It’s hard for me to think straight before breakfast. In this case, it was also hard to think straight during breakfast. That’s why I wrote Good Food Made Simple regarding some things that seemed more complex than simple about their frozen puck-shaped 100% Steel Cut Oats Oatmeal…

Dear Oatmeal Makers:

There are 3 things about your 100% Steel Cut Oats Oatmeal that confuse the heck out of me. Can you tell me why?

First, on the front of the box, it says: 2 Servings Individually Wrapped. On the side of the box, it says: Servings per container 2. I don’t get it. There are 2 containers in the box. So does that mean there are 2 containers containing 2 total individual servings … or that there are 2 containers, containing 2 individual servings of 2, which is actually a total of 4 servings equivalent to 2 containers of 2 servings?

Second, I commend you on vacuum sealing each serving so securely. However, you’ve sealed it so darn tight that it’s almost impossible to open. I work up an appetite just trying to break the seal and get to the oatmeal. By then, I’m so hungry I’m ready to eat 2 servings, or even all 4 if there are 4. All I know is that this seal is impossible to break without a sharp object, which I’ve been advised to stay away from. Why isn’t there a “peel off” corner, or some simple way to get to the disc-shaped oatmeal? The way it is now is like trying to peel the rubber off a hockey puck.

Third, what is the difference between oatmeal that is made with steel cut oats and oatmeal that isn’t? When oatmeal isn’t steel cut, how is it cut? Or, do other manufacturers bypass cutting them completely and simply stick with the old fashioned approach of sowing their oats? Why wouldn’t everyone cut their oats with steel?

A Representative responded with:

Hi (My First Name), thank you for contacting us. Let me respond to your concerns.

1. That is correct the box lists 2 servings per container. There are two pucks in the box. Each puck is one serving hence, 2 servings in the box.

2. Hard to open — we’ve revised our sealing process so there is an easy open corner for the pucks. If you flip the puck over, it’s labeled with an arrow as to the easy corner to open.

3. Rolled oats are traditionally oat groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers and then steamed and lightly toasted. The oat, like the other cereals, has a hard, inedible outer husk that must be removed before the grain can be eaten. After the outer husk (or chaff) has been removed from the still bran-covered oat grains, the remainder is called oat groats. Oat groats are a whole grain that can be used as a breakfast cereal. Steel-cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces and retain bits of the bran layer. Since the bran layer, though nutritious, makes the grains tough to chew and contains an enzyme that can cause the oats to go rancid, raw oat groats are often further steam-treated to soften them for a quicker cooking time (modern “quick oats”) and to denature the enzymes for a longer shelf life.

Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled. They are golden in color and resemble small rice pieces.

Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse-cut oats, pinhead oats, or Irish oats. This form of oats takes longer to prepare than instant or rolled oats due to its minimal processing, typically 15–30 minutes to simmer (much less if pre-soaked). The flavor of the cooked oats is described as being nuttier than other types of oats, and they are also chewier.

I hope this answers your questions. Thank you.

Final Thoughts: The tutorial on oats was particularly insightful, especially with all of the linked words included for further reference. When information about oats is presented so clearly and comprehensively it’s so much easier to digest.

Thankfully, the Representative also clarified that there are 2 servings per container, based on 2 pucks of oatmeal in the box, with each puck representing 1 serving. But since the box contains 2 pucks, I took it to mean that each puck was a container of oatmeal, and therefore contained 2 servings per container even though the company is saying it’s just 1 per puck of which there are 2 contained. So I’ll just have to take her word on that because this is one of those math problems that’s starting to make my head feel like it was hit by a puck.

As for the revised sealing process with the “easy open corner,” that is definitely much improved. Removing the tight-fitting wrapper no longer requires a knife and plastic surgery.

Here’s where you can learn more about Good Food Made Simple 100% Steel Cut Oats Oatmeal. However, when you need a manufacturer to spoon-feed you more information about their products, one way to get it is to Write The Company.

Fans of oats or oatmeal will also enjoy:
Village Farm Oatmeal Ordeal
Something Screwy About Quaker Chewy