Oatmeal month reminds us of the healthy benefits of eating oatmeal

It's Oatmeal Month!  So I guess I should start by saying "Happy Oatmeal"!

Did you know that more oatmeal will be eaten this month than any other month of the year.  In fact, according to the Quaker Oats company, Americans buy enough oatmeal in January to make 470 million bowls.  That's a lot of healthy fiber which is good for your heart and a healthy breakfast for your child.

Healthy benefits of oats:

• Oats have been proven to lower cholesterol.
• Their high fiber level also is good for the digestion system and fills you up.

I love oatmeal and other hot cereals for breakfast.  It brings back memories when I was a kid and my mom used to leave us oatmeal ready to eat before she went to work.  She would put different fruits and even chocolate sometimes to change it up.  My son still likes his oatmeal with some butter.  My daughter likes hers with brown sugar and some fruit.  I think that is one of the fun and versatile features of oatmeal.  You can let your child be creative and try putting in some favorite ingredients to make hot cereal a morning favorite.

Here are some ideas for adding some oats into you child's diet:

• Add oats when baking- substitute oats for 1/4 of the flour
• Add oats on top of fruit
• Add oats to yogurt
• Make a crunchy salad crouton just toast some oats. Lightly brown oats by baking 1/2 cup oats at 350 F, about 15 to 20 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool and sprinkle on salad
• For a healthy snack add 1/3 cup toasted oats to 1 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup honey. Spread on apple slices or whole wheat bread or crackers
• Try oats instead of bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
• Use ground oat flour for bread or cracker crumbs when coating chicken, just put oats in blender or food processor until finely ground and follow your existing breaded chicken recipe.
• Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup oats to your child's fruit smoothie.

Comment to share your favorite oatmeal recipes and ideas for adding oats to healthy recipe makeovers!

Visit our website for more resources on healthy breakfast habits for kids:

Healthy Breakfast Family Contract

Healthy Breakfast Printable Tracking Sheet

Healthy Breakfast Planner for Kids

Children and Fiber Article