These heart-healthy grains shine in baked goods, overnight oats and even homemade dog food.

Reviewed by Dietitian Katey Davidson, M.Sc.FN, RD, CPT

Key Points

• Chefs favor Bob’s Red Mill for its chewy texture and reliable quality.
• High-quality rolled oats hold their shape in baking and overnight oats.
• Toasting oats or blending them into flour boosts flavor and versatility.

Oats are a workhorse in any home cook’s pantry. They’re affordable, easy to prepare and can add hearty texture or welcome crunch to recipes ranging from morning oatmeal to savory dishes. Fiber-rich oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that can slow digestion, improve blood sugar and even reduce diabetes risk, making them a heart-healthy addition to just about anyone’s diet.

But what’s the best brand of oats to keep in your pantry? We asked three professional chefs for their go-to supermarket brand of oats and why they love it—and they all landed on the same high-quality option.

Chefs’ Favorite Brands of Oats

The chefs we interviewed unanimously sang the praises of Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. The Oregon-based, employee-owned company has been milling grains, baking ingredients and other pantry staples for nearly 50 years, so it’s no wonder they’ve earned a place of honor in professional kitchens as well as in home kitchens. “They’re thicker and chewier and hold up to more intense or long-duration cooking and preparation,” says Janell Rossa professional chef who’s now head of data at cooking app Springhouse.

That robust texture comes in handy whether you’re heating up a quick bowl of oatmeal in the microwave on a busy morning or building an overnight oats routine. Lisa Keysa recipe developer and Food Network Chopped champion, agrees. “For a plain bowl of warm cereal or overnight oats, I prefer the chewy texture and clean oat flavor of Bob’s Red Mill,” she says. “Bob’s also packages gluten-free oats, so on occasion when I bake for a gluten-free family member, I know I can trust the brand.”

Why Chefs Love Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

For Sara Maya chef and recipe developer based in Philadelphia, the best rolled oats shine in several different applications, from her husband’s daily breakfast bowl to savory granolas she uses for topping soups and salads to adding a creamy texture to smoothies. “I keep rolled oats stocked in our house for their versatility, so it’s important to me that they both cook quickly and hold their shape without turning to mush,” she says. “I’ve discovered that a lot of supermarket-brand rolled oats lose their shape really quickly and, given the many applications I have for oats, that is a real deal-breaker.”

Multiple chefs also recommended toasting rolled oats before you prep a bowl of oatmeal to bring out their toasty, nutty flavors. “Try toasting your rolled oats in a little butter before adding water and making oatmeal. It’s luxurious!” May says.

The chefs we interviewed frequently reach for Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats when baking. “Of course, there are cookies where oatmeal is the star, as well as granola,” Keys says—but their versatility isn’t limited to sweet applications. “It makes deliciously crisp toppings for pies and crumbles and can replace bread crumbs for coating chicken or in meatloaf.”

With the right equipment, the best brand of oats can become even more versatile in your kitchen. Both May and Ross recommended using Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats to make your own oat flour—just blitz them in your food processor or blender for a minute or two until you’ve achieved your desired texture. “Oat flour is a fantastic gluten-free flour because the fiber in the oats absorbs water in a way that’s very similar to wheat gluten, resulting in baked goods that don’t have that tell-tale grittiness that other gluten-free flours can impart,” May says. “The caramel notes of oat flour make a luscious sponge cake and pair well with nuts and chocolate.”

Rolled oats are so versatile that they aren’t just good for humans but for pets, too. Ross adds them to the homemade dog food she keeps on hand for when her pup has tummy trouble. “I’ll do a freezer cleanout where I cook down any odd ends of cuts of meat, add plain squash or pumpkin and then near the end of cooking, for the last 30 to 40 minutes, I add in some rolled oats and any softer fruits and veggies,” she says. “It’s good for the dogs’ skin and coats. After cooking, I portion it and freeze it.”

Other Top Picks for Oats

The other oat brand that got nearly as much love from chefs as Bob’s Red Mill is probably the most well-known: Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, with its instantly recognizable mascot and generations-long presence on supermarket shelves. “For baking, I love Old Fashioned Quaker Oats. I mainly love them because I’ve used them for so many years, and the quality is really reliable,” says Ross.

Keys recommends Quaker Oats for baking, too. “These are definitely the go-to for oatmeal cookies. Not too chewy, and they have a good flavor,” she says. “They absorb moisture at the right level, so you don’t have a dry, crumbly cookie or an excessively gooey cookie texture.”

If you shop at a local co-op, natural foods market or other grocer with a bulk food section, May also recommends keeping an eye out for rolled oats from Iowa-based Grain Millers Incorporated, which works directly with farmers to process oats and other grains into flours, whole grains and other ingredients.

The Bottom Line

Professional chefs prefer Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats as their favorite supermarket brand, with Quaker Old Fashioned Oats a close second. Bulk oats from Grain Millers Incorporated also get a shoutout. The chefs we interviewed prefer high-quality, reliable oats that keep their shape in long-cooked recipes or overnight oats but also excel in baked dishes like cookies, granola and even meatloaf. Use a quality brand of rolled oats like Bob’s Red Mill to make your own oat flour, and try giving your morning oats a little toast in butter before cooking them for more flavor.