This recipe for no added sugar banana oatmeal is my toddler’s favorite oatmeal recipe. It’s full of fiber, protein, omega-3s and healthy fats!
MY TODDLER’S FAVORITE HEALTHY AND HOMEMADE OATMEAL
One healthy and homemade breakfast that I can count on Finn eating is this banana oatmeal. My favorite thing about this oatmeal is that it has no added sugar and all of the sweetness (and there’s plenty of it) comes from a ripe banana. I also love that I can get mix in all sorts of good stuff like chia seeds, hemp hearts, coconut oil and nut butter.
Finn will only eat fruit when it’s mixed or cooked into things like muffins, oatmeal and smoothies. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to get him to enjoy the flavor of bananas with this oatmeal.
Let’s take a detour off the oatmeal path and talk about his mismatched socks. Finn thinks it is SO fun to wear one red sock and one blue sock with his PJs. He gets so tickled every time and it’s too cute.
BANANA OATMAL INGREDIENTS
Here’s the ingredients lineup.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – for soluble fiber, protein and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and iron.
- Chia seeds – for omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, iron and calcium.
- Coconut oil – for healthy fat.
- Cinnamon – for an added depth of flavor
- Ripe banana – for sweetness without adding sugar
- Nut butter – for healthy fat and staying power.
- Hemp hearts – for omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, dietary fiber, protein, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, potassium and vitamin E
- Milk (any kind – I usually do oat milk) and water – for creating the perfect soft and fluffy consistency.
*You’ll also include a pinch of salt.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BANANA!
The secret to making this oatmeal perfectly sweet without any added sugar is sautéing a ripe banana in coconut oil until it breaks down into a paste-like consistency. You might be tempted to stop with what you see in the photo above but keep going! Use a wooden spoon or spatula to keep breaking apart and smushing the banana. Also, cook it over low heat and let this process happen slowly. It adds to the sweet and caramelized flavor.
The final product will look more like this. It blends so well into your oatmeal for optimal sweetness and no overwhelming chunks of banana (something my toddler is not on board with).
Once you’ve cooked your banana down, add the rest of the ingredients except for hemp hearts and nut butter and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the texture is thickened and the oats are softened. Note, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of water or milk as the oatmeal cooks if it seems too thick and the oats not soft enough yet. Again, cook on low heat!!!
Once the oats are perfectly cooked, sprinkle the hemp hearts and spoon the nut butter on top and stir in all together.
When I make oatmeal for myself, I like to have things like hemp hearts and nut butter as toppings on my bowl but I’ve learned with my toddler it’s best to have it all homogenized to lessen the chance of the dreaded, “I don’t like it.”
This recipe makes enough for two to three breakfasts for my almost three-year-old. The leftovers store great in the fridge. Just add a tiny splash of water or milk when reheating.
Here’s the recipe!
TODDLER-FRIENDLY HEALTHY BANANA OATMEAL
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My Toddler’s Favorite Banana Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
This recipe for no added sugar banana oatmeal is my toddler’s favorite oatmeal recipe. It’s full of fiber, protein, omega-3s and healthy fats!
Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8–1/4 tsp cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon hemp hearts
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Instructions
- In a small heavy pot, melt coconut oil over low heat and add banana. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, mashing banana with a wooden spoon, until it’s broken down and more smooth creamy in consistency.
- Add cinnamon, salt, oats, chia, milk and water and cook over low heat until mixture is thickened and oats are softened. You may have to add a few more tablespoons of milk or water if it seems too thick or dense. This process will take 5-7 minutes. Avoid turning up the heat. Low and slow is the way to go!
- Stir in peanut butter and hemp hearts and let oatmeal cool a bit before serving.
Notes
Leftovers keep well in fridge. You just may need to add a little liquid when reheating.
It’s Fascinating to me what kids will and won’t eat and the differences between kids. Sometimes when people Ask me what my 5 yo likes to eat or won’t eat I say… honestly I don’t Know. LOL always keeps me on my toes!! I’ll think I have a winner and suddenly she doesn’t like it, or I think there’s something she’d never touch but then she eats it all!!!? The most recent surprise was that she now “doesn’t like pizza”, which has always been a huge winner for her. Sigh. Also ate a PB and J sandwich the other day and proclaimed it as the tastiest thing she’d ever eaten, a week later she was crying that she didn’t like that sandwich anymore.
Whew, you are so right! Finn keeps me on my toes. Feeding a toddler has been one of the greatest exercises in my life of letting go of control!
I am currently eating this oatmeal as I type this. So good! I added a splash of vanilla extract and put some mixed berries on top. Yummy! I have a feeling this will keep me feeling full for a while.
Love to hear this! Thanks for trying it and love the additions you made!
I’ll be trying this soon – I usually add bananas at the end, but this sounds much tastier!
I was wondering why you use oat milk – is it just what you normally have on hand? Just curious why would take oats and water and add what seems like more oats and water?
Thanks!
Haha great point – it’s just what I had on hand! I do half milk/half water in my oatmeal because the milk makes it creamier.
I’m going to give this a whirl once I get the coconut oil and hemp. I’ve been making oatmeal for my 16th month great grandson. 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 1 cup whole milk. I generally add mashed banana to the bowl; unsweetened applesauce or yogurt… on the side and let him have a taste test before combining.. I’m excited to try cooking the banana first; and leaving it in the mix when cooking the oatmeal and the addition of the other ingredients. Do you have nutrition information for your recipe.
LOL I’m almost 30 and this recipe has me drooling. Need to make it.
Great recipe, I’ve made it 2x now for 16 mos old toddler. Low & slow is the way to go, stores well for breakfast prep. I’ve even enjoyed a few spoonfuls myself. Thoughtful ingredients including chia seeds – they’re good for digestion and at toddler stage, regularity is key!