As a team of grocery enthusiasts here at The Kitchn, we couldn’t help but wonder: Which instant oatmeal brand is the best? We set out to answer that very question. Naturally, that meant trying as many as we could.
For this taste test, we focused on classic instant oatmeal (which means no apple cinnamon or maple flavors) and further narrowed down the list of eight brands based on popularity, availability, and price. They ranged from $2 up to $6, although most were around $3 at the time of this tasting.
After an afternoon of savoring small cups of oatmeal, we settled on the box we’ll stash in our pantries forever.
Best Instant Oatmeal: McCann’s Regular Instant Irish Oatmeal
Mara, our director of groceries and shopping (and self-proclaimed oatmeal-lover), was just one of the handful of testers who rated McCann’s Regular Instant Irish Oatmeal as their top pick. In her words, it has a “creamy porridge-like texture,” which she found thick and satisfying. She wrote, “Goldilocks would’ve been psyched with a bowl of this.” (Like we were!)
She wasn’t the only fan of this oatmeal: Ali, our associate groceries editor, praised its “smooth” consistency, while Alex, our assistant editor, liked the whisper of salt that kept things interesting.
Runner-Up: Great Value Original Instant Oatmeal
The second-place winner was also the cheapest. At under $2, Great Value Original Instant Oatmeal was also described as “creamy” by a number of our testers (Ali and Mara included), along with “buttery” and “really delicious.” It was such a hit, Ali “ate the entire cup” and would’ve eaten more if given the chance.
Meanwhile, Brian, our executive director of people operations, praised its “slight nuttiness” and general pleasant texture and taste. A solid oatmeal! The only reason it didn’t earn the top spot was because McCann’s Regular Instant Irish Oatmeal was just that much stronger.
Honorable Mention: Purely Elizabeth Superfood Instant Oatmeal Original
If you like your oatmeal with a side of crunch, then Purely Elizabeth Superfood Instant Oatmeal Original is the one for you. That was precisely what our group of testers vibed with when it came to this oatmeal. Alex, who ranked it as her top pick, adored the “nutty taste” and extra sustenance from the added flax and chia seeds.
Not everyone was a fan of all of the extra add-ons, though. Celia, our editorial assistant, felt like there was “too much going on” and that it was a bit dry. Still, many considered it a solid pick.
Honorable Mention: Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Instant Oatmeal
Our testers had mixed (but mostly positive) feelings about Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Instant Oatmeal. Celia praised its “smooth” texture, while Brian called it a little “bland.” (Although he also noted it makes a great base for an oatmeal bowl with customizable toppings.) Ali agreed, describing it as “very creamy.”
A few people, like Mara, felt it leaned a bit “paste-like,” although that may have been because she didn’t sample the oatmeals immediately. Still, the group was fond enough of it that it earned a well-deserved spot on our list.
Find in stores: Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Instant Oatmeal, $2.99 for 11.3 ounces at Trader Joe’s
Honorable Mention: Whole Foods 365 Organic Instant Oatmeal Original
Chanel, our director of product and design, adored Whole Foods’ 365 Organic Instant Oatmeal Original — so much so, that it was her top pick, and she waxed poetic about its “thick texture that isn’t mushy in the slightest … 10/10.” Sounds great, right?
A few of our other testers also raved about its smooth texture and great canvas for an array of toppings. The only qualm our testers had? A few found it to be a bit clumpy.
How We Tested the Instant Oatmeal
We recruited seven of our oatmeal-loving coworkers who work at Apartment Therapy Media (our parent company) to randomly taste eight different brands of instant oatmeal. Ahead of the tasting Maya, our associate producer, heated each one according to its package instructions (all with boiling water) and placed samples into small beige cups. She assigned each brand a letter — A through H — to conceal their identities ahead of the taste test. We also had water on hand as a palate cleanser between tasting.
Tasters were encouraged to sample the instant oatmeal brands in random order (to avoid giving any particular brand an advantage) before writing down their thoughts. Our team then rated each one on a scale of one to five (1 = No, thanks; 2 = Meh; 3 = Pretty good; 4 = Really like; 5 = Yes, Please!) across four criteria — look, smell, texture, and flavor — and included any specific observations, tasting notes, and general opinions worth mentioning. They were also asked to answer, arguably, the most important question of all: Would you buy this instant oatmeal?
To decide which instant oatmeal brands are worth buying, we recruited eight volunteers who work at Apartment Therapy Media to evaluate eight different brands based on texture, look, smell, desire to repurchase, and, of course, flavor.
Tasters were unaware of the brands involved, and sampled each one randomly. Each taster independently filled out a score sheet, scoring and ranking each one without larger discussion or influence from the group throughout the entirety of the test. It was only after all evaluations were completed that we tallied the scores to determine the winners.
Did your favorite instant oatmeal brand make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.
