Oatmeal is the latest healthy food to hit fast food joints around the nation. But how healthy (and tasty) are these fast food versions? We tested some of the most popular offerings to see how they stacked up.
We visited 4 popular fast food and fast-casual restaurants that offer oatmeal as a breakfast option. We rated each on a 5-point scale (5 being highest) based on flavor, texture, cost and nutritional content, including the type of oats and how they’re prepared. Each restaurant offered various add-ins and flavors, which we found could sometimes sabotage a healthy cup of oatmeal.
Nutrition Info Per Serving (38 grams): 140 calories; 2.5 grams fat; 0 grams sugar; 4 grams fiber
Options: Any of the following can be mixed in: brown sugar (50 calories, 12 grams sugar), dried fruit (100 calories, 22 grams sugar), mixed nuts (100 calories, 1 gram sugar)
Our Take: We were surprised to learn that oatmeal is available throughout the day at Starbucks. To make the mix, the barista blends instant oatmeal with hot water and gives you packets of your chosen toppings. The consistency was a bit thick and mushy, but a quick swirl with a spoon helped the water and oats combine better. The first ingredient is whole-grain rolled oats, but other listed ingredients include thickeners like oat flour and guar gum. In addition, the oatmeal includes added B-vitamins, iron and vitamin A. The oatmeal comes unsweetened, so you can cut down on added sugar and calories if you use only a touch of the sugar and choose either nuts or dried fruit.
Nutrition Info Per Serving (7.5 ounces): 222 calories; 3 grams fat; 3 grams sugar; 4 grams fiber
Options: Choose any two: pistachios, granola, dried cranberries, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, Cosi Break Bar Bits, raisins, brown sugar.
Our Take: Oatmeal at the local Cosi is only served until 11 a.m., but management was generous enough to whip up an afternoon batch for us. The oatmeal is made from steel-cut oats and is pre-sweetened with brown sugar. There is no need to opt for more brown sugar as the oatmeal is just sweet enough, with a smooth consistency. One word of advice is to skip the Cost Break Bar Bits, which can really rack up the calories (one whole bar has 359 calories, though were not sure how much you get as a topping.) Instead, opt for the dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts or a touch of granola.
Nutrition Info Per Serving (9.2 ounces): 190 calories; 2.5 grams fat; 14 grams sugar; 3 grams fiber
Options: All included with order: diced apples (10 calories, 2 grams sugar), cranberry raisin blend (70 calories, 15 grams sugar), light cream (20 calories, 2 grams sugar)
Our Take: We were impressed from a food safety standpoint as the server excused himself before preparing the oatmeal to wash his hands thoroughly (points earned right there.) He combined dried instant oatmeal (made from whole-grain oats) with hot water, brown sugar and a small amount of cream. The included topping is a blend of apples, cranberries and raisins. You can also opt for plain oatmeal, but need to say so when you order. The oatmeal had a good consistency with a good mix of flavors and textures, but it was a bit too sweet.
Options: Various options available, including Apple Cinnamon, Berry Cherry Pecan, Blueberry & Blackberry, Fresh Banana and Plain with Brown Sugar Topping.
Our Take: These steel-cut oats are mixed with soy milk and come with the topping of your choice. Upon inquiring about some of the options, we asked if the blueberries and blackberries were fresh and were told they weren’t — they’re packed in syrup (which usually means more sugar and calories.) We opted for the Berry Cherry Pecan, which promised dried cherries, berries and pecans, but was unexpectedly sweet and salty with candied (meaning higher-calorie) nuts. Taste and flavor of the oatmeal was great, it’s steel-cut, which we love; the texture was both chewy and creamy, as it should be. If you decide to pick up oatmeal at Jamba Juice, opt for the plain with brown sugar or fresh banana.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Tobys full bio »
ABP ($2.99 for a medium) Au Bon Pain has been in the oatmeal game for longer than the other two chains, and does things slightly differently. Rather than quick-make individual portions, ABP ladles out servings from a big communal pot. This seems fitting: Since the chain’s Francophilic, it’s only natural that they’d apportion oatmeal via a social-democratic method. And yet the toppings are handled in a most American way—jars of brown sugar, honey, granola, raisins, chocolate chips, and other such options are set out on a counter, and customers may take as much as they desire. Advertisement Advertisement
I grew up in a sensible household where extra sugar at the breakfast hour was largely verboten. If memory serves, this ban extended to the oatmeal, too—doled out rarely and plainly in a lumpy, bland mass. Oatmeal mostly signified as the color of (lumpy, bland) sweaters that my mother used to buy me. And so one of the great small pleasures of my adult life has been the realization that, like tofu, oatmeal is best thought of as a sponge that absorbs flavor from its toppings—such as molasses, maple syrup, and all manner of fruits and nuts and winsome unneccessaries. Food writer Irena Chalmers bemoaned, charmingly, that “[o]nce we sowed wild oats, now we cook them in the microwave,” but if I put enough brown sugar on mine, it feels as if I’m doing a bit of both.
Starbucks ($2.45) Starbucks racked up a fair amount of buzz a few years ago when it introduced its oatmeal, and a couple of our panelists outed themselves as regular consumers. (One even endorsed it on Slate’s Culture Gabfest.) The oatmeal had a far more distinct flavor, sans toppings, than any of the other samples—sort of salty and slightly sour, prompting a prevailing sentiment of “delish!”
The fast food company’s slogan for its newish product is, I think, rather telling in its use of the conditional: “McDonald’s new oatmeal is so yummy, it could be your latest crave.” It seems that even the sloganeers didn’t want to declare anything too positively; it’s possible—anything’s possible! this is America!—that you could maybe kinda sorta crave it … if you’ve, say, just had some major oral surgery. Advertisement
The slow-cooked oats seemed, at least to me, a vast improvement. This oatmeal came the closest of all to approximating my beloved McCann’s. Our judges were more divided: Some praised the nutty, traditional taste and wholesome, full-bodied texture. Others found it bland, woefully unsalted, and tasting a bit too much “like cardboard.” Its “chewiness” was valued by some, disparaged by the others. Visible grains led to a “good-mouth feel,” in one tester’s charming phrase; another found fault with its “chunkiness.” As for its “glutinous” consistency, one said “maybe a tad cement-y, but I like it that way”; other testers were less set in their ways and longed for an oatmeal that shared that quality. Advertisement
Our Take: Oatmeal at the local Cosi is only served until 11 a.m., but management was generous enough to whip up an afternoon batch for us. The oatmeal is made from steel-cut oats and is pre-sweetened with brown sugar. There is no need to opt for more brown sugar as the oatmeal is just sweet enough, with a smooth consistency. One word of advice is to skip the Cost Break Bar Bits, which can really rack up the calories (one whole bar has 359 calories, though were not sure how much you get as a topping.) Instead, opt for the dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts or a touch of granola.
Our Take: We were surprised to learn that oatmeal is available throughout the day at Starbucks. To make the mix, the barista blends instant oatmeal with hot water and gives you packets of your chosen toppings. The consistency was a bit thick and mushy, but a quick swirl with a spoon helped the water and oats combine better. The first ingredient is whole-grain rolled oats, but other listed ingredients include thickeners like oat flour and guar gum. In addition, the oatmeal includes added B-vitamins, iron and vitamin A. The oatmeal comes unsweetened, so you can cut down on added sugar and calories if you use only a touch of the sugar and choose either nuts or dried fruit.
Options: Any of the following can be mixed in: brown sugar (50 calories, 12 grams sugar), dried fruit (100 calories, 22 grams sugar), mixed nuts (100 calories, 1 gram sugar)
Our Take: We were impressed from a food safety standpoint as the server excused himself before preparing the oatmeal to wash his hands thoroughly (points earned right there.) He combined dried instant oatmeal (made from whole-grain oats) with hot water, brown sugar and a small amount of cream. The included topping is a blend of apples, cranberries and raisins. You can also opt for plain oatmeal, but need to say so when you order. The oatmeal had a good consistency with a good mix of flavors and textures, but it was a bit too sweet.
Our Take: These steel-cut oats are mixed with soy milk and come with the topping of your choice. Upon inquiring about some of the options, we asked if the blueberries and blackberries were fresh and were told they weren’t — they’re packed in syrup (which usually means more sugar and calories.) We opted for the Berry Cherry Pecan, which promised dried cherries, berries and pecans, but was unexpectedly sweet and salty with candied (meaning higher-calorie) nuts. Taste and flavor of the oatmeal was great, it’s steel-cut, which we love; the texture was both chewy and creamy, as it should be. If you decide to pick up oatmeal at Jamba Juice, opt for the plain with brown sugar or fresh banana.
Might Want to Think Twice Before Eating Oatmeal
FAQ
Does McDonald’s have oatmeal?
Does Burger King sell oatmeal?
Is McDonald’s oatmeal good for breakfast?
Does Mcdonalds use instant oatmeal?
Is oatmeal healthy at a fast-food restaurant?
If you’re going to a fast-food restaurant for breakfast, oatmeal is likely to be among the healthiest picks. Here’s a look at just how healthy-or unhealthy-the oatmeal is at some common fast-food restaurants and 4 of the healthiest choices to order. The good news?
What is the best type of oatmeal?
The best type of oats depends on your goal and your personal taste, but in general, oat bran is the most complete option, as it contains more fiber, especially betaglucan, which has the ability to absorb water and regulate the intestine.
Is oatmeal a good breakfast option?
Oatmeal is a great breakfast option because it’s packed with nutrients like filling fiber and other vitamins and minerals. The suggestions below are also appropriate for individuals looking for low sodium meals ( 6 ). 5. Panera Bread Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries and Pecans Steel cut oats are the least processed kind of oats.
Is oatmeal slow cooked?
Interestingly, the oatmeal is made with steel-cut oats and is the only one I found to be slow-cooked. The Fresh Banana Oatmeal is the flavor that adds the least amount of extra calories (12 ounces, 280 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 20 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 9 g protein).