Rice Milk vs Oat Milk: Which is Better? 

It’s the battle of the grain milks!

Rice milk and oat milk are two powerhouse plant-based milks, and are some of the best milk choices if you have allergies! In fact, they’re quite similar on paper, making this truly a neck-and-neck showdown! 

That means we’re going to have to take a deep dive, exploring each of these to find out which one is better in things like culinary uses, accessibility, flavors, textures, dietary versatility, and more! 

So, which dairy-free alternative is going to end up in your fridge?

Let’s find out!

Comparing rice milk vs oat milk 

First of all, both rice milk and oat milk are wonderful for people with allergies because they don’t contain any of the major allergens like milk, soy, tree nuts, etc. – in fact, we consider rice milk as the most allergen-friendly milk!

That said, you can use either of these in vegan diets, but neither will be suitable for keto or paleo diets.

	Rice milk	Oat milk
Type	Plant-based (grain)	Plant-based (grain)
Allergens	None	None
Vegan?	Yes	Yes
Paleo?	No	No
Keto?	No	No

Differences between rice milk and oat milk

The main difference between rice milk and oat milk is their texture.

Rice milk has a mild and sweet flavor profile, which is similar to oat milk. However, rice milk has a very thin and watery consistency. 

You can easily make rice milk at home, as it just takes blending some soaked rice with water, and then straining the final liquid! As mentioned, it doesn’t contain any of the major allergens, and rice allergies are rare!

Oat milk also has a mild flavor profile that’s slightly sweet, but it’s much creamier and thicker than rice milk! It also sometimes has different flavors, as some brands will add sweeteners and extra flavorings to enhance the taste. It also gets a nutritional boost, as vitamins and minerals are sometimes added as well!

Just like rice milk, it’s really easy to make oat milk at home.

How to use rice milk vs oat milk 

Rice milk and oat milk have many great uses, most of them similar:

Rice milk:

• Pour it over your cereal and granola.
• Make dairy-free smoothies with it.
• Use it as a more subtle substitute for something like regular milk.
• Make Horchata with it – a sweet Mexican drink.
• Drink it as a stand alone beverage.
• Use it for thinner soups or sauces.
• Add it to your coffee.

Oat milk:

• Enjoy it as a dairy-free beverage.
• Add it to your cereal and oatmeal.
• Pair it with your favorite pancake recipe.
• Put it in your coffee. 
• Use it to make creamy sauces and soups.
• Make smoothies with it. 

Can you substitute rice milk for oat milk?

While oat milk and rice milk do have many of the same culinary uses, their massively different textures will really change things up. Rice milk is much more watery, so it won’t add a whole lot in terms of texture to smoothies, sauces, soups, or creamers. Oat milk, on the other hand, is a great addition to things if you want to add extra creaminess. 

Nutrition: Rice milk vs oat milk

Things are very similar here. 

Rice milk has a touch more calories and fat than oat milk does, but they’re both extremely low in sugar – rice milk has less than 1 gram per serving, while oat milk has none at all. Rice milk also has no protein in it, but oat milk isn’t much better with 1 gram per serving. 

They’re both too high in carbs for keto diets or low-carb diets, but both rice milk and oat milk boast some solid calcium and vitamin D contents.

Per 1 cup (237 ml/8 oz.)	Rice milk	Oat milk
Calories	70	45
Total fat (saturated)	2.5 g (0 g)	0.5 g (0 g)
Total carbs	13 g	8 g
Total sugars (incl. added)	<1 g (0 g)	0 g
Protein	0 g	1 g
Calcium	20% DV	25% DV
Vit D	25% DV	20% DV

How to store rice milk and oat milk

Rice milk is best stored in the fridge, and I recommend finishing it within 7-10 days after opening for the best freshness. It’s prone to separating, so definitely give it a good shake before you use it. Similar to oat milk, there are shelf-stable versions that can stay in your pantry until opened up, and they tend to last longer – check the best before dates on the label and follow any specific storage instructions!

If you’re making rice milk at home, keep it in the fridge and consume it within 3-5 days.

Oat milk can be stored in the pantry as well if it’s the shelf-stable kind. Those will generally last between 1-4 months, but need to be stored in the fridge and finished within 7-10 days after opening. The same goes for the refrigerated kind, but those won’t last as long before being opened, so make sure to check the best before dates!

Rice milk vs oat milk: Which is better?

This proves to be a tough decision, doesn’t it?

Both are made from grains, and are great choices if you have allergies. Plus, they each work in vegan diets, and their nutritional profiles are quite similar…

Rice milk is a solid choice, but oat milk will take the win here for having a creamier and thicker texture that’s delicious, as well as for being easier to find in stores!

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