Hack Your Oatmeal For An Elevated PB&J Style Breakfast

When you roll out of bed, one of the first decisions of the day is often choosing what you want to eat for breakfast. While there's no shame in crowding your plate with a stack of syrup-laden pancakes, scarfing down a pile of crispy bacon, or enjoying a colossal bowl of colorful cereal, a more moderate meal can be an equally satisfying way to jumpstart your morning.

One of the healthiest breakfast foods is oatmeal. Whether you're taking the time to boil a batch of steel-cut grains, or opting for a faster method with either instant oats or quick oats, you're filling your body with a veritable superfood, one that is packed with fiber, essential vitamins, and even a surprising amount of protein.

But before you beeline for the oat aisle, you should be conscious of the fact that eating bland, mushy, and beige oatmeal every morning is probably not sustainable. For a healthy eating plan to work, you have to temper your nutritional ambitions and find a diet that won't cause you to lose motivation. Fortunately, while plain oatmeal is a relatively boring breakfast, there's a seemingly endless supply of different toppings to choose from across the sweet and salty spectrum. If you're looking to bring these two flavor profiles together, PB&J-style oatmeal is certainly an inspired iteration.

There are many mistakes you need to avoid with oatmeal, but there may be no faux pas greater than failing to expand your oatmeal palate. That doesn't only mean that you need to bring bold spices to your breakfast, as with chai spice overnight oats. The nostalgic combination of peanut butter and jelly is a familiar flavor that is almost universally appealing, with the exception of those who have allergies or other dietary restrictions, and it translates perfectly in PB&J oatmeal.

By swirling your oats with peanut butter, you can improve its taste and texture, and also add an extra boost of protein. Jelly lends a hint of sweetness to your breakfast, making oatmeal a possible option for those who have grown accustomed to syrups and sugar cereals. The best way to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches involves coating both pieces of bread with peanut butter, therefore creating a layer of protection against the jelly's moisture, but there has not yet been a set of best practices established regarding the best way to make PB&J oatmeal.

A recipe for PB&J oatmeal doesn't have to be very complicated. After all, the three primary ingredients are literally in the name. Nevertheless, if you want a breakfast that can excite you post-slumber, there is no shortage of takes on this seemingly straightforward dish.

Bon Appétit's recipe is designed to effectively replicate the flavor of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich by introducing a bit of brown sugar, meant to provide the subtly sweet flavor of bread. Additionally, the strawberry rhubarb jam in this recipe is used as an accoutrement, only plopped onto your oats when they're ready to be served. TikTok's @beaheaton goes in a berry sweet direction with her version, topping her bowl with a fresh fruit raspberry jam she whipped up in the microwave. In a similar fashion, @nomeatfastfeet makes their oatmeal entirely in the microwave (but with blueberry jelly). Meanwhile, user @tracesoats ups the nutritional profile of his oats by adding a scoop of protein powder.

National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, a celebration of the beloved childhood sandwich, falls on April 2. A PB&J oatmeal could be the perfect food to kick off the festivities.