In our house, oatmeal is on the menu most mornings.  We have oatmeal and toast Monday thru Friday, I like that it is very nutritious and inexpensive,  it’s a great menu option for our large family.  On the weekends though,  I will make something different to add variety.

When the older kids were younger, they would need to eat whatever I fixed, but now that they can cook themselves, I let them fix an egg if they don’t want oatmeal, and they do the dishes, so I don’t worry about the extra mess either.

So, the amount of oatmeal we eat each day can vary, and on the days when we have leftovers I feel bad throwing it out.  Recently I set out to find ways I could use the leftovers instead of tossing it in the garbage.  I found some edible as well as inedible ways to use the oatmeal.

1.  Oatmeal Facial Masks
2.  Meatloaf
3.  Smoothies
4.  Pancakes

With my leftovers this week I made these yummy oatmeal chocolate chip muffins.  The kids said they tasted just like an oatmeal cake I make, which probably means they are more dessert than breakfast, but since they have “muffin” in their name it must be breakfast food right?

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins:

2 cups cooked oatmeal
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2  cup canola oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl,  add the next 5 ingredients and stir till combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.  Makes 24 muffins, but the recipe can easily be halved to make a dozen.

Do you have other ways you use leftover oatmeal?  I’d love for you to share them in the comments!