Instant oatmeal in Switzerland (specifically Mürren)?

I don't have an answer (although I love oatmeal.) I do have my English Tea already packed (after all our discussion about it last year. I just am not finding it in the stores anymore). We leave Tuesday at around five from SeaTac and will be in Laurerbrunnen for five nights starting Sept. 17. We' ve also shared hiking experiences through this board, so perhaps we will meet on the trail. Have a great trip

England easy, I never looked in Switzerland. I'd bet that pretty much anything like that would be easy at the MMMigros at Interlaken West or at the Coop Interlaken Ost, both just across the road from the respective stations, rather than the small Coop in Mürren or Lauterbrunnen. You might be fine in either of the small Coops but if not then you'll be hunting. There is both a Coop and Migros (I think only 1 or 2 Ms) in Bern not too far from the train station, I think it is the Coop which involves going downstairs.

I'd skip a train up the hill and take some time at either of the large supermarkets in Interlaken. Good luck!!

If you are coming by train to Murren do indeed skip a train at Interlaken Ost, and go to the big Coop there. I live in Wengen, and go there at least twice a month as well, with a long shopping list with all the stuff I can't get up here.

I do not know about instant Oats. Oats are available, as we have it to make porridge for breakfast. But I haven't seen instant Oats. Didn't know that existed even...

The wonderful thing about the internet is that most businesses are online.

Both Migros and Coop have searchable websites for products. And in English.

I haven't checked for instant oatmeal but you might also want to look for instant porridge.

I thought I was the only one in the “bring your own oatmeal” club. 😊

I would just bring it from home. I would not risk not being able to find some. Even if a website shows a store carries an item, that’s not a guarantee it will be in stock when you need it.

Have a great trip!!!!

having looked at both of the catalogues I agree - sorry, Lola, you need to pack it. If you have access to a microwave and some miik you can make it for yourself from packaged oatmeal. No instant pots or sachets at either. Coop has one frozen 200g porridge which has all sorts of stuff you wouldn't want in it - porridge seems to be an infant food in CH.

I don't know if this would work for you, but I have used regular rolled oats, soaked them overnight, then either cook them in the microwave or just eat them without heating up and it works either way for me.

(I don't like quick oats because the glycemic index for that is high).

Thank you one and all. I had no idea there were so many oat-o-philes on this forum.

WengenK—-the “instant”oatmeal is a finer grind than “quick”or “regular”rolled oats. Some versions are flavored with maple, apples, cinnamon, etc. but I just eat the plain unadorned variety. It comes in single-serve packets and is quick and easy, especially for camping. It can be cooked by pouring boiling water over it, covering, and letting it stand for a minute or two. I carry an insulated cup with a cover, and an immersion heater for the water, when I travel in Europe, as we will not have access to a microwave in our hotels.

I have been able to find Quaker instant oatmeal in places as far-flung as Kyoto, Japan. That was in a grocery with a dedicated “foreign foods” section. I know the Mürren Coop is too small to have such a section, hence my question. Thanks to the advice above I will bring some, and look for more in Bern, as we will have some free time there.

Last month I carried a one-pound package of oat bran cereal (which is similar to instant oatmeal) on a domestic flight in the US. I was pulled out of the TSA security line because something in my bag triggered an alert. The agent said the scanner indicated a large amount of “powder”. He was pretty amused when he opened my bag and saw the dangerous substance was oat bran. This trip we will be checking our bags because we have hiking poles, so I won’t have to worry about the oatmeal.

That's a pretty funny story about oat bran :)

Hi Connie—Have a safe and uneventful flight today! We will be hiking around Mürren and Grindelwald from the 17th to the 20th. It would be fun to run into you in town or on the trails (not literally!). Look for a small (5’1” and thin) person probably hiking with her husband and our son’s family—2 11-year-old boys. My teal blue hiking shoes are probably pretty distinctive.