Level Up Oatmeal With A Canned Staple You Already Have In The Pantry

Oatmeal has long been the quiet backbone of quick breakfasts. It's reliable, humble, and light enough to start the day breezy and uncomplicated. But let's be honest: On its own, oatmeal can be pretty boring. Luckily, it's nothing you can't easily fix, especially when breakfast creativities can be found in canned food. There's one thing in particular that's perfect for your morning routine. Dust off those canned fruits sitting in your pantry, because that's all you need to chase away oatmeal's blandness and turn it from an overlooked routine into something worth looking forward to.

Thanks to the syrupy preserve, canned fruits always come with an intense sweetness that instantly wakes up the oatmeal. Soaked in it are the fruits; their vibrant pops of flavors layer over the mild creaminess and make it more fascinating. If they're peaches or apricots, brace yourself for a bright aroma to delight your senses. Pineapples and mangoes bring tropical paradise right into the breakfast bowl. Leaning slightly on the tart side, you've got cherries and various mixed berries. Better yet, mix a bit of everything for a fruity melody that will make your taste buds sing.

Another great thing about canned fruits is the convenience. No matter the time of the year, the fruits you like are always in season. Unlike fresh fruits, they also don't require any chopping or peeling whatsoever. Just pop open the can, drain away the liquid, and you've got flavor-bursting fruits ready for the oatmeal.

Canned fruits, as it turns out, are no less versatile than fresh fruits when added to oatmeal. While they're good to go straight from the can, you can always give them a quick stir on the pan. For peaches or apricots in particular, browning with warm spices takes the flavors to the next level. That sugary coating gets caramelized to perfection, with burnt notes lacing in between the pronounced sweetness. From there on, you can make peach cobbler oatmeal simply by adding a few baking essentials and letting the oven do the rest.

When you've got a busy day ahead, overnight oats are the answer. With the milk or yogurt base, you can mix in the fruit syrup instead of the usual maple syrup or honey. Add other ingredients like chia seeds, cereal, dried fruits, and chopped nuts for company, and have a quick but no less filling breakfast ready first thing in the morning.

Want to make oatmeal in larger portions? Baking up a warm, toasty batch of fruit crisp is a great idea. Just combine the oatmeal with flour, melted butter, perhaps some spices, and chopped nuts then scatter various canned fruits over it. Fifteen minutes in the oven and the golden-brown crisp is ready to serve. On its own, it's already a phenomenal breakfast. Top it off with ice cream, whipped cream, or even just a drizzle of sweetener, and you've got a dessert-worthy treat.