Use it up · Grains, rice and pasta

Oats

Have extra oats? Here’s how to choose, store and prep oats, plus 16 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Rolled oats are the all-purpose kind. Quick oats cook faster; steel-cut are chewier and take about 30 minutes.

🧊 Storing it

Pantry: About 12 months, sealed

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University System.

🔪 Prepping it

Simmer with milk or water, or soak overnight in the fridge. Use in cookies, muffins, granola and meatloaf.

🥣 Make it from scratch

Homemade staples that use oats:

Oatmeal bread Granola

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Old-fashioned rolled oats. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	379 kcal	19%
Protein	13 g	26%
Total fat	6.5 g	8%
Saturated fat	1.1 g	6%
Total carbohydrate	68 g	25%
Dietary fiber	10 g	36%
Total sugars	1.0 g
Sodium	6.0 mg	0%
Calcium	52 mg	4%
Iron	4.2 mg	24%
Potassium	362 mg	8%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 173904 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

16 recipes, the ones that use the most oats first.

With a smaller amount

Baked Pears with Walnuts and Maple40 min · serves 4 · snack, breakfast 🧒 kid-friendly🥕 vegetarian

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More grains, rice and pasta

White rice Brown rice Pasta Egg noodles Quinoa Couscous Barley Cornmeal and grits Flour Bread Tortillas All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.