7 Ways to Make Leftover Oatmeal a Lot More Exciting

You resolved to eat more whole grains (and to eat breakfast). So you went out and bought the oats, reminded yourself of the proportion of water to grains, and made a huge batch of oatmeal to last you through the week. But now you've got a pot full of oats, and you're already a little tired of mush. Don't let them go to waste—instead, put your cold, cooked oatmeal to good use:

• Fry them into little oatcakes! If needed, add a bit of flour to thicken—and any other add-ins you'd like (Sam1148 suggests scallions)—form into patties, and pan-fry.
• Or add a couple of scoops of the cooked oatmeal to baked goods, like muffins, quick breads, rolls, or even pancakes or waffles.
• Use cooked oats to add heft to a burger, meatloaf, or meatballs.
• Add a spoonful or two to a smoothie! They'll add a little staying power (and the fact that they're already cooked means they won't feel dusty or grainy).
• If it's sweet oatmeal that you're tired of, simply turn it savory, risotto-style. Add cooked vegetables or meat, miso, a fried egg, a little hot sauce, cheese...
• Add cooked oats to a soup, just as you would rice.
• Bake it! It will transform into something more like cake, and less like oatmeal (and you can still eat it for breakfast).

How do you use up a few spoonfuls—or a few bowlfuls—of leftover oats? Share your wisdom in the comments.