With snow and cold weather reaching into areas that usually escape shoveling – from the U.S. South and southern California to London and southern France – it’s a great time to enjoy oatmeal, the ultimate breakfast comfort food. Here at Oldways and the Whole Grains Council, oatmeal is on our mind for two big reasons:

** The Whole Grains Council is partnering with McDonald’s this month, as the restaurant chain rolls out its new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal. McDonald’s, now a member of the Whole Grains Council, is working with us to highlight the health benefits of whole grains like oatmeal.  We’re delighted that McDonald’s new oatmeal makes it easier for everyone to get a healthy breakfast on the go.

** Our sister program, the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, is featuring oatmeal in its MedMonthly Nutrition News for January.  The MFA’s MedMonthly Nutrition News is a special month-by-month feature designed for RDs (especially supermarket RDs) and other health professionals who want health information and recipes to illustrate the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.  Our January write-up includes a recipe for oatmeal “risotto” – an inspiration for anyone who thought oatmeal was just for breakfast! Oldways, the Whole Grains Council, and the MFA are committed to supporting RDs with creative programs and materials, like our upcoming Supermarket Dietitian Leadership Symposium this spring.

Want to know more about oatmeal? Check out January’s Grain of the Month feature on oats.