Make Your Breakfast Oatmeal Taste Like Dessert With This Old School Hack

We've all heard the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," and there seems to be some truth to that. It turns out that tucking into a hearty meal first thing in the morning not only fuels you to face the day, but also reduces your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other health complications, especially if you stick to nutrient-rich foods like oatmeal. It's full of fiber and antioxidants that help keep you full and provide sustained energy. Of course, there's also the open secret that, if made correctly, oatmeal basically tastes like eating dessert for breakfast.

As it turns out, sweetened condensed milk is the shelf-stable key to many genius culinary hacks, including taking your morning bowl of oats from the realm of creamy granola to tasting like a truly indulgent treat. It's the perfect secret ingredient for elevating even the blandest oatmeal. Additionally, since it contains both sugar and thick, creamy evaporated milk (hence the name), it not only makes your oatmeal sweeter, but also improves its texture.

Just a tablespoon or so of sweetened condensed milk has the ability to turn dense, rough-looking porridge into a rich, luxurious-tasting treat by both loosening up the breakfast and adding a touch of milkfat that allows the oats to slide past each other more easily. Since you need so little, you can reserve the rest for future bowls, or use it in a creamy lemon slushie or easy no-bake peanut butter pie.

While a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk is a great way to give your apple cinnamon slow cooker steel-cut oats some additional flavor and beautiful creaminess, there's always the risk your oatmeal will turn out too sweet. Some say there is no such thing, but everyone has a limit, and this hack is supposed to make your breakfast taste lush, nostalgic, and rewarding. If all you can taste is straight-up sugary sweetness, you've either added too much sweetened condensed milk to your oatmeal, or you've overloaded your bowl with sweet add-ins.

When using this hack, it's important to think about the other things you love adding to your oatmeal and what they add to the overall flavor of your bowl. For instance, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warming spices are common additions because they're spicy and a little sweet on their own, but have this magical ability to soften sugary flavors. Nuts are also a great choice, especially if they're roasted with a little salt, as they will provide extra protein, a crunchy texture, and a tasty contrast to the sweetened condensed milk.

If you love adding fruit to your oatmeal (who doesn't?), it's best to stick to ones that are fresh or frozen with no added sugar, allowing the sweetened condensed milk to enhance and blend with the pure fruit flavor. Coconut lovers should look for unsweetened shavings or shreds, while dried fruit fans should stick to tart flavors like apricots and craisins.