Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal: Labelgrade C+ (65/100)
C+ 65 / 100 — Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, high sodium per 100g, and substantial fiber.
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Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar 1.69 oz delivers 4g of protein and 180 calories per 1 Packet (48g) (USDA FDC 2650330). Per 100g that’s 8.3g of protein; per oz, 2.4g. The Labelgrade is C+ (65 / 100): Very low saturated fat, notable sugar load, high sodium per 100g, and substantial fiber.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C | 62 / 100 | 8.3g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 74 / 100 | Short 4-ingredient list, no additive flags |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 95 / 100 | 0.499g per serving (1.0g per 100g) — very low |
| Sodium load | F | 35 / 100 | 290mg per serving (171mg per oz) — high; structural for cured/preserved foods |
| Sugar load | D | 44 / 100 | 14g sugar (14g added) — substantial added-sugar load |
| Fiber | B- | 73 / 100 | 2.98g per serving — good |
| Overall | C+ | 65 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 25% · ingredients 22% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 12% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar 1.69 oz (this product) | 4g | 8.3g | 2.4g | 180 |
| Larabar Cashew Cookie Fruit & Nut Bar | 4g | 8.3g | 2.4g | 230 |
| Bear Naked Fit Triple Berry Granola | 4.78g | 9.2g | 2.6g | 210 |
| Quaker Instant Oatmeal Express Cup Apple Cinnamon 1.51z/12 | 4g | 9.3g | 2.6g | 160 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
Where the C+ comes from: the sugar and salt are added, not inherent
It’s worth being clear that nothing in the oats themselves drags this grade down — the entire shortfall is the flavoring. The ingredient list reads whole grain oats, sugar, salt, natural flavor, and those middle two are the story. The 14g of sugar here is 100% added (the USDA entry lists 14g total and 14g added — oats contribute essentially none), and it scores a D. The 290mg of sodium scores an F, which is striking for a breakfast cereal and comes from the added salt, not the grain. A plain oat has 1g of sugar and 0mg of sodium; this packet bolts on roughly three and a half teaspoons of sugar and a meaningful pinch of salt.
That’s why this is the lowest-graded of the four oatmeals on the site. The base is the same heart-friendly whole grain you’d get from any plain oat — the fiber holds at 3g and earns a B-, the saturated fat is near zero — but the maple-brown-sugar profile is, nutritionally, a layer of dessert. Read the grade as a verdict on the flavoring, because the oats underneath are doing nothing wrong.
A treat-tier oatmeal, and that’s fine if you frame it that way
Calling this a C+ isn’t the same as calling it junk. With 3g of fiber and a whole-grain base, a packet of Maple & Brown Sugar is still a better breakfast than a doughnut, a sugary pastry, or most kids’ cereals — and for a child or a picky eater, the sweetness can be the difference between eating oatmeal and skipping breakfast entirely. The honest framing is that it belongs in the occasional treat column, not the daily-driver column. Eaten now and then, it’s a perfectly reasonable choice; eaten every morning, the 14g of added sugar and 290mg of sodium add up fast.
If you genuinely like the maple flavor, the upgrade path is simple and keeps almost everything you like: buy plain oats and sweeten them yourself with a teaspoon of real maple syrup, a chopped apple, or a sprinkle of brown sugar you control. You land in the same flavor neighborhood with a fraction of the added sugar — the exact move that separates this packet’s C+ from a plain oat’s A-. Buy plain, add your own sweetness, and the best breakfast carb in the aisle stays the best breakfast carb in the aisle.
Scope
This page covers Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar 1.69 oz (2.54 LBR), UPC 00030000319710, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2650330. Quaker sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
WHOLE GRAIN OATS, SUGAR, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR.
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 Packet (48g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 Packet (48g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 180 |
| Protein | 4g |
| Total Fat | 2.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.499g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 37g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.98g |
| Total Sugars | 14g |
| Added Sugars | 14g |
| Sodium | 290mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 20.2mg |
| Iron | 1.3mg |
| Potassium | 130mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar 1.69 oz (2.54 LBR) · UPC 00030000319710. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this maple brown sugar oatmeal actually healthy?
It's the weakest of the oatmeal options — a genuinely good oat base carrying a dessert's worth of sugar. You still get whole-grain oats and 3g of fiber, but the maple-brown-sugar flavoring brings 14g of added sugar (28% of a day's worth) and 290mg of sodium, which is why it scores only C+. Plain oats are an A- breakfast carb; this is closer to a cookie-adjacent treat that happens to be made of oats. Our [oatmeal guide](/guides/is-oatmeal-good-for-you) explains the gap.
Why does Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar earn just a C+ (65/100)?
Two dimensions drag it down hard: sugar and sodium. The 14g of added sugar scores a D, and the 290mg of sodium scores an F — both unusually high for an oatmeal, and both come entirely from the flavoring, not the oats. The oat base still earns a B- on fiber and an A+ on saturated fat, which is what keeps it from falling further. It's the lowest-graded of the four oatmeals here precisely because it's the sweetest and saltiest.
Do the flavored packets undo the benefit of oatmeal?
This one comes closest to it. You keep the whole-grain oats and 3g of fiber, so it's not worthless — but with 14g of added sugar, you're eating nearly as much sugar as some cookies alongside your oats. The slow-digesting, blood-sugar-steadying advantage that makes plain oatmeal special is undercut when you add this much sugar at once. The fiber benefit survives; the 'clean, low-sugar breakfast' benefit does not. A plain oat plus a drizzle of real maple syrup would land far better.
How do you make it, and is the 14g sugar from the dry packet or prepared?
The 180 calories and 14g of sugar are for one prepared packet — you empty it into a bowl, add about 1/2 cup of boiling water, stir, and it's ready in a minute. The sugar is baked into the dry mix, so it's there whether you use water or milk; preparing it with milk would only add a little more sugar from lactose on top. There's no lower-sugar way to prepare this particular packet — the sugar is in the product itself.
What's a better-graded way to get that maple flavor?
Start from plain oats and sweeten lightly yourself. Take the plain Quaker Instant tub or steel-cut oats (0g sugar, 0mg sodium) and add a teaspoon of real maple syrup plus a chopped apple or banana. You get the maple-and-warm-spice profile with a fraction of the 14g of added sugar and almost none of the 290mg of sodium — moving the bowl from this C+ up toward the A- a plain oat earns.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-05, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2650330. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.