Can Granola Still Be Considered a Bowl of Oatmeal? (What are YOUR Ways to Rationalize Unhealthy Food Choices?)

Hey Everyone,

This is just a light, fluffy thread to kick off what will hopefully be a good Sunday for everybody.

I usually have 2 eggs for breakfast for the protein and low carb count, but every now and then... I just have to break free and curb my alternative breakfast cravings. A few days ago, I really wanted a giant bowl of granola -- but not the healthy homemade kind I've always wanted to try experimenting with.

Rather, I was happily greeted by a ginormous bag of Quaker granola with all the fixings (brown sugar, sliced almonds, and hopefully ample amounts of raisins) begging for my attention -- even though it probably has about as much sugar as a bowl of Halloween candy (especially since I knew I wouldn't have just one "recommended serving size.")

Fortunately, we humans are experts at rationalizing our behavior, and so I told myself, "Well, granola is made of oats, so I could pretty much call this a bowl of oatmeal -- and oatmeal is healthy!!"

The nutritionally-savvy members of the audience will recognize that this is almost the equivalent of declaring French fries a "vegetable." But alas. It seemed to work at the time. And of course, oatmeal can be made just as unhealthy if mixed with vast amounts of sugar and sugar-laden things, and I knew if I went to the trouble of making real oatmeal, I wouldn't make it quite so dangerous -- but it also wouldn't taste nearly as good!

And so I must ask our intrepid CC community:

* Can a Bowl of Granola Still Be Counted as Nutritionally Worthy as a Bowl of Oatmeal?!

* In other words... What are some of the ways you justify foods you know aren't healthy to "count" as something that is? (Does a vegetable that's been battered and fried still count as a vegetable?!)

* How do YOU tell yourself something unhealthy just might be able to squeak past the "laws of nutrition"?

Just for fun, I'm going to write a poll asking what mix-in's are considered acceptable -- or not -- when it comes to oatmeal, granola, and granola bars. You'll be able to choose as many answers as you'd like, and people will be able to see what you picked (no hiding behind a curtain this time for such a controversial subject!)

I'm looking forward to seeing how others also rationalize their own food choices -- and who knows, I might pick up some new humorous ways to do so myself!

I claim musli. Some people call it overnight oats. Milk, mashed banana, honey, oats, mixed and put in the fridge overnight. That counts as oatmeal.

And fried okra counts as a vegetable. I know what I said about boiled okra in that other thread, but fried okra the way my grandma fried it is a treat for the gods.

100% Old Fashioned Oats (none of that quick cooking stuff).
Chia seeds
Epicure cranapple cinnamon mix (3g sugar)
Cinnamon
Splash of almond milk

I just finished a bowl of this pecan and cinnamon granola with chopped up dates in it, which is slightly healthy I think? Hopefully? 3rd bowl today 😂

Sometimes I'll mix my granola with some yogurt... sometimes!

What, no honey as a sub for sugar? Sad face.

The poll feature only allows for a certain number of answers and I usually use them all up, so that's exactly why I'm always hoping people will mention other choices/answers in their posts.

Honey is an excellent suggestion! Thank you for mentioning this!

Who doesn't love gernola? I can eat a big bowl of it. Oatmilk is a must then as for toppings raspberries/strawberries are the best imo


As for oatmeal cinnamon,five spice, mint. Ginger are topping I commonly use but Oatmeal with greek yogurt and a splash of maple syrup is my absolute favorite breakfast. I highly recommend it.

I should probably make a disclaimer here in that I'm not at all trying to say that all granola is unhealthy. This is why I've always wanted to try making my own (so I can control what goes into it,) but have just never gotten around to it.

But the sad truth is that the way I REALLY like granola (or oatmeal) is when it has so many sugar-laden additives that it would probably turn the most fine-tuned racehorse into an instant diabetic.

And when posting this thread in the Family Forum, I was also thinking of parents who might only be able to coax their kids into trying/eating healthy things by coating them with copious amounts of sugar.

I'm not a big fan of granola, but I love overnight oatmeal. It's a rare occasion that I go without oatmeal for breakfast. I use oats, organic sugar cane, Naked peanut butter powder, Chobani non fat plain Greek yogurt, etc. It depends on my mood as to what overnight oatmeal I'm having. I switch them up: banana, pumpkin, lime, pb&j, chunky monkey, cookies & cream, etc.

Children are picky eaters but who doesn't love pancakes? Griddles makes pancakes for four fun.


2 1/2 cups flour/Whole wheat/buckwheat
1Tbs baking soda
1Tbs sugar
2 Tbs egg substitute (ground flaxseed)
Optional 1 cup frozen berries or 1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 1/2-3 cups water

Mix batter let sit for 10 mins. Then mix in optional.

There was a movie back in the '90s, something about a caveman who was dug up, and they were going through teaching him the food groups with candy. Meat group was burritos, fruit group was those candies shaped like a fruit, can't remember the name, dairy group was milk duds....

There was that 1984 movie "Ice Man" too.

It's been a long time since I've seen it, so I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that was Encino Man (1992)?

Maybe. I only saw a clip, not the whole thing.

The only cereal-like food I eat these days is grits, but back when I used to eat a little oatmeal I'd mix some honey in it.

From what I remember, you aren't missing much.

I'll stick with grits, eggs, bacon or sausage, and a biscuit. I'll leave the oats for the cows.

Encino Man. Brenden Frasier.

Cheese grits? If you put cheese in them they can be awesome!

Shoot, now I'm all hungry again...