Pete said:

Sounds like a very good meatloaf recipe, Shells.  It reminds me that Mom always added oatmeal to her meatloaf, and now it just doesn't taste right if it is not added.  It may be my imagination, but the oatmeal flakes seem to hold the moisture in better than any other added starch that I have tried.

My mother used the recipe on the back of the oatmeal box (I haven't seen that recipe in years!) but my grandmother used torn stale bread soaked in milk.  I liked both versions, but they were totally different textures. I actually liked my grandmother's version best — but you had to watch her make it because there wasn't a recipe, and she rarely made it the same way twice.

The recipe with the oatmeal seemed to make a softer version of the meatloaf, and it soaked up the juices from the meat.  That meatloaf was almost easier to serve with a spoon than to slice.  When my son got married and had meatloaf for dinner with his in-laws he was fascinated that meat loaf actually cut like meat.  I think his mother-in-law used very little besides ground meat in the meatloaf.  That and a little ketchup over the top.

Shells said:

I don't like oatmeal in my meatloaf, thats why I use the panko instead.  I don't like the texture the oatmeal gives.

oatmeal in meatloaf is how we found my oatmeal allergy.  I'll never forget that!  I had never had oatmeal until I ate it in meatloaf at a friend's house as a kid.  Her poor mom just thought I didn't like the meatloaf.  But I did like it!  It didn't like me!