Porridge oats - normally the same as rolled oats, but can depend on the brand. Rolled oats - also known as old fashioned oats or jumbo oats. These are the oat groats steamed and rolled into flakes. This means the oils are stabilised, and the oats stay fresh longer. Quick oats - rolled oats cut into smaller pieces for quicker cooking or they can be made from smaller pinhead oats. Steel cut oats - are whole oats that have not been rolled into flakes. Instead, they are cut approximately into thirds.