Oatmeal chocolate chip muffins

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. 22: An earlier version of this oatmeal chocolate chip muffins stated that Bob’s Red Mill was founded in California, it was founded in Oregon. The owners previously owned another mill, Moores’ Flour Mill, based in California. Humans have been digging into breakfast cereals for centuries.

But, it wasn’t until 1856, when Ferdinand Schumacher began chopping and packaging oats in a more consumable way for his fellow Ohioans to eat, that the demand for oatmeal started rapidly growing in the United States, writes Ohio History Central. After several mergers, Schumacher’s company would eventually become Quaker Oats, an enterprise known for turning oatmeal into a breakfast staple. Per The Daily Beast, instant oatmeal can be an unexpected source of sugar — but it can also still be a nutritious option for those who need a quick, warm meal. The good news is most brands now make a wide range of oatmeal styles.

We’ve ranked the top ready-to-cook oatmeal brands from worst to best so that you don’t have to sort through every oatmeal offering on the market. As you’ll see, some choices are a cut above the rest. Better Oats is owned by the consumer brand Post, which also owns such cereals as Raisin Bran and Honeycomb. With more than 18 types of Better Oats, it’s clear the brand is focused on making a warm porridge that everyone will love.

Their variety is appreciated, but the quality is inconsistent across the entire range. Brown Sugar with Protein, for example, have an odd texture. One Better Oats reviewer even described the taste of the added protein pellets as having a thick, wet-paper texture. The Bare version also seems to have some issues clumping up, leaving another Better Oats reviewer to report the style as soup-like.

A redeeming quality is that there’s likely to be one decent flavor with a product range so extensive. It just depends on the what you try. Oatmeal is one of the simple pleasures in life. Many common flavor combinations shine in oatmeal — like apples and cinnamon, for example.