Trader Joe’s ORGANIC STEEL CUT OATS, review with cooking tips

23 Jan 2026 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, cereal, DIY, fresh, General, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


RAVE

If you had to pick out the single “healthiest” item you can buy at Trader Joe’s, what would you pick? Here’s the one I might pick. Trader Joe’s STEEL CUT ORGANIC OATS. “Ingredients: Organic Steel Cut Oats”

That’s it. Simple. Classic. Whole grains. Super food. Minimally processed; even less so than rolled oats. Steel cut oatmeal is my favorite kind of oatmeal as oatmeal made from Steel Cut Oats cook up to a distinctively chewy texture with nutty whole grain, hearty flavor.

Yes, it takes a little more time to cook than rolled oats but its not that much, and it’s worth that extra 10-15 minutes for a better tasting and better texture oatmeal.

Steel cut oats are a very natural food product with minimal processing. Steel cut oats are just whole oats (groats) that are dried then CUT with very sharp steel blades into smaller pieces. So “STEEL CUT”. Cutting the whole groat into 4 or 5 pieces makes it cook a little faster (25-30 mins).

In contrast rolled oats, the groats are first partially cooked, then pressed between steel rollers (“rolled”) to flatten them and then cut. Rolled oats cook quicker (in about 15 mins) and so called “quick oats” are rolled even thinner and cut even more into very tiny pieces. Those cook the fastest. All these steps affect the texture. Personally I don’t bother with quick oats except sometimes for doing “overnight oats”. But rolled oats are good for things too. For example making oatmeal cookies. Or overnight oats as well.

Steel cut oats are my favorite oatmeal as they have a lovely chewy texture and nutty flavor (which you can increase even more with some toasting them before cooking in your pot before you cook them).

Steel Cut Oats take a bit longer to cook than rolled oats but I think the effort is worth it, as they taste better and have better texture. Steel cut oats take about 30 minutes. I generally make a batch the night before so they are all ready to eat in the morning. I usually will make a big enough batch to last us about 3 or 4 days. I do like rolled oats however steel cut oats have better texture (chewy) and taste (nutty). If I forget, I put them up and jump in the shower.

You can even double the recipe (8 c water / 2 c oats) and even freeze some.

How to Cook STEEL CUT OATS:

The basic ratio is 1:4 – 1 cup oats to 4 cups water. Use a pot big enough so that there is a few inches at the top to avoid boil overs. You want a nice big heavy pot with a thick bottom to avoid burning.

Boil 4 cups of water. Then stir in 1 cup of oats. I suggest adding a pinch of salt (optional but it tastes better)

They start to thicken after about 5 minutes. They need 30 minutes total. When the oats start to boil, lower the heat till they are just simmering. I then cover the pot loosely (watch it, as oats can easily boil over and make a mess of your stove). Or just leave it uncovered, adding a little water if it looks too thick. If you cook it and find it’s too thick or the bottom is burning, just add a little more water. As it cools, it will thicken.

STIRRING: Every 5-8 minutes or so you should stir the oats occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn. If you feel oats stuck on the bottom, just scrape the bottom to loosen them with the (wooden) spoon.

Let them cook slowly for about 25-30 minutes total.

TIP: Use a big deep pot as they do have a tendency to boil over. A wooden spoon or chopstick placed on top carefully can help prevent boil overs. When you bring them to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer.

(this is a version I made with cut up apples and ground cinnamon)

ADDITIONS: The list of stuff you can add is almost endless. We like to add a good sprinkle of ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick into the oats as they are cooking. Apples: To a batch (of 1 cup oats) I will dice up a whole apple and throw that in too and let it cook in the oats. I leave the peel on. My wife removes the peel (peel has flavor and texture, your call) Dried fruits: Add, Raisins. Dried cranberries. Most any dried fruit. I add those at the very end after I turn them off, so they don’t over cook.

To Serve: again, optional additions are endless – A little butter or cream, brown sugar, raisins, bananas, frozen blueberries or other fruit. Whatever strikes your fancy.You can change them up easily so you can make it different every time. Sure some of that stuff makes them a bit less healthy but I feel I balance it all out. If you are a purist, just eat them plain (boring) If you are a purist, you could eat plain.

https://cookieandkate.com/perfect-steel-cut-oats-recipe/

By the way, as the author mentions here, if you order them at a restaurant or diner, especially in New York, the price for a bowl of steel cut oats can be outrageous! ($11-13? No thanks, we will make them ourselves for 50 cents!)

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/steel-cut-oats-benefits

Lets ask Google: “Are oats healthy?” (Search results)

“Oats are considered an exceptionally healthy, nutrient-dense whole grain, packed with fiber (especially beta-glucan), protein, vitamins, and minerals. Regular consumption supports heart health by reducing cholesterol, aids in weight management by promoting fullness, and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. 

Key Health Benefits of Oats:

Nutrient-Dense: Rich in magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and antioxidants. There’s a reason horses are fed oats. Frankly these are practically the same as oats horses eat, the real difference being the grains here have been cut smaller. STEEL CUT as the name implies has the oats cut with steel blades, with a grain cut into about 2 or 3 pieces just to make it cook faster. That’s it. Minimally processed.

Heart Health: The soluble fiber beta-glucan helps lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Blood Sugar Control: Oats have a lower glycemic response, which helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels.

Weight Management: High fiber and protein content contribute to satiety (feeling full), reducing overall calorie intake.

Gut Health: They act as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.

OK – what else is on your Healthy item list from Trader Joe’s? Here’s a few off the top of my head… CHIA SEEDS, KEFIR, HIGH FIBER CEREAL, WHOLE GRAIN SEED EURO BREAD, ROLLED OATS….

Trader Joe’s Organic Oatmeal $4.49 (30 oz tub) CERTIFIED ORGANIC

“Serving Suggestions: serve with milk, cream or butter. Add honey, agave or maple syrup, brown sugar, dried cranberries, raisins….”

PS – I still buy Rolled Oats too as they are good for making Overnight Oats, Oatmeal Cookies, and other things… So I have both kinds of oats in the cupboard usually.

Trader Joe’s HONEYCRISP APPLE GRANOLA, review (Fall Item)

29 Sep 2025 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, cereal, DIY, Dried Fruits and Nuts, Fall Season, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, seasonal, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,


LIMITED FALL ITEM

Actually it does have an apple taste thanks to bits of dried honey crisp apples throughout the granola. This granola isn’t quite the big clumps kind as some other granola’s that Trader Joe’s has such as the almond butter granola. Actually I am a fan of big “clumpy” granola with chunks sometimes I take out to just snack on. However I liked this too as it’s got that fruity apple taste. The taste of this granola gets a win from those apple bits.

Ingredients include rolled oats, cane sugar, dried honeycrisp apple, honey, molasses, and a subtle hint of fall spices (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove….) The spices are very subtle, more like a back note to the apple taste of this granola, not the overwhelming kind.

This Apple Granola one of their “Limited” fall items, meaning we will see it for a few months. So if you want to try this grab it while you can, and maybe stock up on a few bags if you tried it and liked it. I probably will. Both my wife and I really liked this very tasty granola.

$3.99 for a 12 oz bag.

I would buy it again.

“Our latest fall-forward, seasonal cereal shines the spotlight on an autumnal all-star: the heavenly Honeycrisp apple! Heralded for its crunch and concentration of flavor, it’s a natural companion to snacks and cereals of all sorts—snacks and cereals such as the sweet, seasonally-spiced clusters inside each bag of Trader Joe’s Honeycrisp Apple Granola!” – TJ’s

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/honeycrisp-apple-granola-076757

Trader Joe’s Simply Amazing SOFT DRIED APRICOTS

02 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Dried Fruits and Nuts, fresh, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, review, seasonal, snacks, Staple, sweets, Trader Joes, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Yes that’s actually their name. “Simply Amazing Soft Dried Apricots” and here’s Trader Joe’s description on their site:

“Large, Dried Apricots—of the juicy, Suphany variety—ripen in the sun to a blush-orange hue, while also developing a rich, honey-like sweetness. Once harvested, they’re carefully dried in the summer sun by our trusted Turkish apricot supplier (and by Mother Nature, of course). What really makes these Dried Apricots Simply Amazing is the final step, which involves a gentle steaming. This unique method yields unbelievably soft apricots with a tender, chewy, almost velvety texture.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/simply-amazing-soft-dried-apricots-078443

Here’ my honest review of these dried apricots. They actually live up to the name., these apricots in fact are Simply Amazing. Probably the best dried apricots I’ve ever eaten. These are just so amazingly tasty. And SOFT!!!

If you love dried fruits but sometimes find them way too dried, and feel with some of them like you could just as well be chewing on shoe leather (I’m thinking of you, Trader Joe’s All Natural Dried Mango. Trying to eat those can wear out your jaw…) Then you might try these. These are so soft and moist from the steaming method used to make them. They are soft and squishy. Each one of these is either a whole (or half?) of a Turkish Suphany apricot. They have three ingredients; apricots, water and (yes) sulfur dioxide “to maintain color”. I can live with that if they taste this good. I’ve been eating them mostly cut up into little pieces and added to my morning yogurt/breakfast mix. Also right out of the bag. They do match great with cheeses too.

These are “limited” by growing season, so they will sell them until they run out and get more hopefully next year. They are one pound for $4.79 (they have no pits). It probably takes a basket of fruit to make the bag.

Trader Joe’s HIGH FIBER CEREAL, review

08 Nov 2024 5 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, cereal, dairy, DIY, Dried Fruits and Nuts, fresh, General, Meh, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


(NEWS: May 2026) Was Out of Stock for weeks in my area (NY). I was told at the front desk they finally got shipments of it coming in. (Update-2 6/1/26) Back in Stock today, great! But they raised the price! Was $2.99 forever, now $3.29

NINE GRAMS OF FIBER PER SERVING.

ZERO CHOLESTEROL

High Fiber. Low Fat. Low Sodium…

Fortified with 8 Vitamins + Iron

Healthy Choice

Surely this is one of, if not the healthiest cereal options at Trader Joe’s you can buy. TJ’s HIGH FIBER CEREAL is an easy way to get more dietary Fiber into your diet. What’s not to like?

Taste? OK this may not win any taste awards, but you know what, I think it actually tastes OK. In fact once I got used to it, I now even like the taste of this which I would call “natural” and “healthy” without it tasting like you are eating twigs (OK it does look like a bit like twigs)!

Anyway, you pick this cereal is primarily because you want to get more fiber in your daily diet and on that front is does deliver.

Trader Joe’s HIGH FIBER CEREAL has 9 grams of dietary fiber per serving (2/3 cup). That is about 1/3 of the recommended daily amount of fiber,

As the name implies the main idea of HIGH FIBER CEREAL is simple, to provide you with dietary Fiber. It does this mainly from all the different types of bran it has – wheat, corn, and oat bran. Bran is loaded with fiber and it is usually stripped out. Not here, they actually add back bran – in fact, 3 kinds of bran. Here’s the ingredient list….

Ingredients: wheat bran, corn flour, corn bran, cane sugar, whole wheat, oat bran, whey, salt…… Fortified with vitamins plus iron (60% of the DVI for Iron).

My wife buys this cereal as she feels she needs more even more fiber in her diet, even though I think we eat pretty well in the fiber department. Still she says has trouble staying “regular” and that this High Fiber cereal helps! We like that. My wife buys this High Fiber Cereal mostly for her. Me, I usually buy good tasty granola mostly for myself. But I just use that as “topping” on top of this.

This HIGH FIBER CEREAL 9 grams fiber per serving. For contrast, my granola has about 5 grams.

Taste wise its OK, a bit neutral, not great but not bad. The texture is nice and crunchy. It looks like little brown strings or twigs. Sometimes clumps of them. I imagine like me, you are probably not eating just a bowl of this cereal and milk?

Maybe like me, you are likely adding other things, besides milk or a similar substitute. Maybe a bit of Yogurt? Kefir? Fresh fruit, like perhaps some sliced bananas, berries, apples or other fresh fruits or maybe some dried fruits. Kefir…

So this is likely just one part of your breakfast bowl. That’s how I eat this and it tastes fine. I even put a sprinkle of granola on top of everything to make it a little tastier.

Also in the plus column: it’s low in calories, low in fat, low in sodium, and has ZERO cholesterol, plus this is low in Added Sugars, compared to almost any other cereal Trader Joe’s sells. So really compared to many other choices, this is the “healthy choice” in the Trader Joe’s cereal department. Maybe the healthiest cereal they sell besides Oatmeal.

It looks like little bits of brown stringy things which I am pretty sure are extruded then baked. I am not too familiar with Nabisco’s FIBER ONE cereal but I think this is similar. I doubt anyone would say “this is the best cereal I ever tasted”. But you know what, its not bad. I think it tastes it’s OK. Fairly neutral in flavor, it is nice and crunchy. Its a bit naturally sweet.

It taste healthy. Generally I myself use it like a topping, and put it on top of my breakfast mixture of chia seeds, fruit, yogurt and sometimes kefir. I sometimes add a little bit of granola on top of everything to improve it all. If you want an easy way to add some extra fiber in your diet, this cereal is certainly an easy way to start in the morning getting your fiber.

(You can compare to FIBER ONE)

Other things I get from Trader Joe’s for breakfast that are high fiber are Steel Cut Oats. Chia Seeds……

Personally I have always liked the classic GRAPE NUTS cereal – which is also pretty high fiber, and I do prefer it to this however my wife prefers this cereal by far, and doesn’t like Grape Nuts at all.

She has brought boxes of this cereal home quite a few times now, which means she really likes it, and says it does works to keep her system nice and regular! Just sayin’, if that’s what you are looking for too, this will probably be good for you as well!;)

“the recommended daily amount of fiber is 28 grams per day” so this is just one part….

High Fiber Cereal $2.99 (14.5 oz) $3.29

So for two healthy cereal options from Trader Joe’s, I would recommend this as well as OATS (steel cut preferably) I buy both cereals for our house.

(PS One reader even Commented they use this cereal to bake bran muffins!)

Trader Joe’s “Just The Clusters” MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA

11 Feb 2023 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, baked, Dried Fruits and Nuts, General, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , ,


“Inside this bag you will find captivatingly crunchy, satisfyingly sweet clusters of rolled oats and pecans, with notes of maple syrup and honey”

If you are a fan of the big clumps you find in granola, you may like this. Trader Joe’s “Just The Clusters” Maple Pecan Granola gives you lots of clumps. I do like these crunchy clusters made even crunchier than other granolas as this has some rice flour added in for extra crunch.

It has pecans in it, a fair amount if not loaded with them. I guess at this price (3.29) they can’t put a ton of them in there but there are quite a few very tasty roasted pieces of pecans, and the maple flavor of this granola is tasty. As per the Nutrition Label, I wish it didn’t have quite the amount of Added Sugars it says but I really don’t eat a whole bowl of this, or even the 2/3 cups they use as the serving size. What I use this for really is as a nice topping to add crunch on top of my breakfast yogurt bowl, usually something like chia seeds, mixed with yogurt and kefir and fruits (banana, apples, berries…) This would equally be great on top of oatmeal or overnight oats for a little crunch. You could even eat some as a snack, in moderate amounts.

$3.99 for a 1 pound bag. No weird ingredients, all pretty natural as you can see….

INGREDIENTS: Rolled Oats, Cane Sugar, Canola Oil, Rice Flour, Pecans, Maple Syrup, Cornstarch, Honey, Salt, Barley Malt Syrup, Natural Flavors

I would buy this again.

Trader Joe’s ROLLED OATS (recipe: overnight oats)

21 May 2022 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, cereal, DIY, Dried Fruits and Nuts, General, New, News, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, snacks, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,


All Natural. WHOLE GRAIN. GLUTEN FREE. Loaded with fiber. What’s not to like?

Trader Joe’s ROLLED OATS are good. Among other uses, I use these to make OVERNIGHT OATS which make a terrific breakfast. Need a no-recipe recipe? Here you go: Put some rolled oats into a container and cover them with your favorite ‘milk’ (I use TJ’s Oat Milk) and add some Kefir or yogurt. Stir, cover and leave the the container in the fridge overnight. Options? Maybe add a hint of a little natural sugar, some dried fruits: raisins or cranberries. The next morning you will have yummy but not mushy Overnight Oats ready and waiting for breakfast. These DIY ones are better (and way cheaper) than the prepared overnight oats TJ sells already made in the refrigerator, which for me are way too mushy from having sit “overnight” for a few weeks (!) To Serve: top your Overnight Oats with some fruit, sliced bananas perhaps, and maybe something crunchy, like cereal or Granola. Maybe some chia seeds too! I tried TJ’s “toasted rolled oats” but I didn’t taste any toasted notes any different from these oats (those say organic and cost more of course. So I stick with buying the bag of these rolled oats. This large bag of Trader Joe’s Rolled Oats is $3.99 (for 2 lbs, or $2 per pound). Of course you can cook these oats up for hot oatmeal. Personally I do prefer the texture of TJ’s Steel Cut oats for oatmeal and buy those as well. Use these oats for baking, and cooking too. I mix these into meatloaf for the binder.

GLUTEN FREE of course.

Trader Joe’s PECAN PRALINE GRANOLA

05 Jan 2022 3 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


This is one of the granola’s I get a Trader Joe’s. I’m still upset my old go-to granola (Coconut Cranberry Granola) was discontinued (argh!!) a few years ago. The Pecan Praline granola is pretty good and now my Go-To general granola for breakfast. If you look at the closeup of the granola you can see it’s not loaded with large pieces of pecans, they are more mixed in as “praline” perhaps. When I want lots of nuts, I just top my cereal with a little Grainless Granola. This Pecan Praline granola’s a wee bit on the sweet side but not overly so. When I add my plain yogurt or unsweetened almond milk on it, it all balances out just fine. A 1 lb bag goes for about $3.50. I assume this is GLUTEN FREE, as it’s just oats. Whole Grain.

Trader Joe’s Swiss MUESLI Breakfast Cereal

19 Sep 2021 3 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, General, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, Staple, Trader Joes, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


UPDATE (2024) Unfortunately this may have been Discontinued!!!!

I have feeling this is probably the healthiest cereal you can buy at Trader Joe’s. Their MUESLI is a blend of whole grain oats, seeds, fruit and nuts and has no added sugars. The recipe was invented by a doctor in Switzerland over a hundred years ago, and is a Swiss classic breakfast cereal. I would bet Roger Federer grew up eating Muesli. Look how far it got him!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muesli

Ingredients: Whole grain rolled oats, sunflower seeds, raisins, rice crisps, pumpkins seeds, coconut, dried apple, sliced almonds

This is obviously healthy stuff that even a horse would love. Trader Joe’s version of Muesli is good. One caveat though. If you just pour it into a bowl, add milk, and eat it immediately you may not like it. Unless you are a horse or you don’t mind giving your jaws a work out. So want to let this soften up a bit, meaning let the rolled oats soften up sitting in milk for at least 5, 10 or 20 minutes. Milk meaning of course your choice of real milk or other milk and/or yogurt or kefir). The longer it sits, the softer the oats get. Actually I really enjoy Muesli when I mix some up the night before for “overnight oats” . That way in the morning it’s nice and thick and soft. Making “Overnight oats” is easy. Just put some muesli (or rolled oats) in a container, add liquid and let it sit in the fridge. I do Kefir and almond or soy milk and yogurt. If you find “overnight oats” too mushy for your tastes, just fix up your Muesli and give it a 10 minute soak. I typically add some fresh fruit (banana, apple, dried fruit, berries…) and a bit of something crunchy on top like TJ’s Grainless Granola .

This is a good healthy breakfast, that will keep you (or your horse) going all day.

A 16 oz bag is about $4. Worth trying.

RAVE

Trader Joe’s BRITISH STYLE CRUMPETS

23 Aug 2021 7 Comments

by promacnyc in bread, General, Pantry, Products, Rave, review, snacks, Staple, tea, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , ,


RULE BRITANNIA.

Have you tried Trader Joe’s “British Style Crumpets”? If you do, I think you will love them as much as we do.

First, you can not get more British than crumpets. Check these out which you will find near Trader Joe’s English Muffins.

Just in case you’ve never tried crumpets, well they are really good. Trader Joe’s version is actually quite decent. After they are toasted up, crumpets are nicely chewy yet a little crispy on the outside. The main thing about crumpets is that they are chock full of little holes and those hold onto butter and jam, etc.

Try these yummy baked treats too next time you’re reaching for English Muffins so you can really get your full Brit on while watching THE CROWN or BRIDGERTON.

Crumpets are soft and as you can see in the picture, loaded with tiny holes. They get those holes, the way pancakes get them while cooking, and this unique texture and the holes makes them fantastic at absorbing butter and jam. Which helps makes them scrumptious. Toast these up gently, until slightly golden brown. Top with good butter and your favorite jam (or marmalade). They are both a bit soft and a bit crunchy, a fantastic combo. TJ’s crumpets are about $3.29 for a pack of six that come in two sealed plastic compartments. Personally I cut the package in two and freeze some for later.

Crumpets happen to be quite delicious and obviously these will go really well with some tea.

TIP: I recommend you really get them toasted, just to the point where they stop being soft and get a little bit of hard texture on top and bottom. Spread immediately with butter, getting it into all the holes. Top with Marmalade.

World’s Best Raisin Bran Cereal!

15 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in Blog, General, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Trader Joes Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


My morning brainstorm in the shower thinking about what to eat for breakfast. In a Euraka Moment, thinks I, “Why not “make” my own raisin bran? No, not with just regular TJ’s raisins but with the Golden Raisins I just bought yesterday.” The Golden Raisins. Plus TJ’s Bran Flakes (which is bar none best bran flakes made)?

YES – you heard that right

“Golden Raisin Bran”

And I did it. And it was…. MIGHTY, MIGHTY FINE!

Try it for yourself! Why has no one though of this before? Am I a genius or what?

Recipe: Put some Bran Flakes in bowl. Add a small handful of the Golden Raisins.

Milk. A little sugar. Yogurt topping? Nice.

Done.

Eat up.

OMG, right?

You must, must must try these two TJ’s items together

Then tell me if the combination is not the best damn cereal you’ve ever had.