Oats are not suitable for bread making. They are found in various forms:

• Whole oats - meaning the grain contains all three parts of the grain: germ, endosperm and bran. The whole grain provides maximum health benefit.
• Rolled oats (flakes) - grains with their outer covering removed, then rolled into flakes. The main ingredient in Scottish porridge.
• Groats or oatmeal - Grains with their outer covering removed, then milled. It has a brownish color and contains no gluten. Probably the most common form.
• Oat flour - chewy and sweet. it can be used in cookies, cakes, pie crusts, muffins and breads. Because oats have little gluten, the flour is best combined with whole wheat flour for baking.
• Oat bran: the outer covering, ground into pièces.

Oatmeal grains can be substituted for rice.

The Scots use them to make oatcakes, the English porridge, Quebeckers a dessert called "croustade," Mongolians a main dish in a pastry shell called "yumeienwowo," and the South Americans and Asians a sweet drink.

Oats are used in making granolas, muesli, muffins, cookies and flat breads. They're used to thicken soups, meatloaf and pâtés, and to make date squares, fruit crisps, cakes, beers and other beverages.