Give Your Breakfast Some Oomph And Add Coffee Creamer To Your Oats

As the bleary winter days drag on and on, the idea of making breakfast early in the morning probably has you feeling a little less-than-inspired. If a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal on a cold winter day is your ideal breakfast, we're right there with you. However, we are aware that oatmeal can be a very boring dish, especially when you are aspiring to make something tasty and peppy to kickstart your day. But there are several tricks when it comes to enhancing the flavor of your oatmeal. 

One way is to cook the oats in milk instead of water. This gives the dish a richer profile from the get-go. Another tip for making the perfect bowl of oatmeal is to add a pinch of salt to pump up the flavor. But there is another little trick that could perk up your early mornings by adding some much-needed oomph to the first meal of your day: Coffee creamer. And not in your coffee. That's right, just add some coffee creamer to your bowl of oatmeal and enjoy the just-right sweetness this unique dish offers.

At first, the thought of combining coffee creamer and oats may not sound very appealing or even plausible. After all — coffee creamer is marketed as having a specific purpose, which is being added to coffee. However, its rich and creamy disposition and slight sweetness make it the perfect pairing with your oatmeal. In addition to this, coffee creamer adds a thick textural element to the oats which can make the dish more hearty and filling. 

This little trick is also versatile. You could experiment with different flavors of coffee creamer depending on your preferences and moods. Hazelnut is a popular choice, as is vanilla, coconut, and when the season is right, even pumpkin spice. Just add 1 or 2 tablespoons of creamer depending on how sweet you would like your oats to be. Be sure to adjust the amount of other milk used accordingly. Coffee creamer can also be included as part of the liquid ingredients for overnight oats, adding a punch of flavor and sweetness, if you prefer your oats cold.

While coffee creamer is certainly a sweet addition to your morning oats, there are other ingredients you could play around with. Hot chocolate mix or cocoa powder will give your oatmeal the chocolate treatment and have you licking the bowl. (Veering into dessert territory.) If you are simply not one for sweeter flavors, however, don't be afraid to go the salty route and enjoy your morning oats with butter and a dash of salt. Even crumbled bacon can be added to the mix (which tastes amazing with maple syrup if you want to balance sweet and salty).

Flavored syrups work similarly to flavored coffee creamer if you're looking to change up the profile of your oatmeal. Or, if you're making chai-spiced overnight oats try infusing the mixture with teabags. Armed with these tasty ideas, go forth and enjoy your morning oats with extra oomph.