Breakfast

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? So finding a really good, easy, cheap and nutritious breakfast has to be one of the best ways to live well for less.

One of my favourites has always been oatmeal. Oatmeal reputedly has many health benefits. It can lower blood cholesterol, because of its soluble fibre content. It is high in complex carbohydrates which help to stabilize blood-glucose levels and it contains more B vitamins and calories than most other grains. You can eat it as porridge, granola or muesli, to name just the obvious.

When I make porridge I usually use whole rolled oats. They really don't take all that long to cook. Just use about 2 1/2 - 3 times the amount of boiling water (by volume) as oats, boil for one minute and simmer for about 15.

Another oatmeal breakfast that has become a great favourite in my family is homemade muesli. To make this I usually use quick (not instant!) oats. These are just rolled oats that have been ground up a bit so that they will cook faster. It also makes them a little more digestible when eaten raw.

You can just add milk and any sweetener you choose; honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. Let it sit for a few minutes and then eat. To make it more interesting (and nutritious) you can add fresh seasonal fruit or raisins. This is the most basic recipe, very cheap as oats can usually be purchased for $2-$3 per kilo and there is no added corn syrup, salt or saturated fat

I make a blend that is bit more interesting by mixing about (by weight) 2 parts raw oats to one part each of trail mix and granola. I make this in batches and store in a container with a lid. If you don’t have a scale, bear in mind that the oats are very light compared to the trail-mix, so about 4 cups oats, 2 cups granola, one cup trail mix. Or you can just experiment until you find a ratio that you like. I also usually add some brewers yeast, wheat germ and ground flax seed. This is entirely optional but a good way of getting some extra nutrients into your diet. 

Top it all off with home-made kefir and you have an extremely nutritious and delicious breakfast. It also works out cheaper than any commercial brand of muesli and (if you make your own trail mix and granola) has no added corn syrup, salt or saturated fat.


Granola and trail-mix are both quite easy (and cheap) to make at home too but I will save those for another day. Top it all off with kefir, buttermilk or yoghurt and you have an extremely nutritious and delicious breakfast.