisins or cranberries, cinnamon or maple syrup

Shrinkflation has definitely affected the size of a box of breakfast cereal over the years and the price for those boxes has increased.  When you compare the cost of a serving of cold cereal to the price of a serving of oatmeal the difference in price is incredible, especially as people rarely are satisfied and full after a single serving of cold cereal.  Most people eat two or three servings.  Oatmeal, by comparison, is mere pennies.  It is also a much cleaner food than what is in a box of cold cereal.  A serving of oatmeal keeps you fuller longer too.

 

Homemade oatmeal cookies with dried cranberries & chocolate chips

In addition to being a wonderful breakfast staple oatmeal has a multitude of uses.  I use old fashioned oats to make my own healthier homemade granola and I use it in my homemade honey oat bread.  Homemade oatmeal cookies are my personal cookie of choice.

 

Oats are great to use as healthy meat extenders.  I use them instead of bread crumbs when I make meatloaf or meatballs.  To extend breakfast sausage or ground beef patties you can add in oats to make it go further as well.  Oats are also good to use in black bean burgers as a binder.

 

Making your own oat milk is definitely a less expensive option over purchasing it at the grocery store.  And when you are finished you can use the spent oats in homemade granola bars, cookies or as a meat extender so nothing goes to waste.

 

Homemade granola

Even though the price of oats has doubled it still remains one of those economical foods we should all be taking full advantage of.  Gluten free nutrition that is good for us, heart healthy and still very affordable.