Oatmeal Wars: Jamba Juice vs. Starbucks

I usually get downtown Denver at 6:20 each morning (via the P Bus), and one of the things I look forward to each day is the 15 minute walk (with stops) to the office. Watching the city wake up or in the case of the day after St. Patrick's day watching it close down is always interesting. Between the days when the Army is running down the 16th Street Mall...in mass, and the street folk getting out of their sleeping bags and having there first smoke of the day, you sometimes see something totally un-expected, like today, with one guy duct taping another guy, who is dressed in blue and orange (Broncos colors) crape paper, to a tree outside of the Civic Center Bus Station.

Watching these guys, as I buy a cup of coffee from a cart across the street, I had to find out what this was all about. Turns out this guy is going to be a human pinata for the Cinco de Mayo, which is today and is not un-like St. Patrick's Day, here in Colorado. Although the big celebration in Denver will be this weekend.

But the real reason for this post is the developing and in my mind already won oatmeal war between Starbucks and Jamba Juice.

On the corner where I turn off the Mall there is a Jamba Juice on one corner and a Starbucks on the other. Jamba Juice started selling oatmeal around January and I found out today that Starbucks is also selling oatmeal.

Oatmeal is not normally my first choice for breakfast, but I am trying to eat healthier in my constant challenge to lower my weight and heart risks. Up to this point it normally meant heating up a package of Quakers instant in the office microwave. While filling, it was no breakfast burrito, so Jamba's oatmeal introduction became another option.

For those of you without a Jamba Juice in the neighborhood, JJ is a chain smoothie shop. Their oatmeal is steel rolled Irish oats (I have no idea what this means) and there is a choice of three toppings; blackberry-blueberry, apple-cinnamon and banana all with brown sugar. It comes in at 290 calories. It is priced at $3.19.

Your first spoonful will tell you that this is not your momma's oatmeal. There is actual consistency to this stuff, it is the mush oatmeal normally seems to be. The toppings really do add to it, but the oatmeal itself has a great mouth feel (description taken from beer tasting).

So this morning, the young guy in JJ mentioned that the Starbucks across the street now also had oatmeal.

Seemed to be a taste test in the making.

So after putting the JJ BB oatmeal in my backpack, I went across the street to Starbucks and ordered their oatmeal.

Starbucks has whole grain rolled oats (again I don't know what this means) with the following toppings; brown sugar, dried fruit and nut medley. Sounds good. I got the brown sugar and dried fruit topping in order to have a apples to apples comparison. The Starbucks oatmeal with brown sugar and dried fruit comes in at 290 calories, interesting. It will set you back $2.65.

Now for some observed preparation differences.

At JJs the oatmeal is made on prem in a big pot. I have gotten there sometimes before it is ready and been turned away (politely). Remember this is usually around 6:30 in the morning. The oatmeal is made using soy milk.

At Starbucks the oatmeal was in a pouch, dumped into a cardboard bowl (similar to JJ) to which water is added from the coffee maker, so it is ready when you are. Where and how it is made must be proprietary information, because the barista(?) did not have that information.

The topping come in separate little packages that you add to the oatmeal when you stir it up, which you need to do so that the oatmeal on top gets access to the coffee maker water.

This is not a bad oatmeal. The mouth feel is closer to your momma's oatmeal.

In my opinon, from my simple mind I need to give Jamba Juice the nod. It has a great taste, consistency and the fresh made difference is nice.