Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for December 08, 2013

Seems Jolly-O’s aren’t particularly jolly.

Alice at four may not realize what an incentive for Mom it is to save $2 on a box of cereal even if it is of slightly inferior quality. But Alice does know that even the inferior store-brand stuff is better than— ugh —hot lumpy oatmeal!

Aw, now I feel hungry. I will go fix myself now some instant hot oatmeal (unless kids have left me some pancakes). Thankfully, my options do not include raisins but rather, strawberry, blueberry and peach. I’m not much into cereal…

Save the box from the pricey cereal and refill it with the cheap stuff. they’ll be none the wiser.

And I’ll bet it’s the store brand of Instant Oatmeal, Extra Lumpy, With Raisins.

I think I’ll go for some scrambled eggs and bacon.

What is it with tasteless, textureless instant oatmeal? The real stuff only takes 5 minutes after the water boils, and is sooooo much better.

I miss, misshaped marshmellows…dang

I have steel cut oats every morning with cinnamon, craisins, and banana. They cook for 28 minutes—I start them, jump in the shower, and they are done when I am ready to eat. I don’t get why anyone would eat instant oatmeal—as those above said, it only takes 5 minutes for rolled oats and they are so much better.

Steel cut oatmeal isn’t so effective for threatening children. By the time they’ve cooked, the kids have left for school, telling everyone they’ve had no breakfast.

Wasn’t Lumpy one of the Three Stooges?

Nah—never mind.

(Kidding, folks.)

Just put the store brand innards into an old box of the name brand. They don’t even glue the wax paper in anymore. Thank you Rosanne.

Just save an empty Hyena box and stick the JollyOs in it every time you buy more! She’ll never know the difference!

The last store-brand “Crispy Rice” I bought was limp, chewy and silent — no contest!

Oh, you guys! I used to like the Quaker instant oats (plain, with plenty of golden raisins added), but I tested out allergic to oats. Also wheat, rye, and other grains except corn and rice. Nowadays I have five-minute Quaker grits (one-fourth cup, 1 1/2 cups water, stir on and off for six minutes) and add my own heaping third-cup of sharp shredded cheddar. The ready-made cheddar is too darn salty. (That’s da-r-n, not dam – silly font!)

Actually, I’ve found that off brand cereal is always better.

din’t like oatmeal as a kid,but loved mapo