He tipped the brim of his visor and smiled out at me. "I have to go find the blueberries. Not to insinuate that I've lost them, but I just don't know where in the refrigerator we have them."
"Ohkaaaaaaaay."
He smiled again. "We know three-syllable words, too!"
At first glance, this might sound normal- if you were at a diner, or a regular restaurant, or at home. But this was around 11:30 last night, and I was idling in front of a McDonald's. The visor-bedecked speaker was my server, and I'd just been handed a promise of Bizarro-world proportions. Fresh blueberries? In my oatmeal? At McDonald's, it's more common than you think.
Oatmeal isn't a new item here- back in 2010, McDonald's debuted its Fruit and Maple oatmeal, a version that, though better than the McGriddles of the world, still had some nutritional and textural kinks to work out. I'm pleased to report that this new version is vastly superior. Last year's version felt like two dollars' worth of Quaker in a bowl and a lifetime's worth of bragging rights to your significant other or sibling. I counted no less than sixteen blueberries in my oatmeal before I smacked myself in the head for being such a nerd about counting blueberries. Let that sink in. Sixteen fresh blueberries! There were at least two in each bite and they were plump, fresh, and tangy, a wonderful contrast to the sweet, nutty oatmeal.
Opponents of the new oatmeal, Mark Bittman among them, have criticized the oatmeal in the past for its caloric value and needless additives. While it's true that the new oatmeal, along with the humble pie I'm eating, doesn't exactly need light cream and food starch, it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper to get here than to make. Why? Well, in the case of the previous oatmeal, which had mainly dried fruits and oats, it was a bit of a cop-out. I could easily make that. However, fresh blueberries are currently $5 per half pint, or roughly a cup of blueberries. And because this is Western Massachusetts, they're organic to boot.
When I want breakfast, I don't want to make a $20 investment to do so. Buying the exact ingredients it takes to make one serving of this- banana oatmeal ($5, for a banana and container of oats) walnuts ($5 for six ounces) light cream ($3/quart) and blueberries ($5/half pint) already has me out $18, or nine servings of this oatmeal at Mickey D's. This version is easier to get, equally as delicious, and still one of the most nutritious hot breakfast items on the menu.
Some of the stupidest argument about pricing I have ever seen. First, it assumes that you are buying everything for this one purchase. My calculus would be 70 cents for the bananna and maybe 40 cents for the coats, none for the cream since I would use the milk that i have, $3 for the blueberries, $1 for walnuts.
ReplyDeleteThat's $5. And given what I have in my ktichen, the real cost would be about 1/2 that.
Saying it costs $20 makes you look like a McDonalds's groupie.
I based those numbers off the maximum possible cost I would spend if I was hell-bent on making blueberry banana oatmeal for breakfast and had none of the ingredients. Is this atypical? It is not. I'm not going to make a spreadsheet for the one person who happens to have a banana, a handful of blueberries, but no oats or milk. I'm not going to calculate half a serving for the one guy who has a carton of cream but nothing else.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, that's the maximum cost for creating a very similar recipe- it's obviously cheaper per serving but still factors in the cost if one needed to make this from scratch. Honestly, I don't have any of those things on hand, except maybe the milk and I'm running low on that. I don't have children or many people to feed. For two people, unless you're eating oatmeal multiple times a day, it's more cost-effective to buy this or make a different kind of oatmeal.
street stang tiffani checking up on your math skillz.
ReplyDeleteyous' a "McDonalds's groupie"
I'm surprised by the fresh blueberries, I was positive they would be frozen.
Just had it...it's fabulous. I didn't "notice" walnuts though...do you have to ask for them separate, or are they so small they go unnoticed....I bet my serving had 30 blueberries...so good! As to the cost---even anonymous says it would cost $5/serving to make at home. At McD's I paid $2.64
ReplyDeleteMs Watsky wouldn't know good food if it came and bit her in the ass. She does surely know how to pack the food in by the looks of things. Another useless rant by an angry overweight female who doesn't get any. Keep on drowning you sorrows in fast food !!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Anon,
ReplyDeleteQuit hatin' in my backyard -- Jess is happy and gets thoroughly laid. Project much? Go JO with a twinkie.
The walnuts come in a little bag that you sprinkle in. Its more cost effective for them since they already have walnuts for one of their salad. But with that said it is a lot more cost effective for me to make it myself. With gas prices one trip to the store for over a week pf breakfast is much cheaper than a daily trip to McD's
ReplyDeletePicked this up on the way to work today. I did not like this version of the oatmeal AT ALL. Too thick and pasty (had to add more milk at my desk), too banana-ey, and the nuts were a little rancid. I prefer the original fruit and maple by far!
ReplyDeleteThey are discontinuing this product at McDonald's so unfortunately this review will be a moot point at all locations. I live in PA and they said that as locations run out of the oatmeal they are no longer restocking it. So for those of you that enjoy it, go get it while you can. For those of you who hated it, good news... it won't be taking up a spot on the menu anymore. I personally loved it and ate it almost every day for breakfast on my way in to work. Supposedly they are adding another oatmeal to take it's spot... I don't know how they will be able to top all those fresh blueberries though. Damn that was good!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this too and Im so sad its gone! I bought it just about every day! I dont like the other oatmeal they have, cant imagine many that do. Please bring it back McDonalds!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. I am not the oatmeal-loving person, however, the blueberry walnut was DELISH !!! I am disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThe blueberry banana nut oatmeal is a seasonal item at McDonald's.
ReplyDeleteThe profit margins are already pretty narrow on it compared to the other items on the menu, so it wouldn't be nearly cost-effective to continue offering it during winter months when blueberries are out of season. So rather than hiking up the price of the oatmeal through half the year (can you imagine the complaints?), it makes much more sense to just take it off the menu.
But don't be disheartened, it should be back summer of next year.
You wouldn't need to buy bananas. They use banana flavored oatmeal packets!!!
ReplyDelete