What’s in your food and how can you eat better? In this series, we look at some staple meals, considering what’s good for you and what’s maybe not – and how you can turn them into dishes that are healthier, better for the planet and alive with flavour.

Porridge is one of the nation’s favourite breakfasts – simple, comforting and delicious. Each time we begin the day with a steaming bowl of oats, we are honouring an age-old tradition. The humble oat grain, grown in the UK since Roman times, has sustained many generations of our ancestors.

Oats are not only delicious but are also an incredible ally in your health. They contain beta-glucan, a fibre which lowers cholesterol and regulates blood sugar. It also promotes regular bowel movements which support a healthy gut biome. The protein level of oats is high for a grain, and they are full of vitamins and minerals as well as having anti-inflammatory properties.

Porridge is incredibly simple to prepare: with two ingredients and a saucepan, you can have breakfast in front of you in less than 10 minutes. But beware of the packaging-heavy, expensive ‘instant’ oats, found on many supermarket shelves that are laden with additives. There’s no need! Just make sure you read the fine print when you choose your oats – the only ingredient should be ‘oats’.

And definitely go organic. We can source organic oats from the UK and, with some local additions, whip up a sustainable breakfast every morning.

Here are two ways with porridge, both of which take the simple dish to exciting places.

Savoury porridge

We all know that porridge is great when combined with sweet ingredients and that local honey and seasonal fruit are great toppings which also minimise food miles. But savoury porridge is also wonderful and harks back to the dishes origins (it was originally seasoned with salt).

Prepare porridge using your favourite method and then try these options:

  • Crack in a local, pastured egg just before serving, mix in well, then season the dish with salt and pepper
  • Stir in miso, along with ground British linseed or peanut butter
  • Steam a big handful of spinach and nestle that, plus a poached egg, on top of your oats

Fermented oats

Oats become even easier to digest and more nutritious when they’re fermented. The probiotics go to work pre-digesting the carbohydrates and, even after cooking, the resulting porridge is full of immune-supporting goodness. In addition to this, fermented oats are a flavour explosion – they have a tanginess that can be addictive!

The process is very simple. Here’s how to prepare fermented oats for two people:

  • 120g rolled oats
  • 20g ‘starter’ – yogurt, sourdough starter, milk kefir or apple cider vinegar (it must be unpasteurised)

Measure the oats into a bowl, top with ample water and stir in the starter. Cover this and leave it on the counter overnight. Next morning, pour the entire contents of the bowl into a saucepan and cook as normal.