• 3 cups quick oats
• salt
• sugar or Splenda
• cinnamon
• dried apples, chopped
• 8 quart size zipper freezer bags

Put 1/2 cup oats in a blender and whirl at high speed until powdery; reserve in a small bowl and repeat with another 1/2 cup of oats. If you are using a food processor you can process the 1cup of oats in one motion.

Into each bag put 1/4 cup unpowdered oats, 2 tablespoons powdered oats, a scant 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar or Splenda, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons chopped dried apples.

To serve, empty bag into a bowl (don’t forget to rinse and reuse!). add 3/4 cup boiling water; stir and let stand for two minutes. Use less or more water according to taste.

Makes 8 packets (for maximum nutrition, I keep my packets in my freezer)

Some may argue that it’s just as easy to make quick oats and add the fruit and flavoring to it. Yeah, I suppose, but I’m not a morning person, nor am I always around when the kids demand oatmeal, so making it up ahead and storing it makes life easier in this household.