Easy Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal
This nutritious, yummy and easy peanut butter and banana oatmeal recipe is perfect for the whole family (even your wee ones!)
Oatmeal is our go-to weekday breakfast, especially during the colder months of Fall and Winter. It’s warm and comforting, easy and nutritious and so versatile – there are SO many flavour combinations that you can use, including one of my all-time favorites, peanut butter and banana! I love peanut butter and banana on toast, and this is a close second (if not better TBH). My kids love it too, which is a bonus!
Oatmeal is an easy and nutritious option
It might just be one of the easiest oatmeal recipes too. Many people are surprised when I tell them that I microwave oatmeal instead of cooking it on the stovetop. For large-flake oats (which is what I use most of the time), it takes 2 minutes in the microwave (that’s it!) when you combine oats, water and a bit of salt. Afterwards, add your milk of choice and your toppings (in this case it’s peanut butter and banana) and you’re done!
Oatmeal is suitable for babies and toddlers
This recipe is actually a great way to introduce your baby to peanuts (which should be done around the age of 6 months). Make sure that you use natural peanut butter instead of processed, sweetened peanut butter.
For those kiddos two and under, make sure that you don’t add any additional sweeteners (they don’t need them and it’s sweet enough with the banana!), especially honey. Honey isn’t actually safe to serve to kids until after the one (12 months).
Large flake oats are just fine (they’re not a choking hazard, unless of course it’s made way too thick and becomes gummy). You can thin it out to your comfort level with homogenized milk, breast milk or formula. If you’d like to boost the iron in your babies oatmeal, sprinkle in some iron-fortified infant oat cereal.
When you’re spoon feeding your baby, make sure that it’s baby-led and that you’re feeding in a responsive way (you can learn more about how to do that in this post).
Packed full of nutrition
Oatmeal is packed full of nutrition. It contains a special type of soluble fibre (beta glucan) that is closely linked to improved heart health. Soluble fibre also helps to keep tummies fuller longer, blood sugar levels stable and energy levels stable throughout the day. Oats are also considered a “prebiotic food” which means that it helps to feed the good bacteria naturally found in the gut, helping to improve digestive health and support the immune system.
When it comes to peanut butter, I always recommend natural peanut butter over processed/sweetened versions, especially for little ones. Usually the ingredients will just be “peanuts” and maybe a bit of salt, which is what you want. If you’d prefer to try a different nut or seed butter, feel free to! All of them are nutritious!
I hope that you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup large flake oats
- 2/3 cup milk of choice or water
- 1 tbsp peanut butter natural is ideal
- 1/2 banana sliced or mashed
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine oats, salt and milk or water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes.
- Add peanut butter, banana and maple syrup and a bit more milk if needed. Enjoy!
Sarah Remmer, RD, is a registered dietitian and mom of three, specializing in family and pediatric nutrition. She’s the founder of Centred Nutrition Collective and has nearly 20 years of experience helping families feel confident about feeding their kids.
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