This Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board takes wholesome oatmeal and adds an array of delicious toppings for a creative, customized breakfast everyone will love.
Sorry, Randy! Oatmeal is the BEST
Y’all. This is so silly, but eating oatmeal makes me think of that scene in A Christmas Story where the little brother is… less-than thrilled about his breakfast. It makes me laugh so hard.
But I also gotta say, sorry, Randy! Oatmeal is the BEST. Not only is it delicious, it packs a huge punch in the nutrition department as a great source of whole grains and fiber. It lights up faces while filling up bellies with energy that will last all morning. Can’t beat that! Which is why we’re obsessed with this Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board. One, because we’ve already established oatmeal is the best. And two, I love offering my family a DIY breakfast. It gives them the opportunity to customize their food and take part, even in some small way, in preparing it. It’s also super flexible. Oatmeal is so versatile, the topping possibilities are really endless.
I listed a ton of options in the recipe card from fresh fruits and nuts to chia seeds and chocolate chips. Here are some of our favorites:
- fresh berries
- almonds
- dried cranberries
- pecan bits
- walnuts
- peanut butter
- chocolate chips
- honey
- maple syrup
- dried cranberries
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
You know your family best, so build your board around family favorites (and maybe even a few new ones!). You’ll be surprised at what they put together!
How to Make a Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board
To make the board, first, cook the oatmeal in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Check out my basics post: How to Make Steel Cut Oatmeal for instructions and my best tips for make the best pot of creamy, delicious steel cut oatmeal. You’ll need a bit of time (about 40 minutes for Instant Pot and 25-30 minutes on the stove), so plan accordingly. You could also make regular oatmeal, if that’s what your crew prefers.
While the oatmeal is cooking, wash and prep all of the fruit and chop any other toppings. Make sure to cut larger fruit (like apples and bananas) into bite-sized pieces for easy eating. Then fill small serving bowls with all of the toppings and arrange them on the board. I made this one on our 24×18 walnut wood board. Work with what you’ve got though. This board is very flexible.
Once you have all of the toppings on the board, place the warm oatmeal in a pot on the board. Quick tip: if you’re serving it in the same pot you cooked it in, make sure you put a hot pad underneath it to protect the board and some potholders nearby so people don’t burn themselves when scooping out their oatmeal. I like to serve mine in these cute mini mason jars so each person can make more than one oatmeal creation if they want to. Finally, serve and enjoy making delicious oatmeal magic together.
Killer Combos to Try!
Hot or cold, dressed up oatmeal is anything but boring. There are so many classic and creative topping combinations. First, start with a half cup of cooked oatmeal and then add toppings to make one of these yummy concoctions:
- Apple Pie in the Sky: walnuts, diced apples, honey, sprinkle of cinnamon
- Berry Nutty Professor: mixed berries, toasted coconut chips, pistachios, brown sugar
- The King: peanut butter, banana slices, chocolate chips, drizzle of honey
- Out-of-a-Jam: diced dried apricots, sliced almonds, blackberries, dollop of raspberry jam
- Power Keg: sliced strawberries, yogurt, chia seeds
- The Sweetheart: dried cranberries, pecan pieces, maple syrup, brown sugar
More Breakfast Boards
Make breakfast, brunch or brinner grand with an awesome build-your-own breakfast board. There’s so much inspiration you can get from my Breakfast Boards Galore round- up!
If you make this Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board and post a pic to social, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share.
xoxo,
Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8+
Description
This Top-Your-Own Oatmeal Board takes wholesome oatmeal and adds an array of delicious toppings for a creative, customized breakfast everyone will love.
Ingredients
- Steel cut oats or regular oats
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 2 bananas, sliced
- ½ a Honeycrisp apple, diced
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup yogurt
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons jam or fruit spread
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ⅓ cup toasted coconut chips
- ⅓ cup chopped dried apricots
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup candied walnuts
- ⅓ cup toasted pecan pieces
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons crushed pistachios
- ½ cup granola
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare the oatmeal in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Reference my How to Make Steel Cut Oatmeal post for instructions.
- While the oatmeal is cooking, wash and prep all of the fruits. Chop any other toppings, if needed.
- Fill small serving bowls with toppings and arrange them on the board, reserving space for the pot of cooked oatmeal.
- Place the warm oatmeal in pot on the board. If you’re using the same pot the oatmeal was cooked in, but a hot pad underneath it to protect the board and potholders beside it so that people don’t burn themselves scooping their oatmeal.
- Serve and let each person build their own oatmeal creation. Enjoy!
