Porridge is a hot breakfast dish made by boiling grains like oats, wheat, or rice in water or milk until they become soft and creamy. When you heat oats with liquid and stir them slowly, they break down into a thick, smooth mixture that you can eat with a spoon. Many people add honey, brown sugar, berries, or cinnamon to make their porridge taste better.

The most common type of porridge in America is oatmeal, made from oats. In other parts of the world, people make porridge from different grains: rice porridge (called congee in China), cornmeal porridge (called grits in the American South), or wheat porridge. The basic idea stays the same: you're cooking grains until they become soft and warm.

You might know porridge from the story of Goldilocks, where she tries three bowls and finds one too hot, one too cold, and one just right. Porridge has been a breakfast staple for thousands of years because it's filling, nutritious, and you can make it from whatever grain grows where you live. On cold winter mornings, a bowl of warm porridge can feel especially comforting.