The Breakfast of Champions

I love Trader Joe's for countless reasons -- yummy samples, those tiny cups of coffee, pop-up sponges, white bean hummus, pita bite crackers, cheap/delicious wine ... and especially that aisle of chocolate covered everything. Now, thanks to a tip from my friend Steph, Frozen Steelcut Oatmeal has skyrocketed to the top of my list of TJ faves.

Normally, oatmeal is nothing to freak out about. But this version my friends, is breakfast changing. Serious Eats even goes so far as to say, "Trader Joe's Steelcut Oatmeal Might Change Your Life." Woah.

As someone who only makes the instant kind, I'm not too familiar with the superior Steelcut. But it sounds like it's something that involves wearing an apron and possibly distilling your own oats. And most of us don't have that spare time to devote to oatmeal.

So here's the deal: Go to the freezer section of Trader Joe's. Look for a box labeled Frozen Steelcut Oatmeal. Put it in your cart.

It's just $1.59 for 2 servings -- which breaks down to an 80 cent breakfast that's healthy, filling and ready in about 3 minutes. It's sweetened with a touch of brown sugar and maple syrup. And you can doctor it up with walnuts, apples, dried cranberries ... whatever floats your breakfast boat.