Why do "Quick Oats" taste soooo much nicer than ordinary porridge?

Spanish Eyes

OK, I make porridge all the time. I soak the oats overnight and microwave in the morning for breakfast with honey and a bit of milk. Yum.

I was in my sister's house over Christmas and when asked what I would like for brekkie, as usual, I said "porridge please". She got this sachet from a box and mixed it with water and microwaved. It was Flahavans Quick Oats and I have to tell ya folks, it was mighty creamy and so much nicer than my own ordinary stuff. BTW she only added a bit of skimmed milk and honey when it was ready.

I checked the box she used, and the ingredients were 100% wholegrain oats, no sugar, no dried skimmed milk (which I thought MUST have been in there!)

So can anyone tell me why the difference?

Davei141

They are mostly porridge powder so to recreate it just blend your own normal porridge till its mostly dust.

Spanish Eyes

Davei141 wrote: »

They are mostly porridge powder so to recreate it just blend your own normal porridge till its mostly dust.

Thanks Dave.

Have just compared both varieties, and the Quick Oats doesn't look much different to the ordinary stuff. A little, maybe but not much.

So, if the blended variety is much creamier and nicer, why is that not shouted FROM THE ROOFTOPS? !!

Presumably, the nutritional value is still the same, and many might like it a bit smoother, but not a lot of people know that.

metamorphosis

Did you make it the same as your sister did?

as in do you make it with milk like she did or do you use water?

Yeah - like dave said, quick oats are much more powdery.

neuro-praxis

It could be the "someone else made it" phenomenon. No toast tastes as good as toast someone else made. No sandwich tastes as good as the one robbed off your husband's plate!

metamorphosis

neuro-praxis wrote: »

It could be the "someone else made it" phenomenon. No toast tastes as good as toast someone else made. No sandwich tastes as good as the one robbed off your husband's plate!

WHY IS THIS!!? haha

Always nice to have a meal hnded up to you. A toasted sambo is always nicer handed up to you rather than if you eat your own!

Spanish Eyes

ULstudent wrote: »

Did you make it the same as your sister did?

as in do you make it with milk like she did or do you use water?

Yeah - like dave said, quick oats are much more powdery.

HI UL,

Sis made the packet on water (see OP).

I have to say the packet stuff was really good and creamy.

So as Dave suggested, I have just blended my ordinary oats, and will try that tomorrow.

There was just something about the texture that was so creamy, compared to the "gruel" like texture of the ordinary stuff. Nothing to do with it being "handed up to me" !!

If blending the ordinary stuff results in a creamy texture like the "quick" oats, well then, that should be shouted out loud for those who might like to try porridge, but can't stand the ordinary texture.

Will let you know.

rubadub

It is probably steamed more during processing to cook it and open up pores so it cooks & hydrates quicker. Ready brek has a lot of "oat flour" in it. I prefer the texture of normal porridge.

neuro-praxis wrote: »

It could be the "someone else made it" phenomenon. No toast tastes as good as toast someone else made. No sandwich tastes as good as the one robbed off your husband's plate!

I remember trading plates of chips with my sister once or twice when I was small, her doing the salt & vinegar & ketchup or whatever and then swopping!

WildBoots

rubadub wrote: »

It is probably steamed more during processing to cook it and open up pores so it cooks & hydrates quicker. Ready brek has a lot of "oat flour" in it. I prefer the texture of normal porridge.

I wonder if the extra processing affects the porridge's nutritional value much?

WildBoots

neuro-praxis wrote: »

It could be the "someone else made it" phenomenon. No toast tastes as good as toast someone else made. No sandwich tastes as good as the one robbed off your husband's plate!

Some people say that food made with some TLC is noticeably better tasting, this is why mammy's cooking is always best. Who knows....

Magic Eight Ball

neuro-praxis wrote: »

It could be the "someone else made it" phenomenon. No toast tastes as good as toast someone else made. No sandwich tastes as good as the one robbed off your husband's plate!

Don't forget the five-finger discount.

tHE vAGGABOND

I have gotten into porridge over the cold weather, I put my brekkie shake stuff into it and mix it around so I get everything I need all at once. God if you had told me a year ago I would be doing that I would have collapsed laughing [that said, I was 4 or 5 stone bigger then!!].

I dont soak them overnight tho? Does that really make a difference?

eclectichoney

I can't understand this whole 'smooth' 'creamy' porridge love-in. Does nobody else out there love really thick, chunky, lumpy, oaty porridge made from unsoaked jumbo oats? I am clearly alone on this one, maybe I have not seen the light...

OP if you want a finer blended oat (madness!:pac:), Flahavans do a 'progree oatlets' bag which is very fine iirc, and would save you the hassle of blending them yourself, as well as not being charged any extra for the convenience.

Zippidy

I was going to start a thread on porridge!

I am looking to replace weetabix as my breakfast cereal and was thinking of porridge. Is it nice to just eat it with cold milk, like you'd eat weetabix?

By the way, what are the nutritional (i.e. slimming) benefits of porridge over something like weetabix or cornflakes?

Torakx

I think the benefits are less carbs or complex carbs but not sure.
I read the pack before i buy ussually and noticed porriddge does have alot of fibre and low sugar from carbs.
But then i add lactose free milk and manuka honey on top which brings the sugar and fat levels up a little.For someone with candida its probably a bad idea in my case though.Trying to compliment it with a jog every day.

Ps. eclectichoney i also buy the jumbo oats

Mr E

I used to get quick oats until I realised how expensive they were compared to a big bag of porridge oats.

Macha

I just finished reading "Catching Fire: How Cooking Makes us Human" and the author argues that we naturally prefer softer, more digestible foods because our digestive system can extract more energy from it.

That's why we love mashed potato etc. Could be why you prefer the instant oats.

Spanish Eyes

Hi all.

Well, I blended a small amount of my "ordinary" porridge oats last night, and had them this morning.

I did the two times liquid to one times blended oats, and two minutes in the microwave. Hmmmm. A bit gluey I thought. So I started again, the blended oats are a good bit more dense than the quick variety, so I reduced the blended oats and kept the same amount of milk and water. Hey presto.... lovely and creamy. No additives etc.

It took a bit of jiggling to get it right, but I know the consistency to go for now with my trusted measuring jug.

So much cheaper than buying the quick oats.

One thing I would say, do not blitz to a powder, just one or two pulses is all you need with a small amount. - if that's your thing of course!!

Enjoy.

rubadub

eclectichoney wrote: »

I can't understand this whole 'smooth' 'creamy' porridge love-in. Does nobody else out there love really thick, chunky, lumpy, oaty porridge made from unsoaked jumbo oats?

I like texture to it, seems like babyfood otherwise. I also like chunky soups.

Zippidy wrote: »

I am looking to replace weetabix as my breakfast cereal and was thinking of porridge. Is it nice to just eat it with cold milk, like you'd eat weetabix?

Yes, I add a little maple syrup sometimes. Muesli is just oats & nuts etc. You can buy muesli and "dilute" it with more oats.

Have to link to the old oat pancake thread yet again!
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055002535