Porridge is the perfect way to start cold, winter mornings

Add tasty toppings to make your porridge a gourmet treat!
porridge


As the weather turns colder, there’s a perfect way to start our cold, winter mornings: porridge.

It’s warming, comforting, and we can eat it in so many ways!

Did you know…?

  • Oats were one of the first cultivated cereals. They were used widely in ancient China and Greece, and the Greeks were the first to turn them into porridge.
  • They were introduced to the British Isles around 600AD.
  • The word porridge was first noted in the 16th century and may have come from pottage or porray, which were types of stew.
  • Oats became a popular crop in Scotland because they can be grown on upland soils and porridge became a staple of the Scottish diet.
  • In Scotland, farmers used to pour leftover porridge into a ‘porridge drawer’ at breakfast. They would leave the porridge  to dry out, ready to be cut into slices. They would be eaten in the fields as a lunchtime snack.
  • Scottish porridge is traditionally served in a wooden bowl and stirred with a wooden stick called a spurtle. The World Porridge Making Championship has a trophy called the Golden Spurtle.
  • Porridge was often served as a breakfast for prisoners from the 19th century onwards, so the word became slang for doing a prison sentence in the 1950s.
  • Oats have been linked with a healthier diet to combat heart disease. Some studies show that eating 3g of soluble fibre from oats a day may reduce the risk.
  • A bowl of porridge provides more fibre than a slice of wholemeal bread, too. 
  • Marianne Faithfull once said: “The food that’s never let me down in life is porridge.” 

Sugar v salt

Sugar – Many people like to add a little sugar to their porridge to add sweetness and flavour to their oatmeal. 

Salt – The traditional Scottish way of making porridge includes a pinch of salt. This helps bring out the sweetness of any toppings and adds flavour.

What can we add to our porridge?

Berry compote – A fantastic way to use summer fruits that you’ve frozen and stored in the freezer or the compote you made at the start of the autumn. How about a mixture of raspberry and strawberry, blackberry and apple, or a sweet and tart gooseberry compote? 

Apple and cinnamon – A classic combination that gives us a wonderfully festive aroma as we head towards Christmas.

Chocolate and dates – An indulgent and delicious breakfast! Combine good quality powdered cocoa and sweet stoned dates. Add a few dark chocolate chips to get the full benefit for your heart.

Apple and linseed – You’ll start the day with a bowl packed full of fibre. Linseed is rich in antioxidants and may help in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol. Add probiotic yoghurt for extra goodness for your gut. 

Figs and pistachios – Figs are a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, manganese and zinc. Pistachios are high in protein, potassium, and vitamin C. 

A plum, raisin, and granola topper – What a crunchy and tasty way to start the day! Add that extra vitamin C.

Prunes and chia seeds – A fantastic daily dose of omega-3! You can also add pear, yoghurt, and cinnamon.

  • Take a look at our seasonal winter dishes in our sample menus.

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