I’ve been having porridge for a while now and I find it really good for stable blood sugars right through to lunch (keeps me full as well). I am a bit lazy and make mine in the microwave (90 secs, stir then another 30secs) – just using half a cup of rolled oats (about 25g carb) and about a cup of trim milk, I like it nice and creamy. Even though I know I shouldn’t I have to have brown sugar with it too, usually about a teaspoon. Mmm.

I’ve not got a recipe per se but I used to eat porridge in France every day for breakfast. I just at it raw with some cold milk and raisins for a bit of flavour!

It isn’t destroy my BGs at all and as Jacqueline said, it keeps you full for hours which is a bonus.

Breakfast is my disaster meal though so I’ve stopped having it. I tested it this morning again after a break of two weeks: 20g of CHO, 5.4 mmol/l and two hours later I was 14.4mmol/L – bummer

Hey Nic – porridge is the bees knees luv. I eat it all the time. I buy the Uncle Toby’s Temptations Wild Berry Sachets – now when you put it in the bowl, you’ll think ‘there is hardly anything to that!’ but once you add milk to microwave it and then add milk again after it’s microwaved, it makes the porridge fuller. And including the added milk, I count a serving as 33g carbs. (I think it’s about 22g in the sachet alone depending on what flavour.)

(We all know how good porridge tastes with brown sugar on top but you don’t need it with these – it’s naturally sweetened with fruit bits and fine as is.)

I find that the sachets are the best because they are measured out perfectly and the carb analysis is already on them so it’s heaps easier to work out rather than measuring out of a normal box of loose oats. Just remember, we are bombarded with images of a full bowl of porridge on tv etc which would add up to about 10 portions (old school) or 100g (nowaday) and that’s way too much porridge for anyone! Even the pic on this page I would look at and count as about 70g – porridge is heavy with carbs so if you do try the sachets and think it doesn’t look like much, it’s all you actually need and quite filling!!!

Anyway, good luck with it and you’ve got me wanting to go make a bowl now. haha

I am the same as Jacqueline, I have about the same amount and am full for ages. Also, don’t crave afternoon tea treats either when I eat porridge in the morning, which is great. I chop up half an apple and mix in cinnamon and cook that in the porridge with about a cup of water in the mircowave. Tasty, yum and relatively low carb for a breakfast meal.

Meant to say that porridge sachets don’t effect my sugars at all, because they are perfectly measured.

Aaron – RAW?!!!! Is that how they do porridge in France?! haha

I LOVE Porridge, eat it all winter and started about a week ago.

I make it in a pot on the stove with milk and NO WATER

Same as Jacqueline, 1/2 cup rolled oats 1 1/4 cup milk, and leave it on the stove quite low….whilst i do my hair and makeup.
I have the timing down pat.
I totally sprinkle soft brown sugar …and sometimes a little cinnamon as well…yummy.

I have taken to using a real whole form of oats…most brands are kind of chopped up these make a traditional porridge.
I can’t remember the brand i buy but all the oats are unbroken, it’s easy to spot the difference in the supermarket. It takes longer to make though, but you get a bowl of porridge with the most delicious texture….well I LOVE it.

I LOVE raw oats also…..put them in my yoghurt…..

I really do love breakfast foods !!!

I love porridge and so do my kids. We buy the budget packets of rolled/ quick cooking oats. I cook it on the hob with milk. I use the packet instructions for a guide but think I do about half a cup of oats and a cup of milk (or maybe a bit more). Put cinnamon and brown sugar on when its cooked – you don’t need much, just a small sprinkle.
Recently read about this one in the healthy food guide:
http://www.healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2007/august/divine-apple-and-spice-porridge/

I use Harroways Scotch Oats, and like Arron breakfast is my nightmare meal – so I have 1/4c raw oats, which I mix with 3/4c cold water, pinch of salt, and a desert spoon of shreeded coconut and nuke, then I put a spoon of yoghurt on it, and eat. If I’m out tramping or going mountain biking immediately after breakfast I might put condensed milk on it!
It’s one of the few breakfasts that doesn’t put me above a 14 – the other one is a single slice of vogels and peanut butter… If I skip breakfast the results are even worse and I get a noisy tummy!

Hi Nic
Porridge is great, though not all are created equal…
Packets & quick cook are great for convenience but are actually quite high GI & can tend to leave you hungry again not too long later.
Best choice: Harraways Traditional Wholegrain Oats
I use them 2 ways:

PORRIDGE – 1/2 c oats, 1 1/4 c cold water, pinch salt
Microwave on high for 4mins, stir, med for 4mins & done!
I add sliced raw almonds & a few raisins, plus little milk (with Protien powder mixed in).

CEREAL – same oats but mix up with lots of yummy other things! For example, I usually add – chopped apricots, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, raisins, sunflower & pumpkin seeds. Easiest way is to mix a batch up in a big bowl, then its all ready to go!

Note on Protein – it really is best to try to add some protein to each meal, esp those with a bigger CHO load. Any protein powder mixed with milk (vanilla prob best though for breaky) will do. The protein tends to help satiety (hunger) levels too & usually helps lower the overall GI of the food too.

I tend to add in little packets of dried kiddie fruit (rasins, currants, apple, apricot) .. and some spicy stuff.. cinnamon, nutmeg etc.

My scottish grandfather would be disgusted in seeing me make porridge like that.

I love porridge, but I (and most diabetics I’ve talked to) find it spikes my blood sugar numbers beyond what I would expect from the carb count.
Apparently it’s good for the heart though!

I think I might invite myself around to breakfast some time – some of those recipes sound great. I normally eat porridge for breakfast in the winter – it makes me too hot in the summer! I use 1/3 cup of oats, generally rolled oats, but if you want to lower the GI even more mix rolled oats and the coarser ones together. I just make it with water in the microwave. I add one chopped up kiwi fruit and three spoonfuls of Yoplait delite or Greek Lite yoghurt. I also have a piece of grainy bread toast and bolus for 50 gm CHO. I haven’t started this year yet, but will shortly. I do love porridge and could actually eat it by the bucketful – but I have learned restraint (she says piously).
The idea of making up a big batch reminds of a story I heard once about someone’s Scottish family – they kept the top drawer in the kitchen for the porridge – made a big batch and poured it into the drawer – it was very thick and it set – so they just cut out a slab every morning. I’m not sure how long it lasted or whether they ate it hot or cold – but I like my cutlery in the top drawer!

Well there what an amazing response to my porridge post! Thanks so much for all your comments and feedback people, I think I have enough recipes and ideas there for every day in winter .

Kathy, as usual you’ve got a story for every occasion. I love the top drawer porridge story!! That’s gotta be a few carbs there.

Awesome comments folks for humble oatmeal. In fact, according to the food reporter in Los Angeles Times Oct 09 who said, “To my mind, oatmeal is the most boring food on Earth. On its own, without nuts or raisins sprinkled in, it’s the equivalent of a blank canvas aching for paint. If you’re into the conceptual, po-mo weirdness of bare walls and dudes sitting at pianos not playing a note, then oatmeal is probably the perfect food for you.”
This was to feature the first ever American Matt Cox to enter the 16th Annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship in Carrbridge, Scotland, which he won. This was his recipie:

Oregon Orchard Oat Brûlée
(recipe courtesy of Matt Cox and Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup steel cut oats, raw
1/2 cup steel cut oats, toasted
2 cups water
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Soak oats in water overnight, covered.
Bring water and oats to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add salt and cream.
Cook 17-18 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, cover and let set while preparing compote.
Makes 2-3 cups.

Pear Compote
1 1/2 cups diced pears (unpeeled), sprinkled with lemon juice
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 tsp. toasted crushed coriander seed
3/4 tsp. cinnamon/sugar mixture (made from ¼ tsp. cinnamon and 3/4 tsp. sugar)
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup dried sweet cherries
1/2 cup Clear Creek Distillery Pear Eau de Vie
3/4 cup granulated sugar for flambe
Finely chopped hazelnuts for garnish

Melt butter over low flame in sauté pan. When butter is just beginning to color, add coriander and let it perfume the butter for a few seconds. Add the pears, and give the pan a shake. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and the salt over the pears and toss again to coat evenly.

Add the cherries and toss to coat. Turn the flame up and pour in the eau de vie. Tilt the pan to catch the gas flame and let the alcohol burn off. Continue to let the compote simmer until the juices begin to caramelize. Add to the oats and mix in gently. Spoon into three small bowls, mounding the tops.

Garnish with granulated sugar. Flambe. Add topping of finely chopped hazelnuts.

Well, what can one say. I think we really mustmeet and have a porridge breakfast with Roy as chief cook. Where shall we meet?

How about the Diabetes Youth conference in Rotorua in August?

Love to come girls. I did do the porridge at a national camp we had in Queenstown in the early nineties. I was doing it for me to start my day, but the dietitian (wonderful person), said to do a llittle more as some of the kids might like to have it even though it was summer. Well! Let me tell you! There was not enough! And the next morning and for the rest of the week I used the biggest pot we had and there was never any left and most mornings we had to scrape the last bowl full out. There were a few hassles of the Oliver and more please kind, which did not help the BGs. Pity I didn’t know about the draw Kathy, I could have made enough for the week in one cook up there was plenty of those.

Hi I am a newbe have t2 have learnt alot just reading your comments what things would one order when going out for dinner or lunch (don’t like spicey or peppery foods ?? I take acv twice a day now cheers clive

I have to say that porridge changed my life! It is great in being slow release, so i don’t get the high blood sugar spikes after eating and it fills me up with no need to snack until lunchtime. It costs a bit more, but I like the sachets as it takes the hassle out of calculating the carbs. My favourite is golden syrup flavour.

For a bit of spice to regular porridge I add some bluebrries or raisins and a little vanilla muller light, so delicious that it’s making me hungry, even though it’s time for bed in the uk………

are you a porridge convert yet?

You’re just coming into porridge season now Rachel, enjoy! I did get into porridge in winter, I loved it in fact. However I think next year I’ll have to make my own because I did find the packets ones spiked my sugars a bit. Enjoy!

Try using cinnamin and logi cane sugar.Use a MnD’s size teaspoon for sugar.Kiwi fruit is also low G.I. If using fruit,y of the sugar.

I caught (???) T1 when I was less than 2 yo, so never got the taste of sweet porridge
With me, the NovoRapid doesn’t work fast enough to get the sugar spike down quickly enough for me to be nice to be around.
I make our porridge by using 1/3 cup porridge and 2/3 cup water, the size of cup depending on how hungry I am, then zapping it in the microwave until it rises to the top of the plate, stop, stir, rezap until it comes up the plate.
I’ve decided, many years ago, that I don’t need the salt, and actually dislike the flavour of milk in porridge, so don’t use them. To cool it down I use stewed fruit sweetened with cyclamate – about 3 dessertspoons.
Porridge like this for breakfast 365 days per year gives me a good start to the day.

I take 1/2 cup of rolled oats put into a bowl pour over boiling water to cover and put a lid on and leave for about 3 mins. I then add chia seeds, protein powder, a small handfull of fruit ( I use blueberries or cranberries) and then a dollop of yoghurt. This is no cooking, delicious, keeps you full and does not affect my sugar levels. I also know the chia seeds, protein powder and yoghurt keep me fuller for longer as good sources of protein.