Oats keep our children feeling energised and fuller for longer.
Oats are one of the healthiest ways to start the day. Particularly for children. They are an energy rich slow releasing food which means that they keep our children fuller for longer. They also help with milk production if you are breastfeeding.
Serving oats to our children does not have to be a simple case of a bowl of porridge. I happen to be a big fan of porridge with honey, cinnamon and fruit but I'll admit that I do have to be in a certain mood for it.
I try to offer my son oats of some description at least five times per week. Our days are long and busy and I just feel happier knowing that his tummy is full of oaty goodness before we hit the road.
Here are the three ways I offer oats. The best part is that they are all easily transported or enjoyed in the car, on the bus or walking around as well as being good hot or cold.
1. Oaty Pancakes.
I blitz 40g of porridge oats with about 100g of yoghurt, one banana, a dash of honey and some vanilla essence. If adding a mashed banana I add half the amount of yoghurt. Once blitzed this batter makes 8-10 mini pancakes and I always save half the batch for the next day to make life easier.
2. Oaty Muffins
Similar to above but this time I do not blitz the oats. I simply add them to the yoghurt, essence & honey and spoon the mixture in to silicone muffin tins. It makes 6-8 mini muffins. I also add a couple of blueberries or raspberries to each muffin.
3. Waffles
We picked up a Waffle Maker on Amazon recently and it's brought great excitement to the house. I use the exact same mix as the Oaty Pancakes and it makes 4 good sized waffles. These are our favourite and a big hit with adults too. They are beautiful with a little bit of nutella and covered in strawberries or just cold as a snack.
4. Overnight Oats
These are not just for adults after all. We both some cute jars and it's a little ritual to make them together the night before. Simply mix 20g oats with 150g yoghurt or milk and mix. Then top with berries and leave in the fridge overnight. This is a great one for on the go eating too as they become quite firm and easy to transport the next morning.
5. Use Oats As A Crumb
Oats work brilliantly as a crumb in a variety of different dishes. Instead of dipping your homemade fish fingers or nuggets in to breadcrumbs, dip them in to oats. You can leave the oats whole or blitz them in to an oat flour. The results are delicious. You can also oats instead of breadcrumbs in stuffing. Next time you're making stuffing substitute half the breadcrumbs for porridge oats and thank us later.