Quaker has long been the most recognizable name in oats, but now there's a new kid on the cereal aisle. And it's clear from the brand name -- Better Oats -- that they mean business.

Better Oats is made by the Malt-O-Meal company. They offer plain, or "raw," oatmeal as well as a variety of flavors, including Berry Blast, Cinnamon Roll, Apples & Cinnamon, Blueberry Muffin and Dark Chocolate. Boxes of five pouches retail for about $1.25.

The oatmeal comes in pouches that, when emptied of oats, become a disposable "measuring cup" for the water needed to prepare the oats.

Just in time for bone-chilling oatmeal weather to set in, we distributed samples of Better Oats flavors to Roanoke Times employees who like a good bowl of oatmeal. Here's what they had to say.
-- Lindsey Nair

Mark Taylor, Outdoors editor, said Better Oats seemed more robust and had a heartier mouth feel than other brands. He liked that the flavorings were more subtle in this brand.

"Other sweetened oatmeal seems too sweet," he wrote.

Mark particularly enjoyed the Dark Chocolate flavor, even though he said he generally does not care for chocolate (say WHAT?).

"I like the heartier consistency of old-fashioned rolled oats. This comes close," he said.

Would he buy it? Yes.

Wyeth Davis, 11, son of photographer Stephanie Klein-Davis, said Cinnamon Roll was his favorite flavor, but he also liked the chunks of fruit in Apples & Cinnamon.

In general, he said he liked the chewier consistency of Better Oats, calling the mouth feel "sensational" and saying it is "fantastic with milk."

He also liked the variety of flavors, but said the Berry Burst was "kinda plain" and he probably wouldn't choose the Dark Chocolate variety.

Would he buy it? Yes, if he did the grocery shopping.

Mason Adams, who covers Roanoke city hall and Virginia politics, said he eats oatmeal about twice a month. He said Better Oats were "denser and more congealed than what I usually have," but the mouth feel was about the same.

Unlike Mark, Mason thought Better Oats' flavors were slightly more intense than what he usually buys. His favorite was Blueberry Muffin.

"The prep was a little weird," he wrote. "I usually cook instant oatmeal by boiling water and mixing it with the oatmeal. This brand has directions for microwaving so I used that instead, and that might account for the density and congealed nature of it."

Mason usually buys the generic brand of oatmeal, "so that's my target price."

Would he buy it? If the price is right.

Features editor Kathy Lu usually buys Bob's Red Mill brand oats. She said Better Oats did not seem more textured to her than Bob's, and that was a disappointment.

Also, she said she does not like very sweet hot cereal in the morning -- often she'll add about a tablespoon each of peanut butter and brown sugar to plain oatmeal -- so she found the flavors too sweet and overpowering.

She did, however, think the built-in measuring cup is an innovative idea.

Would she buy it? No.

Arts reporter Mike Allen shared his samples with his wife, Anita. They both enjoyed the larger oats and chewier texture as compared to other brands.

Mike liked Blueberry Muffin the best, noting that it didn't taste "fake or sugar-loaded." In general, the Allens felt the flavored Better Oats oatmeal was not too bland and not overly sweet, either.

"My favorite was chocolate, but that's true regardless of what foodstuff bears that flavor," Anita said.

The unusual cooking method took a little getting used to, but Anita noted that it would be convenient for "hotel room cooking" or preparing at work.

"Plus," she wrote, "the sturdy and compact packets are great to fit in a purse."

Would they buy it? Yes.