You might think of porridge oats as just a hearty  breakfast staple, but it turns out this humble cupboard item has surprising benefits far beyond the kitchen. Oats can both act as an efficient and non-toxic pest deterrent and a rich source of nutrients for birds in your garden. Experts say sprinkling a small amount of porridge oats around plants can help naturally deter slugs and snails. 

These pests are attracted to the oats, but once consumed, the oats swell up in their digestive systems. Just make sure they’re not mixed with milk or sugar, which can attract pests.

Oats aren't just good for pest control. They're also a nutrient-rich food source for garden birds like robins, blackbirds, and sparrows.

A small handful of dry, uncooked oats left in a sheltered spot can offer a vital energy boost, especially during summer when natural food sources are harder for birds to find.

Oats are a great source of energy for birds, but they must not be cooked and should be placed in a dry, sheltered spot to stop moisture and mould from forming.

If cooked, the porridge will harden, become sticky and hurt the birds' beaks. 

According to the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, you can also give grated cheese to robins, wrens, and dunnocks. 

Other suitable foods include flaked maize, broken peanuts, sunflower seeds (particularly black seeds), nyjer seeds millet, pinhead oatmeal, unsalted peanuts, fresh coconut shells, apples, mealworms and other leftovers like cooked, unsalted rice, pastry, potatoes, unsalted bacon rind, and fat. 

Never give salted food of any kind and large pieces of food like whole peanuts as birds could choke on these. 

Uncooked oats are thereby rich in carbohydrates, and a safe and energy-packed option for birds.