Can You Cook Oatmeal in a Rice Cooker?

On a cold winter’s morning, there is absolutely no breakfast that can beat a bowl of steaming hot, creamy oatmeal. But, on a cold winter’s morning, who wants to get up at the crack of dawn to stand over the stove and cook that wonderful oatmeal for breakfast? Not me!

If you have a rice cooker, it solves this problem. And not only can you cook oatmeal in a rice cooker, but your oatmeal will be super-delicious and extra creamy. An added bonus is that it is so incredibly easy to cook oatmeal in a rice cooker, that you will never want to do it any other way.

A rice cooker is a fairly new invention, and initially, of course, the idea was that it would be used to cook rice. But people soon discovered that it is actually so much more than just a rice cooker. 

My rice cooker has become one of my most-used appliances. In fact, I don’t even pack it away once I’ve finished using it and I’ve cleaned it properly because I know that I will be using it again very soon. 

I use it so often that my rice cooker has a permanent home, tucked away neatly in a corner of my kitchen counter. Like this, it is easily accessible and I use it on an almost daily basis. It has truly simplified my life.

Now that I have learned that I can cook oatmeal in a rice cooker, my family sits down to a nourishing, delicious hot breakfast every day, with minimal effort on my part. And I don’t have to sacrifice any of my precious sleep time in order to prepare it.

Related Reading: How to Cook Quinoa in Aroma Rice Cooker

Is Oatmeal Good For You?

Oats are made up of grain. This grain is one of the healthiest grains available. It is gluten-free, which is important for people who are gluten-intolerant, and oats are filled with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other valuable elements.

There are many health benefits associated with eating oatmeal. Oats are highly nutritious, containing many of our most essential daily nutritional requirements.

• Carbohydrates– carbs as they are affectionately known – are an essential part of our daily diet. Many people think that carbs are bad for you and should be avoided. 

This is not true. We need a certain amount of carbohydrates in order to keep our blood sugar levels stable. Oatmeal contains ‘good carbs’, i.e. carbs that take a long time to digest, keeping you feeling full for longer, and keeping your blood glucose at a healthy level.

• Fiber –  Fiber is necessary for maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Our bodies need a certain amount of fiber every day in order to keep our digestive system functioning effectively. Fiber helps to keep you regular and prevents constipation.
• Vitamins – Oats contain numerous vitamins, the most important ones being vitamins B1, B3, B5, and B6. These vitamins all perform essential functions, and we need to eat foods that will supply them. A deficiency in any of these vitamins can cause you to feel quite ill and have serious consequences.
• Minerals – oats are a rich source of minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, along with a few others. Minerals such as iron are vital to our bodies. If you do not eat enough iron-rich foods, it could cause problems with your blood and you may become anemic. 
• Protein– even though oats are essentially classified as carbs, they also contain significant levels of protein. Their protein content is higher than that of any other grain, making oatmeal an excellent choice for breakfast. 
• Oats can help to lower cholesterol levels.

One of the knock-on effects of our frenetic, high-pressure lifestyle these days is elevated cholesterol levels. High LDL, or so-called ‘bad cholesterol, is caused by poor diet choices, a lack of exercise, and severe stress. It is a known cause of heart disease. 

A daily serving of oatmeal helps to break down the LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.

How Can You Cook Oatmeal In A Rice Cooker?

Cooking oatmeal in a rice cooker is so easy that anyone can do it. I like to prepare everything the night before, so all I need to do in the morning is put it in the rice cooker and turn it on. The oatmeal basically cooks itself, freeing me for the rest of my morning routine, and getting the kids up and ready for school.

Once everyone is up and dressed, the oatmeal is usually ready, and we can sit down to a super-nourishing breakfast that keeps us going all morning. 

Follow these simple steps to cooking your oatmeal in a rice cooker.

1. Place 1 cup of rolled oats in the rice cooker.
2. Add 2 cups of water. If you like your oats to be very creamy, you can substitute half of the water with milk.
3. Add a little salt, according to your personal taste.
4. Cover with the lid and close securely.
5. Set the rice cooker to the ‘Porridge’ setting and switch it on. If your particular rice cooker does not have a Porridge setting, you should select the ‘White rice’ setting.
6. Leave the oats to cook. This is my best part. While breakfast is cooking itself, I am getting ready for my day, and helping the kids to get ready.
7. When the oatmeal is ready, the rice cooker will automatically switch to ‘Warm’ mode. You can now take it out and spoon it into serving bowls. 
8. A scrumptious little extra touch: sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon over each bowl of steaming oatmeal. It gives it a bit more of an interesting twist and fills the house with a wonderful, aromatic fragrance.  
9. Place the bowls on the table, and shout ‘Breakfast is ready!’
10. Tuck in and fill those hungry bellies.

If anyone asks you if you can cook oatmeal in a rice cooker, you will now be able to tell them that you most certainly can.

Related Reading: How to Make Oatmeal Last?

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