McCann's Maple and Brown Sugar Instant Irish Oatmeal

November 22, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

McCann Price: $2.99, 10 packets (cheap!)
Serving: 1 packet, 3oz.
I make mine with half a cup of skim milk, this is reflected in the nutrition information below
Calories: 200 per serving
Fat: 3%, 2g
Cholesterol: 0%, 0mg
Sodium: 13%, 312mg
Protein: 11g
Carbohydrates: 13%, 38g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Sugar: 13g
Weight Watchers Points: 4 Points

McCann says: Made with All Natural Flavors

Abi says: The best microwave oatmeal ever. Ever. I buy this stuff at Trader Joe’s and fall into a deep depression whenever a cold morning rolls around and I have neither McCann’s instant oatmeal nor coffee. You don’t want to see me on mornings like that. You should feel sorry for George on mornings like that.

This oatmeal is sweet, but does not taste ultra-sugary even though it contains exactly the same amount of sugar as just about every other oatmeal on the market. Seriously, it is about 1/4 sugar, which is why I’ve knocked it down to four stars. Yeah, the deliciously perfect for oatmeal flavors of Maple and Brown Sugar translate to sugar and sugar, but don’t think about that too much and you’ll be okay.

Another reason why this is not a five star item? The milk requirement. I suppose that I probably could make this oatmeal with water, but contrary to the front of the box, the back of the package (where the cooking instructions reside) recommends making it with milk. So I make it with milk. This keeps the oatmeal firmly in ‘at home’ territory. Milk is not office friendly, not just because you shouldn’t be using a half cup of the milk expressly for coffee for your oatmeal, but because there’s something a little sketchy about community milk. It just hangs out in the fridge all day collecting off flavors from coworkers’ leftovers. And who knows how long that pad thai’s been sitting on the shelf.

comments

8 Responses to “McCann's Maple and Brown Sugar Instant Irish Oatmeal”

mbnh31782 on November 23rd, 2007

you could always buy the little pints of milk for just what you need, use half for the oatmeal, and then use the other half to drink or whatever. Bring it to work just as you would a lunch.
Crow on November 23rd, 2007

Better sugar than high fructose corn syrup.
Jeri on November 24th, 2007

The milk dilemma is why I favor the “fruit & cream” oatmeals. McCann’s makes them, but I’ve only seen them on Amazon, where you’re obliged to buy by the case. But there are worse things than an overabundance of oatmeal.
Abi Jones on November 24th, 2007

@mbnh31782 - I’d do that if I could find small containers of milk. Just like fast food restaurants calling a 22 ounce soda a ‘Medium’, grocery stores aren’t carrying adorable and small containers of milk. The smallest I could find was the horridly-named ‘Chug’.

@Crow - Quaker Oats regular Maple and Brown sugar oatmeal doesn’t use HFCS either. But it does use ‘artificial flavors’ of course, ‘natural flavors’ could be made of anything too so I don’t know why I even bother thinking about it.

@Jeri - The prospect of 6 boxes of the same type of oatmeal has definitely got me thinking twice about ordering from Amazon.
Julie on November 24th, 2007

Abi thanks for the chocolate chips in oatmeal idea from the previous review. (the Smart Ones Muffin review).
I have zero clue why I never thought that up before. I’m not a big fan of oatmeal but the chocolate might help me give up my addiction to Lucky Charm’s et. al.
MaryAnne on November 28th, 2007

Abi,
I second the thank you for the chocolate chip idea. I love oatmeal as it is but I added about 5 or 6 chocolate chips to my apple cinnamon oatmeal (sounds like an odd combo, but it’s delicious) and my mouth was in heaven. Yum yum!
Ann on February 21st, 2008

If you like this oatmeal, you should try Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal. It is really great and has less sugar, too. They have Cinnamon, Banana Bread and Maple Brown Sugar.
danakscully64 on March 22nd, 2008

This Oatmeal is one of my favs!