ZeroPoint™ Cheat Sheet: Oats & Oatmeal

While “zero” usually means “nothing,” at WW, ZeroPoint™ foods are everything! If oats and oatmeal are your ZeroPoint foods and you’ve got some questions, you’re in the right place.

Which foods are included in this category?

• Instant oatmeal, plain

• Oatmeal, plain

• Oats

• Quick-cooking regular oats

• Quick-cooking steel cut oats

• Rolled oats

• Rolled whole grain muesli (unsweetened, without nuts, seeds, fruits)

• Steel-cut oats

What makes oats so nutritious?

Oats are a whole grain that’s loaded with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. A diet rich in whole grains has been linked with a decreased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure and improved digestion.

If I add sweetener, nuts, fruit, or other toppings to my oats, are the oats still a ZeroPoint food?

Technically, yes. But you have to count the points for any non ZeroPoint ingredients you add to your oats.

Does it matter if I use instant oats or if I cook my own rolled oats?

Nope! Plain oats—no matter the type—are a ZeroPoint food.

Are oats a ZeroPoint food if I process them into flour?

Unfortunately not. Breakfast grains ground to a flour-like consistency (such as oats ground into oat flour) is not considered ZeroPoints since flour is not a ZeroPoint food.

How can I enjoy oats beyond breakfast?

Oats can add texture and fibre to desserts and baked goods, make a great alternative to bread crumbs in oven-baked chicken and fish recipes, and serve as the base of savoury lunch or dinner grain bowls.

Just cooked up a big pot of plain cooked oatmeal. Now what?

Spoon some thick cooked oats into pancake or waffle batter for added texture and flavour, into burger or meatloaf mixture as a binder, or into soup instead of other cooked grains such as rice or barley.

And if you’re tired of sweet breakfast oats, make a savoury oatmeal breakfast bowl instead. Top your hot, cooked oats with cooked sausage or eggs, leftover roasted veggies or some chopped grape tomatoes, add a sprinkle of cheese, some seasonings, and fresh herbs. The combinations are endless.

Any other oat-related tips?

Get the most from your oats: toast dry oats to enhance their flavour and then use them as an easy topping for sauteed or roasted fruit. Or use them as a topping in quick bread, muffin, or cake recipes.

If you’ve never had overnight oats, you’re missing out! They’re a super-satisfying, no-cook way to have grab-and-go breakfasts ready for hectic mornings.