It's almost a cliche to say we should all be eating lots of oats. Of course, the cliche is true, but working out exactly how to get oats into nursery meals can be another matter entirely. There's porridge (perhaps the healthiest breakfast going), and flapjacks (though they're unavoidably stuffed with sugar and fat), but what else can we serve?
It's worth thinking about, because eating oats regularly must be one of the most universally accepted tenets of a modern healthy diet, for people of all ages. And, as with any food, if children are used to eating oats when they are young, they are more likely to continue to like them in years to come.
There is concern that, unlike with previous generations, so many people now tend to eat packaged cereals rather than porridge for breakfast, even in winter, despite the low nutritional content and very high sugar and salt levels of most packet cereals. One extremely beneficial thing that anyone who feeds children could do is to learn how to make really delicious porridge and then serve it daily, or at least in colder weather (see the recipe below).
Of course, some ready-made cereals are based on oats, but not all of them can be recommended. For example, we should be wary of 'granola' types, which, although often high in oats, are also usually very high in sticky sugars, and thus a disaster for teeth, weight and the pancreas. It's essential to read the label: if there's more than 5 per cent in total of the various kinds of sugars listed, put the packet back on the shelf. (Remember that honey, concentrated fruit juice, glucose, fructose and so on are all chiefly sugar.) The same advice applies to muesli-type cereals, which can be very high in added sugar.
Oat bars and such are best avoided too, as they are invariably stuffed with fat and sugar and present a particular risk to teeth. This is because when we chew foods that are both sugary and crunchy/sticky, the sugar gets pushed firmly into all the small crevices around the teeth, where it adheres.
WHY EAT OATS?
Because they retain their bran and their germ during processing, oats have all the benefits of 'whole grain' foods. In fact, oats are the most beneficial of all grains. For example:
- - They are rich in protein-building amino acids, beneficial fat and soluble fibre, and have an array of minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron.
- - Their range of B vitamins includes niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and, especially, biotin. B vitamins feed the nervous system and brain and help keep us calm.
- - Their folate helps maintain healthy red blood cells.
- - Their fibre helps keep the digestive system working smoothly.
- - They contain vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, which helps maintain healthy cells throughout the body and brain.
- - Energy from oats is absorbed slowly, which helps maintain stable blood sugar levels; oats are therefore useful in diabetic diets.
- - The slow-release of energy gives longer-lasting feelings of fullness and aids concentration.
- - Eating any wholegrain food regularly is associated with lower rates of several chronic illnesses such as stroke, some cancers, heart disease and diabetes.
For all these reasons, we're advised to eat oats often. At least one portion a day would be excellent planning.
RECIPES
Regular oats (organic if possible) are easier for young children to eat than jumbo oats.
Favourite porridge
Make an all-milk porridge, adding a dribble of honey, a speck of salt, a few sultanas and plenty of very thin banana slices. Stir continuously over low heat until well cooked, adding more milk as needed to get a soft, creamy consistency. When done, add a generous amount of (unsweetened) evaporated milk for a luscious creamy taste and extra calcium. (The best tasting porridge of all is made a day in advance).
Nursery muesli
Mix rolled oats with some Weetabix flakes, crushed shredded wheat, dried fruit, chopped banana, apple and a few red grapes. Perhaps add poppy seeds, sesame seeds and linseeds. Serve with plain yoghurt, apple juice and milk. Vary the fruit with the seasons: a summer-time muesli with sliced strawberries, nectarines and black currants is virtually a dessert!
Savoury mince crumble 
12-14 servings
500g lean minced beef; 1 large onion, chopped; splash of olive oil; 3tblsp Worcester sauce; 75g butter; 125g oatmeal; 75g rolled oats; 75g mature Cheddar, grated; black pepper
- - Cook the onion slowly in the olive oil and a spoonful of water in a large pan for about ten minutes or until beginning to soften. Mix in the mince and fry for five minutes.
- - Add the Worcester sauce, 100ml water and a little pepper, and cook for another five minutes, covered. Transfer to a shallow ovenproof serving dish.
- - Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in the oats and cheese; season lightly.
- - Sprinkle over the mince. Bake at gas mark 6, 200 degsC, for 20 to 25 minutes.
Variation: add peas or frozen mixed vegetable pieces to the meat mixture.
Baked peppers with oaty nut stuffing 
12-16 servings
4 red/orange peppers; 1tblsp oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 75g ground nuts (such as almonds or hazelnuts), lightly toasted; pinch basil; 100g rolled oats; black pepper
- - Cut the tops off the peppers to make lids, scoop out the seeds, then stand upright in a small roasting tin.
- - Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the onions gently for ten to 12 minutes or until softened.
- - Add the nuts, basil and oats and season. Cook for two minutes.
- - Spoon the stuffing into the peppers and put on the lids. Bake 30 minutes at gas mark 6, 200 degsC or until softened.
- - Serve the peppers whole in a serving dish so the children can see them being opened and the filling revealed.
Variation: mix some chopped, cooked bacon into the stuffing.
Vegetable and cottage cheese croquettes 
16 servings
600g floury potatoes (for example, Maris Piper); 150 carrots, cut into 1/2 cm dice; 50g peas; 100g cottage cheese; 75g medium oatmeal; oil for shallow frying; black pepper
- - Cut the potatoes into chunks and put into a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about ten minutes or until done; drain and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, boil the carrots and peas until just done, about four minutes; drain and run under cold water.
- - Mash the potatoes, mix in the cottage cheese and vegetables and season with black pepper and a speck of salt. Mould the mixture into 16 cylinder shapes.
- - Sprinkle the oatmeal on to a large flat plate. Roll each croquette in it to coat evenly.
- - Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the croquettes for five minutes, turning once or twice until golden.
- - Serve with a green salad and tomato sauce or ketchup.
Variation: use mixed, diced vegetables instead of peas and carrots
Raspberry mess
Plain yoghurt; creme fraiche; unsweetened oatmeal biscuits; ginger biscuits; raspberries.
- - Beat the creme fraiche into the yoghurt. Crumble the biscuits into the bowl in good-sized pieces, then stir in the raspberries. Pile up in a serving bowl. Save a few raspberries for scattering on top. Doing this in advance will soften the biscuits; doing it at the last moment will make a crunchier pudding.
Banana yoghurt pudding
Put sliced bananas into a serving bowl. Mix in a little lemon juice, honey and medium oatmeal. Cover with plain yoghurt. Scatter oatmeal over the top.
Variation: In summer, pour the yoghurt on top of strawberries and peaches mixed with orange juice.
Cheesecake base
Melt together 50g butter, 40g honey and 150g rolled oats. Press into a round 20cm tin.
Fruit crumble topping
For 500g fruit, rub/lightly process 90g of medium oatmeal and 50g of sugar into 30g of butter.
OTHER OATY IDEAS
- - Unsugared oat biscuits make healthy snacks. Top the biscuits with curd cheese or a hard cheese and then with salad items such as sliced tomato, cucumber sticks, sprigs of cress, cooked beetroot, chopped chives etc, or with fruit. Sliced grapes or apple go well with Cheddar.
- - Use oat biscuits for dipping.
- - Fine or medium oatmeal can replace flour in some recipes.
- - Oat bran can thicken stews.
- - Try coating pieces of mackerel, salmon or herring with pinhead oatmeal and fry. Rubbing a little mustard on to the fish first adds good flavour.
