Hearts get healthy on National Oatmeal Day! Not only is oatmeal one of America’s favorite breakfast foods, but we also celebrate it annually on October 29th. It’s a perfect day to enjoy one of America’s favorite breakfast foods.

A warm bowl of oatmeal starts a day off right. Add spices, fruit, nuts, or nut butters to add flavor. It’s also a versatile ingredient. Add oatmeal to baked goods to create a delicious crumble. We use it to make granola, cookies, and bars. Sometimes, recipes for soups call for oatmeal, adding thicker texture and nutty flavor.

• Steel-cut oats are coarsely cut oats. They’re the nuttiest and most flavorful oats available.
• Oatmeal also comes in different forms. Rolled oats are a whole grain oat that’s rolled into oat flakes. They may take longer to cook, but the nutty flavor adds to the enjoyment.
• Another kind is instant or quick oats. These oats cook more quickly because they’ve either been pre-cooked or cut thinner. They lose some of the nuttiness found in rolled oats, but they offer similar health benefits.

Oatmeal offers many health benefits. 

• A bowl of oatmeal daily can lower cholesterol.
• It may reduce the risk of heart disease.
• It may reduce your risk of cancer. (According to the American Cancer Society, eating a diet high in fiber may help reduce your risk for cancer.)
• The grain is low in fat.
• Oatmeal is low in calories.
• Add oatmeal to your diet as a good source of iron and fiber.

Some favorite oatmeal toppings include brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, nuts, and granola.

Oatmeal has a long tradition in the state of Vermont, which originated within the Scottish settlement.  Although there were many variations, most oatmeal recipes began with steel-cut oats. They soaked the oats overnight in cold water, salt, and maple syrup. Early the next morning, the cook would add ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and, occasionally, ground ginger.  The pot was then placed over heat and cooked for approximately 90 minutes. The oatmeal was served steaming hot with cream, milk, or butter.

Vermont leads the United States in per capita consumption of cooked oatmeal cereal. 

The Quaker Man is one of the oldest advertising mascots in America. The Quaker Oats company registered him as the first trademark for a breakfast cereal in 1877.

Don’t forget National Oatmeal Month, Better Breakfast Day, Granola Bar, and National Cereal Day.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalOatmealDay

Have a bowl of oatmeal. Share your favorite recipes using oatmeal. What are your favorite toppings and mix-ins? No matter how you celebrate, be sure to use #NationalOatmealDay to post on social media.