Notes on oats: The different types of oats explained

Oatmeal

This is available as ground kernels or groats, in three grades: coarse, medium and fine. Coarse oatmeal requires a lot of soaking before it’s palatable and easy to digest. Medium oatmeal is ideal for porridge, oatcakes, as a coating for fish or meat, stuffings and crumble toppings. Fine oatmeal is ideal for smooth milk puddings or for use as a thickening agent for soups, sauces and gravies.

Discover ways to use up leftover oatmeal. 

Pinhead oatmeal

This is groats chopped into small pieces. Pinhead oatmeal is nutritious because it still has the bran attached. It can be made into traditional porridge – although it takes nearly an hour to cook – or added to soups, stews and toppings for pies and puddings.

Rolled (porridge oats)

These are rolled and flattened groats. Available as jumbo oats (whole groat) or regular porridge oats. They are often used in baking, muesli and porridge. Try our oatmeal and raisin cookies using rolled oats.

Instant

This is pinhead oatmeal that has been steamed for longer and rolled even more finely for quick porridge.

Oat bran

Ground kernel or groats with bran and oat germ separated. It’s typically used for baking. Our cheesy oat biscuits, for example, are made using oat bran in the ingredients.

Oat flour

A fine, smooth-textured flour that makes an ideal thickening agent. It’s also recycled for animal feed.

Learn oatmeal and raisin cookies or check out these oatmeal and raisin cookies.