Is Homemade Oat Milk Worth the Effort? Here's How It Compares to Store-Bought

Spending time to make everyday essentials from scratch isn't always worth the effort, especially when store-bought versions can be just as healthy and affordable. However, that isn't true for every fridge or pantry staple we reach for. As the popularity of dairy alternatives continues to rise, so does ingredient transparency. For options like oat milk, the ingredient list is slim—so why not make it at home?

We spoke with recipe developer Yasmeen Ali to find out whether making oat milk at home is worth the time and effort, or if picking it up at the grocery store makes more sense for this daily essential. If you're just getting into dairy-free milk alternatives and thinking about starting from scratch, Ali also shares how she makes her own oat milk, and why she believes it's worth the extra effort, despite the inevitable drawbacks.

How to Make Oat Milk at Home

Making oat milk at home requires just a few ingredients—rolled oats, water, salt, and vanilla extract or paste for flavor. You can also add maple syrup or honey for sweetness. It comes together in less than five minutes, including prep and cleanup.

When combining oats and water, Ali recommends a 1:3 oats-to-water ratio, then adjusting the sweetener and salt to suit your taste.

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high for 20 seconds, no more. "Any longer will make the milk slightly gummy," Ali says. "I like to use very cold water to prevent the milk from getting slimy."

Strain the oat milk through a fine-mesh sieve and let it drip through on its own—don’t press or squeeze it. "Once strained, strain the oat milk through the sieve again—I like double-straining it to ensure there’s no gritty oat bits," she adds. After straining, pour the oat milk into a glass jar and refrigerate for up to five days.

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The Pros and Cons of Homemade Oat Milk

One of the biggest advantages of making a typically store-bought product from scratch is the ability to control every ingredient and flavor. When you make your own oat milk, you can tailor it to how you plan to use it—whether in a latte, baked goods, or your morning cereal—and adjust the sweetness accordingly.

Additionally, homemade oat milk is also typically more affordable per serving since it relies on simple pantry staples. It also reduces packaging waste.

However, homemade oat milk doesn't include stabilizers, which is a plus in terms of added ingredients, but it doesn't last as long as store-bought versions. That means you lose some of the convenience of having it readily available, Ali says. Making oat milk at home requires a bit more planning, and you will need to use it within five days to avoid it going to waste. That said, if you don't use it daily, making it per-use could reduce waste.

Is It Worth It?

There's no doubt that buying oat milk at the store is more convenient, thanks to its longer shelf life and its ready-to-use status. Still, according to Ali, making oat milk at home is worth the effort. "As much as I love the convenience of store-bought oat milk, homemade oat milk is so easy to whip up and has infinitely more flavor and a better mouthfeel," she says.

From an ingredient standpoint, homemade oat milk also stands out. Because it relies on just a few pantry staples, it undergoes far less processing than store-bought versions.

"Commercial oat milk is typically heated and includes oils, gums, and thickening agents to emulsify the milk and extend its shelf life," Ali explains. "These added ingredients tend to impair the mouthfeel and taste; it can taste slightly artificial, whereas homemade oat milk has a lighter, cleaner flavor profile that pairs so much better in lattes, cereal, etc." Store-bought oat milk also tends to be thinner, while homemade oat milk has a creamier, richer texture that makes the extra effort worthwhile.