So i've been eating Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal every morning for breakfast for over a year now. Problem is, its hard to find on sale and a box usually costs around $4 for 8 packets. Well i went to my local wholesale club and saw a box of Regular Quaker Instant Oatmeal, 55 packets for $10! So i decided to pick one up.
My question is, am i worse off with the regular instant oatmeal vs. the weight control oatmeal? the calories and fat content are less in some packets BUT i did notice there is more sugar so i am not sure... but it saves me a lot of $!
what do you think?
I dont know if this helps at all.......but I bought a can of the regular oatmeal (very cheap) and I add half a chopped apple, less than half a cup chopped nuts, some cinnamon. I found the recipe in the Flat Belly cookbook. Its super filling and yummy.
The weight control has more fiber in it than regular oatmeal.......so just add your own to it and your fine! Thats what I did and I find it more filling than the weight control kind too! Your bowl is full with goodies.....give it a try!!
I like the weight control oatmeal, but it's a bit of a marketing ploy IMO. The packets are bigger than plain oats, and if you were to use 1 1/2 packs of plain, the nutrition wouldn't be *that* different.
Make a pack of plain with 1/2 cup skimmed milk, 1/2 banana and 5-6 almonds for around 250 cals and it's likely to be much more satisfying/decent nutrition-wise than the weight control stuff.
A bag of plain quick oats is going to be cheaper and probably better for you than ANY packaged one. They do not contain sugar or salt that way, so you can control exactly what you're eating.
Plus it's like $3 for a kilo of oatmeal, which will last you a month if you're eating it everyday.
You can add banana, raisins, nuts, etc if you want to make it more filling, or more fun.
You have the instant packages, chocked full of sugar as they are, now, so you might as well eat them. But plain oats are way way cheaper any way you slice it.
Original Post by angel_26:
I like the weight control oatmeal, but it's a bit of a marketing ploy IMO. The packets are bigger than plain oats, and if you were to use 1 1/2 packs of plain, the nutrition wouldn't be *that* different.
Make a pack of plain with 1/2 cup skimmed milk, 1/2 banana and 5-6 almonds for around 250 cals and it's likely to be much more satisfying/decent nutrition-wise than the weight control stuff.
The weight control packets also have loads of calories for a small portion. It's insane!
Plain quick oats all the way!
I don't eat the boxed stuff anymore, but I used to.
I just get the can of it, scoop out 1/2 a cup (150 cals), and add 2 packets of splenda, pinch of salt, and tons of cinnamon in it. SO much cheaper than those darn packets. And you can put them in a small container or ziplock to take with you to work. Poof, approx 5 dollars a month for breakfast. Ya?
Some people ad in other healthy mix in's, but I'd rather have the banana or apple or whatever on the side. I like my stuff as is.
When I look at the pre packed kind, look at the gram weight in the packet. For the same amount of grams, you will yield MORE oatmeal from the original can. Most of those grams are coming from the sugar in the packet. You're better off with the 'build your own' oatmeal as stated above.
I used to eat the instant packets but now I buy oats from the bulk section of the grocery store- a buck or two for a HUGE bag- and make oatmeal that's 10x as delicious and way more filling as anything that came out of those packets, for the same amount of calories but way more nutritional value.
The weight control kinds are a marketing ploy.
I think the weight control is pretty much the same as the regular, but with some protein powder added to make you feel full longer :) Just mix oats with protein powder and you are good to go
Original Post by angel_26:
I like the weight control oatmeal, but it's a bit of a marketing ploy IMO. The packets are bigger than plain oats, and if you were to use 1 1/2 packs of plain, the nutrition wouldn't be *that* different.
Make a pack of plain with 1/2 cup skimmed milk, 1/2 banana and 5-6 almonds for around 250 cals and it's likely to be much more satisfying/decent nutrition-wise than the weight control stuff.
wow that actually sounds yummy. I hate oatmeal and I end up choking down the brown sugar and cinnamon packets. adding the banana sounds perfect.
^^ I love banana in oatmeal too, makes it creamy and sweet without having to add milk or sugar.
Definately, just buy plain old regular cheap whole oats and make your own. Add some Fiber One cereal, protein powder, chopped fruit, cinnamon, whatever you like. That way you can save $ and have alot more variety as well! I know some people say that "quick cooking oats" save them time, but i only cook my whole oats in the microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes and they are plenty cooked. I like them with a little bite to them anyway.
emilyd is right, look for them in the bulk section of the store and save $.
thanks for the advice.... when you say plain old oats in the can are they cooked any differently?
Some packets of the instant oatmeal have more sugar than a bowl of fruit loops ... you're much better off with the plain old large flake oats. It really doesn't take long to make - less than 5 minutes in the microwave, is much better for you, and you can make any flavor you want.
Original Post by jenny8484:
thanks for the advice.... when you say plain old oats in the can are they cooked any differently?
You can buy quick/instant oats, which will take a couple minutes to cook with a bit of water or milk in the microwave, or rolled/old fashioned oats, which are less processed and take only a minute or two more. Or you could get steel-cut oats, which are the least processed, and take a while to cook. Many people argue that the less processing undergone by the oats, the more health benefits. I personally use a mixture of steel cut and rolled, and cook them overnight in my slow cooker so that I have an instant breakfast in the morning. All of the kinds of oats I mentioned can be found in the bulk section of your grocery store (where they will be significantly cheaper) and in cans.
So if you mean cooked differently than your packets, essentially, no, but it depends on the kind you get.
The weight loss oatmeal is a marketing ploy, I agree. I buy the generic brand at Long's Drug store, its like a buck for a box of 6 packets. I doctor it up with nuts and frozen blueberries while I'm microwaving it.
I love oatmeal! I use jumbo oats, steel cut. I measure 1 part oats to 2 parts skimmed milk, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice (ground cinnamon, caraway, coriander, cloves, and nutmeg) and 1 mini pack of raisins, in a big bowl, 5 minutes in the microwave....oatmeal cookies in a bowl! But creamier and without the added fats or sugars.
I used to eat oatmeal for breakfast but to be honest you get such a small portion in those bags and they are loaded with junk.
Lately I have been switching it up to Cream of Wheat
1/3c dry cream of wheat, 1 cup milk, 1 cup water makes a huge bowl for 320 calories, often I toss in a spoon of flax seed while im boiling the liquid then serve it with cinnamon though you can add all kinds of mix-ins. My husband hates cream of wheat in general but I absolutely love it, I guess it's an acquired taste.
Takes like 5 minutes to make on the stove I cook it while I make toast for the hubby.
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