# Porridge: Oats, farina (Cream of Wheat), or corn (grits) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394 "2012-03-31T16:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/21 "2012-03-31T21:28:07Z")
I like them all. i chose grits. because I have that more often. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/22 "2012-03-31T22:57:04Z")
More people said grits in their responses than voted, apparently. There are only 6 votes for corn. Grits, because I’m from the South, I think they taste the best, and they are certainly the most versatile. Side dish for dinner, breakfast, brunch; with cheese, butter, shrimp, bacon, gravy, etc. I love cream of wheat and steel cut oats, too, though. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/23 "2012-03-31T23:13:04Z")
Cream of Wheat or Malt-o-Meal cooked in milk. Oatmeal a very close second. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/24 "2012-04-01T00:15:14Z")
Maybe you porridge fiends will appreciate my new breakfast routine. I dug out my teeny tiny crockpot, (branded something attrocious like “Li’l Dipperz”) and have been tweaking overnight oats for the past week or so. I’ve got it pretty good! Quick swipe of butter around the crock (or spray of oil, if in a hurry), fill the whole pot with crushed ice, half a cup of steel cut oats and a big pinch of salt. Leave overnight. Depending how late I sleep, it’s either creamy and yum, or just a bit crusty around the edges and yum. Either way, dumped in a bowl with a splash of milk and a drizzle of golden or maple syrup, it’s a fantastic breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/25 "2012-04-01T01:21:50Z")
I voted for oats, but rice congee has its merits too. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/26 "2012-04-01T01:35:17Z")
1. Maple & Brown Sugar Cream of Wheat 2. Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal 3. Cinnamon & Spice Oatmeal All instant. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/27 "2012-04-01T01:35:24Z")
Oats–preferably steel cut, but rolled is good too–well laced with brown sugar is the best by _far_. I just had grits a few days ago for the second time in my life. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/28 "2012-04-01T02:08:19Z")
I like farina and grits; I just prefer oats. Steel cut is fine but I seem to always come back to rolled. Maybe a comfort food thing. [http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainOats.html](http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainOats.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/29 "2012-04-01T03:22:03Z")
I like farina just a little bit better than oatmeal, and I like oatmeal quite a lot. I prefer to get my corn in tortillas, or still on the cob and tossed on the grill. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/30 "2012-04-01T03:26:28Z")
I like good grits with eggs. It’s funny that if you call girts polenta the same people who make fun of them will eat them up. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/31 "2012-04-01T03:54:46Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > My preference is Red River, which is cracked wheat, cracked rye, cracked flax, and whole flax. Basically it is birdseed, so the texture is terrific. > > Of the three options, I like them all, but prefer oats. I just went to their website. Sounds AWESOME! I hope I can find it at the store tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/32 "2012-04-01T04:40:06Z")
[Congee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/33 "2012-04-01T04:42:21Z")
Corn. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/34 "2012-04-01T04:43:01Z")
Corn. It’s all about corn. ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/35 "2012-04-01T09:53:45Z")
Oatmeal for me, although grits are good as a side dish. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/36 "2012-04-01T19:28:34Z")
I loves me some cornmeal cooked like cereal. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/37 "2012-04-02T07:04:31Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > My preference is Red River, which is cracked wheat, cracked rye, cracked flax, and whole flax. Basically it is birdseed, so the texture is terrific. > > Of the three options, I like them all, but prefer oats. Another vote for Red River here (and Sunny Boy when it was available). I mix mine with old-fashioned, large-flake rolled oats. Cooking it on a low boil gives me time to have my shower by the time it’s done. A heapin’ helpin’ with some milk and brown sugar and I’m good till lunch time. I’m good with Cream of Wheat too, especially if I have less time on my hands, though it’s a poor second to the locally-milled stuff I was raised on. My dad would get it in huge sacks that would last most of a winter. Never had grits. And while I’ve heard about steel-cut oats, I’ve never tried them and have no idea why cutting them with steel is a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Rahne\_McCloud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rahne\_McCloud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rahne_McCloud)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/38 "2012-04-02T07:55:53Z")
Oatmeal both steelcut or old fashioned with maple syrup or brown sugar and butter, Cream of Wheat is second with maple syrup or brown sugar and butter. I’m from New England and it’s how I grew up eating it. Even though when I get the oatmeal from Starbuck’s I put the nuts, dried frut and brown sugar in it without milk. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/39 "2012-04-02T08:44:57Z")
Oh, I thought this was going to be a question of which I thought of when I thought of porridge. My answer is none of the above: I prefer Malt-O-Meal, which is a combination of malt and farina, according to what I could find on the web. And that malt is very important: it’s the same reason I prefer malts to shakes, and that Whoppers are one of my favorite candies. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394/40 "2012-04-02T11:48:19Z")
I voted Oats, because it’s the one of those three that I like _best_ (I love all 3, though - but none of them is a patch on sorghum, though) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/porridge-oats-farina-cream-of-wheat-or-corn-grits/617394.md?page=3)