Just Plain Oatmeal

I was out with my neice Alison a few weeks ago, and we were talking about the fact that all the fast food restaurants have started to serve healthier foods, especially at breakfast. Oatmeal was the topic of conversation. I love oatmeal, always have it in the house, but honestly don't make it more than 6-10 times a year. Not that it's hard, it's just that I'm lazy. You have to take a pot out, boil water, and cook for a few minutes. It is a really good breakfast choice, especially if you don't gunk it up with lots of butter, cream and high calorie toppings. I remember when I was a child, my father would often make us oatmeal for breakfast. It was delicious.

So why don't I like the oatmeal served at Starbucks, Jamba Juice and McDonald's? If it was just plain oatmeal it would be fine, but they have taken it, added brown sugar, dried fruit, nuts and cream. They have turned something that is low in fat, high in fiber and lacking in sugar, into something that can be laden with fat and sugar. Everything doesn't have to taste like an ice cream sundae. Can't oatmeal just taste like oatmeal? The fast food restaurants really want to offer us healthy choices, but I guess they feel no one will buy them if they're not sweet and creamy. The option is that we, as consumers, don't have to add the dried fruits and cream, but let's be honest, if it's there, we're probably going to add it.

Another healthy choice that I have tried from Subway is an eggwhite omelette wrapped in tortilla. I don't know what the calorie count is, but it has no sugar, no fat, some fiber from the tortilla and a little cheese. Egg whites have almost no calories. Now that's what I call a healthy breakfast at a fast food restaurant. By the way, did you know that Subway is now the largest fast food chain, surpassing McDonald's in the number of locations. I think the fact that they have really delivered on their promise of offering healthy food has helped catapult them to the top. Soup, baked chips and apples are just some of the sides they offer, and since you can have your sandwich made any way you want, you can control things like cheese and mayonnaise. Just look what Jared, their spokesperson did, eating Subway.

Fast food restaurants are on the right track, but can't they just keep it simple? Just give us the plain oatmeal. Just give us a plain apple. Don't give us dipping sauces for the apple. Our pallet is so conditioned to large quantities of salt and sugar that we sometimes think natural food tastes bland. It's all just a matter of what we're used to. Let's just try plain oatmeal.