Types of Oatmeal

The terms oats and oatmeal are often used interchangeably. Common forms of plain, 100% oats are rolled oats, quick oats, and steel cut oats. While the nutritional differences between these forms is small, flavor, texture, and cooking time vary greatly.

Steel-cut oats are the least processed type. The whole oats are coarsely cut, leaving small pieces. Because they are not rolled or pre-steamed, the steel cut oats need to be cooked longer than rolled oats or quick oats. Steel-cut oats have a firmer texture and a nuttier flavor.

Rolled oats are usually steamed and rolled into flakes. The familiar large cylinder tub of Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats is rolled oats. You'll find many brands of rolled oats in your supermarket - the thickness of the oat flake will vary across brands. Try several types and pick your favorite.

Quick oats are also steamed but are flattened into even smaller and thinner pieces that absorb water more quickly and, therefore, require less cooking time.

Plain Oats vs Pre-Sweetened Instant Oatmeal

Instant oatmeal is made of very small, thin pieces of oats that cook quickly. Instant oatmeal (often sold in single-serve packets) often contains ingredients other than oats such as flavors, sugar, salt, and nutrients. They are popular with kids and adults because of their sweetness and perceived convenience. However, rolled oats and quick oats can be cooked in about the same time as instant oatmeal.

Because of the added sugar and flavors, most instant oatmeal contains about 3 teaspoons of added sugar and less fiber and protein than the same amount of plain oatmeal.

Oats Nutrition

Plain oats and oatmeal are whole grain foods that contain high-quality protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, B vitamins and many other vitamins and minerals. If your preschooler is eating plain rolled oats, steel cut, or quick oatmeal, she is getting good nutrition.

Oat Nutrition - in 40 grams (about 1/3 - 1/2 cup, depending on the density of the oat pieces)

Calories = 140-150

Fat = 2-2.5 g

Sat Fat = 0-0.5 g

Cholesterol = 0 g

Sodium = 0 g

Fiber = 4 g

Soluble Fiber = 2 g

Sugars = 1 g

Protein = 4-6.5 g

Iron = 15-25% of a preschooler's daily needs

Magnesium = 50-75% of a preschoooler's daily needs

Zinc = 20-30% of a preschooler's daily needs

Thiamin = 50% of a preschooler's daily need

Preschooler Oat Recipes

Whole Grain Granola Snacks

Healthy Portions - Oatmeal Cookies

I'm Kati Chevaux, the Nutrition writer at PreschoolRock.com. Let's talk about how to how to help our preschoolers eat well and develop life-long healthy eating habits. Contact me with your preschool nutrition questions and healthy eating ideas.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Involve children in food preparation. Children who help prepare a meal are statistically more likely to eat it, even if it contains ingredients they previously rejected.

• Breakfast is the most reliably linked meal to cognitive performance in school-age children. Prioritize a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast every morning.

• Calcium and vitamin D are the most commonly deficient nutrients in preschool-age children. Dairy, fortified plant milks, salmon, eggs, and sunlight are the primary sources.

• Preschoolers do not need dietary fat restriction. Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil, whole dairy) are essential for brain development and are not restricted except on medical advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much dairy should a preschooler consume per day?

The USDA recommends 2–2.5 cups of dairy per day for ages 2–8. This can include: cow's milk, plant-based milk (check for calcium fortification), yogurt, and cheese. Whole milk until age 2; 2% or low-fat is appropriate from age 2 onward. Calcium needs for preschoolers are 700–1000 mg/day — most children meet this through regular dairy consumption and fortified foods. Calcium-rich non-dairy options: fortified plant milks, canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines), edamame, and tofu.

Related reading: See also our cooking projects guide and our smoothie recipes guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 📏 Early Math Skills — Measuring ingredients, counting servings, comparing quantities, and dividing portions makes cooking and eating some of the most authentic early math experiences available to preschoolers.
• 🧁 Kitchen Science & Math — Cooking is applied chemistry and physics: watching bread rise, butter melt, or egg whites stiffen teaches cause-and-effect science while measuring cups and counting portions deliver authentic math in context.
• 🥦 Healthy Food Knowledge — Learning about different foods, food groups, and what nutrients do in the body builds the food literacy that supports a lifetime of informed, health-conscious eating choices.
• 🧪 Science Literacy — Understanding where food comes from, how cooking changes its properties, and what nutrients do in the body connects food experiences to biology, chemistry, and the broader scientific understanding of the natural world.

From Naomi...

"Are instant oats (no sugar or salt added) any less nutritious than whole oats? My daughter eats them raw in applesauce and yogurt with wheat germ."

Naomi,

Oats are a wonderful food for preschoolers. Your daughter is getting lots of good nutrition with her oat mini-meals.

Rolled oats, quick oats, and steel-cut oats are 100% oats with similar nutrient profiles. Most instant oatmeal contains other ingredients like flavors, sugar, salt, and nutrients. Look at your package of instant oats. If the only ingredient is oats or rolled oats, your daughter is getting the same fiber and nutrients as she would with rolled oats. If there are other ingredients you don't want your daughter to eat, or you would rather control the amounts of added ingredients at home, then switch to a product that is 100% oats.