From fried rice for lunch to lava cake for dessert, Trader Joe’s makes your meal prep easy by even including a healthy breakfast option oatmeal, especially with steel-cut oats.
Steel-cut oats tend to take time to cook but have significant nutritional benefits. To prepare Trader Joe’s oatmeal, all you need is a microwave and have your favorite toppings ready.
How do you microwave Trader Joe’s oatmeal? Remove the plastic bag and the frozen oatmeal from the package. Place it into a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat for 2 minutes on high and stir the oatmeal. Microwave for an additional 1 to 1½ minutes or until heated through, for a total of 2 to 3 minutes depending on the microwave wattage.
Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and allow it to sit for 1 minute before serving. Garnish with nuts, fruits, maple syrup, a splash of milk or a pad of butter to enjoy the hot oatmeal.
Whether Trader Joe’s oatmeal is steel cut or instant oatmeal that requires heating up in the microwave, everyone is able to prepare this superfood grain. However, it is convenient when the brown sugar and maple syrup are already included so that you don’t need to worry about it.
In this article, we are going to walk you through how to microwave Trader Joe’s oatmeal to save time and no longer need to use a stove top and lengthy cooking time for preparing steel-cut oats.
From oatmeal boiling over to proper timing, here are answers to all your frequently asked questions to achieve a delicious bowl of joy for your breakfast meal.
How do you heat Trader Joe’s frozen oatmeal?
Trader Joe’s meals offer cooking instructions, and microwaving is preferred over any other method. This means the meal is intended to be fast, easy, and early morning friendly, and there is no exception when it comes to oatmeal.
Trader Joe’s recommends cooking the frozen steel-cut oatmeal in the microwave.
Transfer the frozen oatmeal from the package into a deep microwaveable bowl. Do not reheat oatmeal while wrapped in the original plastic package.
Uncover and microwave for 2 minutes on high power. Stop the appliance and stir well to distribute the warmth.
Continue to heat for an additional 1 to 1½ minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be considered safe to serve.
Remove from the microwave carefully and allow to sit for 1 minute before serving. Stir thoroughly and add toppings to fully enjoy.
How long do you microwave Trader Joe’s oatmeal?
It takes about 3 to 3½ minutes to cook Trader Joe’s oatmeal in the microwave and requires 1 minute resting time afterward. In total, the single serving oatmeal from Trader Joe’s shouldn’t take more than 4 to 5 minutes to serve.
The best part of this frozen steel-cut oatmeal from Trader Joe’s is that it does not require defrosting, and can go straight to reheating on high power.
Total cook time may vary depending on the microwave wattage. The higher the wattage the shorter the cooking time, and a lower wattage microwave will require slightly longer microwave time.
As a result, understand your microwave wattage to select the correct cooking time.
Tips to microwave Trader Joe’s oatmeal
Frozen oatmeal from Trader Joe’s is a convenient healthy and fulfilling option for morning or snack time. It is high in fiber and minerals that make it a perfect replacement for porridge or cream of wheat.
Instead of cooking steel-cut oats from scratch, microwaving these single-serve oatmeal that already contains brown sugar and maple syrup can save you time and allow you to enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Consider these microwave tips to make a tasty bowl of Trader Joe’s oatmeal:
- Put inside a deep enough bowl to microwave oatmeal to prevent overflow.
- At the 2-minute interval, take a spoon and break the frozen pieces into smaller chunks.
- No need to microwave on defrost setting when microwaving this frozen oatmeal.
- Stir frequently to even out the heat and prevent it from exploding.
- Do not use the original package in the microwave. The plastic bags are not safe for microwave use and may melt on your food.
Best way to microwave Trader Joe’s oatmeal
Frozen steel-cut oatmeal from Trader Joe’s is an amazing source of vitamins, iron, protein, and daily required nutrients. When properly heated, the oatmeal does have a wonderful texture and does not taste like instant oatmeal.
If you don’t have time to cook steel-cut oats from scratch, Trader Joe’s oatmeal will be the perfect solution to try.
Generally, steel-cut oats take longer to cook compared to quick oats or old-fashioned rolled oats. But Trader Joe’s frozen oatmeal is pre-cooked and simply requires you to microwave it.
Do not use Trader Joe’s oatmeal if the package has been torn or broken, and keep it frozen until ready to cook.
Remove from the box and plastic bag, then transfer the frozen oatmeal to a microwave-safe bowl and leave uncovered.
Heat for 2 minutes on high power and stir the oatmeal with a spoon to break it into smaller chunks to speed up the reheating process.
Continue to heat for an additional 1 to 1½ minutes until the oatmeal is heated through to an internal temperature of 74℃ or 165℉ for it to be safe to eat.
Let the cooked oatmeal rest for 1 minute before serving. Garnish with nuts, dried berries, a splash of milk or oatmeal toppings to enjoy based on your personal preferences.
Microwaving Trader Joe’s Frozen Oatmeal: Conclusion
Trader Joe’s frozen oatmeal is a total time saver when it comes to single servings of precooked steel-cut oats to prepare in a jiffy. They are so tasty and do not lose the nutritional value of oats when microwaved.
These oatmeal packs require separate cooking and resting time before serving. Typically takes 4 to 5 minutes to prepare a single serving.
However, the heating time may vary based on the wattage of the microwave and serving size.
Always store the frozen oatmeal in the freezer, and do not use it if the bag is torn or opened.
Take out the oatmeal from the package and place it into a microwave-safe bowl.
Set the appliance to high power and heat for 2 minutes, then stir or break the chunks into smaller pieces to quicken the process.
Microwave 1 to 1½ minutes longer to completely reheat to the proper internal temperature is reached for it to be safe to eat. Stir well and let it stand for 1 minute before serving.
Garnish with your favorite toppings, and enjoy a healthy and flavorful serving of steel cuts oats that are ready to eat in minutes.