The term porridge is derived from the Latin word "puls", which means thick soup - and that's exactly what it was, a hearty, thick mixture of grains, vegetables, and sometimes even meat. In contrast, has its roots in Scotland and Ireland, where oats were a staple crop and oat porridge was a daily staple. The difference in terminology is largely a matter of geography and cultural tradition.
So, what's the main difference between oatmeal and porridge? In a nutshell, porridge is a more general term that refers to any type of cooked grain dish, while oatmeal specifically refers to a dish made from rolled, ground, or steel-cut oats. That means you can have porridge made from rice, corn, or even quinoa, but oatmeal is always - you guessed it - made from oats!
