What Ina Garten Eats For Breakfast Every Single Day — And Has For 10 Years

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Ina Garten has made a name for herself by teaching Food Network fans how to make approachable, elevated meals that are delicious and comforting. A couple of her famous mottos are "How easy is that?" and "Store-bought is fine." When it comes to breakfast, the Barefoot Contessa has offered up many delicious recipes over the years, ranging from short rib hash to sour cream coffee cake. But on the day to day, Garten keeps breakfast in her home simple. The best-selling cookbook author's go-to meal in the morning is oatmeal. 

Speaking to Bon Appétit, she shared her pantry staples. "There are some things I always have in the house, like a bowl of lemons on the counter (and other citrus), butter, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and chocolate. Oh, and oatmeal," Garten said, adding, "I've had the same thing for breakfast every single day for ten years: coffee and McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal with lots of salt." Leave it to Garten to be refreshingly relatable. Why she prefers McCann's Irish oatmeal isn't known, but it's her favorite. Irish oatmeal, also known as steel cut oats, consists of whole oat kernels (groats) that are chopped into tiny bits and less processed than other kinds of oats. McCann's, which has been around since 1800, imports its raw oats from the coast of Ireland. 

Not adding a little salt is an oatmeal mistake Ina Garten never makes. "I don't want it to taste like wallpaper paste," she told Bon Appétit. As for the cooking method, she's been known to make it on the stovetop as well as in the microwave. Responding to a fan's question on her website, she states she often does the latter. "I put ⅓ cup quick-cooking oats (I like McCann's) in a bowl, add 1 cup of water, then microwave it on high for 4 minutes," she explained. "I add a pinch of salt, a splash of milk, a little bit of butter, and a drizzle of maple syrup, and stir it all in." 

Alternatively, Garten has shown viewers of her show what goes into making her stovetop version, which takes a little longer. Again, she uses milk, a bit of salt, and tops it with maple syrup. This version also calls for water. As it comes together, she mixes in other tasty ingredients like sliced banana, golden raisins, and dried cherries for added flavor and texture. She makes sure to note that she covers the pot after stirring in the fruit to let it steam and plump up. Either way, you can add whatever toppings you like, including fresh berries or even chia seeds.