Corn Flakes or Porridge for Breakfast?

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

Newbie here -- needs advice. For the ultimate in Simplicity, Frugality, and Mobility, which is better for breakfast: corn flakes or oatmeal?

They are both available in generic, store brands. But it's hard to compare cost, since you must settle on which basis: per ounce or per cup.

Corn Flakes is hostile to the ultimate in downsizing, since it is bullky. Oatmeal is more dense.

Neither requires refrigeration. But if you put milk on the corn flakes, the milk requires refrigeration. But oatmeal requires cooking, and therefore, fuel.

Both would benefit from supplemental flavor enhancers such as nuts and fruits, gathered from the forest.

Maybe someone knows about the comparative gluten content, or whether they are available as organics.

Both products have a long shelf life. For the ultimate in Frugality, you could buy either at Costco in bulk, and perhaps store them in an insulated storage pod on the bumper or the roof.

And by the way, Happy April 1st.

 

[MrNoodly]

Don't forget water to make oatmeal.

But don't get so deep into ultimate downsizing that you don't allow yourself some variety. Have some of both on hand.

I have some oatmeal, raisins and cinnamon, but I also have a canister with a mixture of store brand Rice Chex and Honey Bunches of Oats. When I'm out of milk I go with the oatmeal, which I cook until the oats are barely soft. I like 'em chewy. Some days I just have toast and peanut butter, or leftovers.

 

[B and C]

Cornflakes will crumble on the road, oatmeal, not so much. When it crumbles, there is space savings at that point.

"...gathered from the forest". This stuff don't grow year around.

Fuel vs. milk. One provides heat (for cool weather) and the other provides nutrition and tastes good. Others will chime in about milk alternatives (not for me) that don't require refrigeration.

Personally, I think there is pennies difference.

Eating like this it would be wise to add supplemental vitamins.

 

[ByeBye]

I know this is 'cheap' rv living and not 'healthy' rv living but the less processed foods are generally better for you. Non-GMO and/organic are next level, imo.
According to a google search: "Pure oats and pure oatmeal do not contain gluten. However, most oatmeal brands on the market today are not pure—they contain oats that have been cross-contaminated with a tiny amount of wheat, barley, and/or rye"

 

[maki2]

Do it seasonally. Cornflakes for the hot weather.

Make oatmeal on cold mornings, the heat used to cook it becomes heat to warm up your RV in the morning. Plus hot food in your tummy also makes you feel warm. Sometimes in the winter I have it for breakfast and for dinner too. I like it with condensed milk, it makes it extra rich tasting.

But you should also be looking at how much protein you are getting for breakfast as that is the most important meal of the day. You need good, long lasting energy from that meal.

Eggs are one of the best breakfast foods as they give you long lasting energy and curb your hunger for many more hours than cereal will. That means you don't run out of energy mid morning and have to resort to a snack.

Some peanut butter or a handful of peanuts or other nuts is another good choice for breakfast. The fats and proteins in peanut butter and other nut butters are also long lasting and keep you from feeling hungry. Some nuts with raisins or other dried fruits is an easy breakfast with no cooking or refrigeration required.

So break out of the must eat cereal for breakfast routine because there are better breakfast foods that are economical because of their ability to give you better fuel for your body. It is not about cost pound per pound, it is about nutritional power production and hunger satisfaction. Foods that cost more per pound might end up saving you grocery money versus spending your money on high carbohydrate foods.

 

[MrNoodly]

...breakfast as that is the most important meal of the day.

If you're going to be doing manual labor or some other highly physical activity all morning.

 

[Allan1958]

HappyApril 1st to you too KaBLoonie. haha

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

B and C, hey, I completely overlooked your point that the big negative of corn flakes -- bulkiness -- will gradually go away, especially on the roads I choose. Then one could re-consolidate two or three boxes into one.

Also, I overlooked the point that the "milk" for corn flakes could be powdered milk, thereby taking refrigeration out of the equations. Of course, it would still take water.

And once again, have a nice 01 April...

 

[AMGS3]

Also, it is possible to make "overnight oats" without the need for cooking at all, as long as you don't use the steel-cut type. The web is ripe with blog posts about the subject and a wide variety of recipes to switch up the flavor. I even saw a backpacking recipes blog post on the subject but cannot seem to locate it for the link right now.

~angie

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[RoamerRV428]

cornflakes aren't bulky. just take out of the box, crush the heck out of those flakes and you have a bag of chip dust. Easy storage.

The oatmeal is basically already the results of what you can do above to corn flakes.

Now your corn flakes and oatmeal are equal in space usage. NOW WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?

the prep? milk for one, fuel for the other. BOTH can be eaten dry and no use of milk or fuel....I solved the troubles of the cornflakes or oatmeal for you? Where do I send my bill and when can I expect payment from you?

 

[RVTravel]

1 packet oatmeal plus a half cup of bran flakes...add water...eat cold.

 

[Trebor English]

Both corn flakes and oatmeal do terrible things to my blood sugar.  I usually have an egg, cooked with fuel.

 

[BelgianPup]

Don't obsess.

 

[maki2]

if you read back this thread was meant to be an April Fools joke. So that means if someone is obsessing the joke worked! Of course people telling people not to obsess is also part of the joke

 

[ckelly78z]

I choose granola eaten with yogurt, or possibly raisin bran. If you have to worry about the size, cost, and efficiency of each bite you put in your mouth, you may want to rethink your budget a bit. I love variety.

 

[RoamerRV428]

heck I am still waiting for a check in the mail for my answer that solves this problem....pay up!

 

[dawnann7]

Hilarious. I totally missed that it was posted on April 1.

But here's my two bits' worth anyway. I love the oatmeal packets and will add a handful of raisins to the Maple & Brown Sugar flavour. I know there is sugar and added flavours and what-not but it makes me feel good in the morning. I have done it with just plain room temp water from time to time in a pinch. You just need to let it sit for a few minutes.