It is not news that I love to prepare breakfast in advance, as seen from these make-ahead breakfast items. Although I am an early riser, the morning hours seem to zip by faster than those of the middle of the day. So, today I have another trick I use to have a hot breakfast ready before I even get out of bed! I find this trick particularly helpful on the weekends, when everyone gets up at a different time.
I set-up an oatmeal buffet station by making oatmeal in a rice cooker the night before and setting out an array of toppings along with a set of bowls and spoons. The oatmeal cooks on it’s own in the rice cooker and once it’s done, the rice cooker automatically switches to the keep-warm setting, keeping the cooked oatmeal warm throughout the night.
My ratio is 1:1.5, oats:water. That is, for every cup of oats I add to the rice cooker, I add 1 and a half cups of water. I give it a light stir, replace the lid, and set the rice cooker to cook. That’s it! Now, no matter their wake-up time, everyone can serve themselves a hot meal in the morning.
Have some fun by putting out a variety of toppings so that each family member can customize their own bowl.
Some brown sugar.
Some sweetened shredded coconut.
Some whole almonds.
How about some dried fruit? Chocolate chips? Granola? Agave or maple syrup? The possibilities are endless and everyone can make their preferred oatmeal combination.
If some members prefer milk mixed in, they’re just going to have to go to the refrigerator. Let’s not spoil them too much, now.
I hope this little trick helps make your mornings just a little less hectic.
How do you like your oatmeal?
Snap a pic of your oatmeal bar station and tag it with #thepkpway. I’d love to see your family’s toppings and creations.
How do you manage to make even oatmeal look good? Your brown sugar pic is 100 :)
Hello,
I am planning to bring this to a staff breakfast at work. Any ideas for how to keep it warm or reheat it after the 40 minute drive? I was debating bringing the whole slow cooker and turning it back on but for how long? Or should I transfer to a bowl and microwave it when I get there? I do have access to a microwave at work but not a stove. Just don’t want it to get too mushy.
Thanks for any tips!
I would bring the entire slow cooker and turn it on warm for at least an hour before serving. If an hour isn’t available, the oatmeal can be heated in individual bowls for 1 minute at a time until heated through, making sure to stir in between bursts. Also bring extra milk in case it needs to be thinned out.