I have this idea in my head that kids are supposed to love oatmeal. Myself, I have always found it foul, disgusting, and gag-inducing, but somehow I hang onto this belief that kids love it, so every six months or so I try — and fail — to get my kids to eat some.
The other day Craig went shopping at a newly-built grocery store that was so big he came home without Coke Zero because he couldn’t find where they kept the soda! And he’s no grocery novice, he does 99.99% of the grocery shopping, so this must be some store.
As part of their grand opening they gave everyone a free bag of groceries. In this bag of random items was a box of that instant oatmeal in 4 flavors. When I saw it I told Mike and Robbie that the next morning I would make one of each flavor and they would each try one bite and tell me which one was their favorite.
Simple, right?
Hell no. This morning you would have thought that I was forcing them to eat hot raw sewage. The ordeal ended with me telling Mike that I was never going to let him eat oatmeal for the rest of his life.
Why in the world would I think my kids would eat something that even I think is disgusting? I think I need to stage an intervention with myself.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
My mom always made us eat oatmeal as kids and I just hated it. Now as an adult I eat it every morning because it keeps me regular. Yes, I think that officialy makes me an old person.
I like oatmeal ok, but only if it has lots of brown sugar and maple syrup. You know, lots of simple sugars to keep it healthy.
I am also an oatmeal hater. It’s just so slimy. Ick.
I used to eat oatmeal. With peanut butter on it. Then I bought some one day a couple years ago. I didn’t eat it all up a month or so later when I went to open the carton, the oatmeal (as it and flour sometimes does) had turned into BUGS!
It was like some kind of horror movie where all of a sudden there are millions of bugs coming out of the carton.
I don’t buy oatmeal anymore.
We love steel cut oats here. Very different thing than the boxed crap. I cook it all night long in the slow cooker and everyone gobbles it up in the morning. Oatmeal is supposed to taste nutty with a bit of crunch – as in you can bite the actual oats. The crap in a box is over processed and lacks most of the nutrients that is supposed to make it so good for you.
I was just on Chowhound the other day and they were discussing the difference between rolled and steel cut oats. That was enough to convince me that perhaps I should give steel cut oats a chance. What you are describing sounds exactly like rolled oats, which I also think are disgusting. Rumor has it on Chowhound that steel cut oats are the BOMB. hee!
Well, I love oatmeal and also periodically feed it to my kids. Nope, they are not fans, although my less picky eater would eat it at school. You’d think the sugar kid would go for the brown sugar – nope. My sister used to gag her way though the non-instant my dad would always make – me, when I make that stuff it just fricken boils over every single time :)
Do you pretend to like it? As adults my mom said to her brussel-sprout loving kids…”of course I don’t like brussel sprouts, noone does, I just pretended for you kids.”
I have never been a morning food person – my favorite on a cold morning is a nice bowl of soup!!!! My 4 yr old is just like his dad – wakes up, needs cereal or oatmeal. My 3 yr old is like me – this morning he had apple sauce, cheese and crackers for breaky!!!
Thanks for sharing -a great post!
OMG. That picture is disgusting. I may never eat oatmeal again. I will, however, continue to feed it to my child, who loves him some “Eemote”.
P.S. There are some REALLY inappropriate comments running through my head about the possible relation between that photo & the post you link to for today (12/3)…the, uh, deep freezer one. Yeah…I’m going to leave it at that. And since this is the first time I’ve ever left you a comment, I will totally understand if you NEVER want to hear from me again. :0)
Oddly, my kids like the real stuff, but not the hopped up sugary, instant crap that I used to love. Clearly THEY have problems.
Bossy likes her raw hot sewage with brown sugar.
I love it with LOTS AND LOTS of raisins – the lad likes brown sugar and cinnamon – baby girl ONLY eats real homemade no instant [spoiled by grandma]
mmm
I also like cream of wheat if it has sugar
My daughter saw that picture over my shoulder and said, “Mmm. That oatmeal looked kind of good.”
Oh that picture just looks gross!!
I eat oatmeal every so often, the only way to eat it is with plenty of sugar. Kinda takes away from the whole healthy part of breakfast thing. My son used to eat apple cinnamon flavor oatmeal everyday. For about a year, then he grew tired of it, I was left with boxes of this stuff!!
I can’t stand oatmeal either. I’ve been serving it to my kids for several years pretending I like it too. My daughter finally started asking why I never eat any.
Oatmeal in our house is popular and about the toppings: peanut butter and jelly (oh yes), Fruit, Maple syrup and cinnamon, nuts and raisins, honey and figs…
my son LOVES zucchini. no really LOVES it. i can’t find one enjoyable thing about it. he requests it and eats it very happily. i’m upchucking a little in my mouth just thinking of it. i try not to show my disgust for it. he gets his love for all things healthy from his daddy. not me. thank GOD! ;)