Different Types of Oatmeal

There are different types of oatmeal. No matter which is your favorite, all oats are a healthy whole grain, and all oatmeal has similar nutrition values.

Different Types of Oatmeal

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We love oatmeal in our house. In fact, we have 4 different types of oats in our pantry right now! Why 4 different kinds? Because they all have a different use! Check out the difference between steel cut, old-fashioned, quick-cooking, and instant oats. You just might find a new favorite!

Oats are Whole Grains

Oatmeal, no matter how you like to eat it, is a whole grain. When oats are initially harvested, they have a hard outer casing, called a hull. Oats with the hull aren’t edible for people, we can’t digest that part. But this does make good food for animals like cattle and horses. Their digestive tract is set up much differently than ours, and they can digest that outer hull. The photo below shows cleaned oats – they have been harvested and separated from the stalks, but the hulls are still intact.

The photo below shows whole cleaned oats with the hulls removed. The hulls are the papery shells at the bottom of the photo. The whole grain oats are above the hulls. The whole grain oats are called groats.

Groats can be cooked and eaten as is. It takes quite a while to cook them (40-60 minutes on the stove top or overnight in a slow cooker), and the cooked groats will have a very different texture than what you might be used to with old-fashioned oatmeal. It is not always easy to find groats at the grocery store. If you are interested in trying groats, check out local health food stores or you can try these Bob’s Red Mill Groats.

Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut oats are just the whole groat cut into smaller pieces. These are also called Irish Oats. Each groat is cut into 2-4 pieces. The smaller size means that they will cook faster than whole groats, but have a similar taste and texture to cooked whole groats. Oatmeal made with steel cut oats will have a nuttier flavor than old-fashioned or quick-cooking oatmeal. It will also have a thicker, almost chewy, texture. (It might not sound appealing, but try it before you write it off!)

Steel cut oats will cook in 20-30 minutes on your stove top. This type of oatmeal is also ideal for slow cooking.

I love to set up my slow cooker with steel cut oats before I go to bed and have fresh, hot oatmeal ready first thing in the morning. Try this recipe for Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Oatmeal or this one for Slow Cooker Blackberry Cobbler Oatmeal.

Steel-cut oats also work great in your Instant Pot. Try this Instant Pot Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal the next time you need a hearty breakfast in a hurry.

More grocery stores are carrying steel cut oats now. You may have to check the specialty or organic section if you don’t see them in the breakfast aisle. You can also find Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats or Quaker Steel Cut Oats. (Just be a little careful – you can also find a quick-cooking variety of steel cut oats. You do not want to use these in your slow cooker or Instant Pot!)

Old-Fashioned Oats

Old-fashioned oats (sometimes called rolled oats) are what most people are probably used to seeing. To make old-fashioned oats, the whole oat groat is steamed, and then flattened with a roller. This type of oats will cook even faster than steel cut oats, because there is more surface area to absorb water.

Old-fashioned oats will cook in about 5 minutes on the stove top. Because this type of oats cooks so quickly, they are not suitable for overnight slow-cooking. Old-fashioned oats are a good choice to use in cooking or baking. This type of oats will hold their shape and texture during baking better than quick-cooking oats.

Quick-Cooking Oats

Quick-cooking oats are similar to old-fashioned oats. They are steamed, rolled flat, and then cut into smaller pieces. The size of the oat pieces is what makes them “quick-cooking.” The flatness and small size of the oat pieces means that they can absorb water very quickly, so they cook very quickly. Quick-cooking oats make oatmeal with a very smooth, creamy texture.

Because the oat pieces are so small, quick-cooking oats only need about 1-2 minutes to cook. Quick-cooking oats can also be used in baking and cooking. Quick-cooking oats will absorb more water than old-fashioned oats, so it may change the consistency of your final product. They will not hold their shape or texture as well during baking, so it may not be quite as obvious that you snuck oatmeal into those chocolate chip cookies.

Instant Oats

Instant oats look very similar to quick-cooking oats. To make instant oats, the whole oat groat is steamed, rolled, flat, cut into small pieces, and then steamed again. The extra steaming basically “pre-cooks” the oats, so all you need to do is rehydrate them with hot water. Oatmeal made with instant oats will have a very smooth, creamy texture.

Instant oats are just that – instant! Just add hot water and stir. Instant oats are still a whole grain, and they have the same nutritional value as other types of oats. The thing to watch for with instant oats is the added ingredients. Most pre-packaged instant oats have added flavors and sugars.

If you are concerned about added sugars, consider buying plain instant oatmeal, and adding your own flavorings at home. You can also mix up individual servings of dry quick-cooking oats with whatever add-ins you want. Use these like instant oats, just plan on letting them sit in the hot water a little longer before they’re ready to eat. (Check out our recipe for Instant Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Packets.)

Nutritional Value

All varieties of oats have a very similar nutritional value. Here’s the breakdown for 1/2 cup of dry oats of each of the varieties we’ve been talking about:

Remember, watch the pre-packaged instant oats for added dried fruit, sugars, and other ingredients.

All Oats Are Gluten-Free

Oats are a gluten-free food. However, if you have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance and need to eat gluten-free, it’s a good idea to look for oats that have the “gluten-free” label. Even though oats do not contain gluten, they are often harvested by the same equipment that harvests grains that do have gluten. This can cause contamination of the oats with gluten. The amount of gluten that could contaminate oats this way is very minimal, but it could be enough to make a difference for someone with a serious medical condition. Oats with a “gluten-free” label have been harvested and processed using methods to avoid possible contamination with gluten-containing foods.

No matter how you look at it, oats are a whole grain and are good for you. The type of oats to choose is totally up to you! If you want oatmeal with a smooth creamy texture, you might prefer instant or quick-cooking oats. If you want a nuttier flavor and chewier texture to your oatmeal, you’ll probably prefer steel cut oats. For most baking, old-fashioned oats (rolled oats) are going to be a good choice. It’s up to you!

Free Printable for What’s In My Pantry?

Make sure you always have your favorite oatmeal on hand! Grab your free printable pantry inventory sheet and never run out of old-fashioned oats again.

3 Ways to Take the Fear Out of Your Kitchen

• What is a Whole Grain?
• What’s the Difference Between White Sugar & Brown Sugar?
• An Easy Way to Measure Sticky Ingredients

3 Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot Strawberry Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Spiced Peach Oatmeal
• Instant Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Packets

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