The Cozy McDonald's Breakfast Item That Is An Underrated, Flavorful Gem

Beyond the well-known classics like the Big Mac and Happy Meals, McDonald's boasts a surprisingly robust menu, including many items that go largely unnoticed. If you're getting bored with your usual Extra Value order, you'll definitely want to check out our roundup of seven underrated McDonald's menu items. One such item was the Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, a cozy breakfast classic that you may be surprised to find at the drive-thru window.

Our writer found McDonald's oatmeal to be sweet and satisfying, with fresh fruit and fiber to start your day on a high note. The addition of both fresh apples and dried cranberries and raisins provides a textural contrast that'll wake up your tastebuds. McDonald's fans agree that this breakfast option deserves more attention. "It's my go-to when I don't have time to make breakfast in the morning," revealed one fan on Reddit. On Instagram, another commenter voiced their approval: "McDonald's oatmeal is so good. It's slept on."

The oatmeal boasts 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per serving, but it also comes with a whopping 31 grams of total sugar, including 18 grams of added sugar. "It has as much sugar as a Snickers Bar," noted one Reddit user. While the nutritional information isn't broken down by each ingredient, some of that comes from the sweetened cranberries and raisins offered with the meal. To cut back on that added sugar, others online suggest swapping the dried fruit for more apples.

In a side-by-side comparison of McDonald's and Starbucks' oatmeals, our writer noted that the base of the latter doesn't include any sugar, while McDonald's oatmeal lists brown sugar as an ingredient rather than a topping. Thus, Starbucks offers more opportunities for customization, allowing customers to minimize that sugar content. Compared to the apples and dried fruit that come standard at McDonald's, Starbucks also offers fresh berries, dried fruit, nuts, agave, and brown sugar as toppings. Of course, that doesn't mean McD's oatmeal is bad.

McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal didn't place high in our ranking of the fast food chain's breakfast items, though it's hard to compete with a savory, protein-heavy Sausage McMuffin with Egg or a classic hash brown. However, even our taste tester had largely positive things to say about the underrated oatmeal offering. Our reviewer found the oatmeal surprisingly delicious and creamy, and noted that it was some of the best they've had, even compared to homemade bowls of oats.

Additionally, our writer noted that McDonald's oatmeal reheats great. If you have a busy morning ahead or are prone to putting down your breakfast and coming back once it's cold, this McDonald's gem may be your ideal fast food breakfast item.