So you finally decided to switch to veganism – congratulations! It’s a wonderful lifestyle that allows you to eat healthier and make conscious choices to end animal cruelty.
But at this point, we know that you have a lot of questions in mind. Particularly, about what you can and cannot eat as a vegan.
Is oatmeal vegan?
That’s probably one of the questions you have already asked yourself. And lucky for you, we have the answer. We will also dig deeper to discuss relevant information to help you have a better understanding of veganism vis-à-vis where you can eat vegan-friendly oatmeal.
How is Oatmeal Produced?
To answer the question, “is oatmeal vegan?”, we must first make you understand how oatmeal came to be.
At the heart of this delicious snack are oats, which is a type of whole-grain food. Otherwise known as Avena Sativa, oats are rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them the ideal breakfast or snack food.
Oats are grown in cooler regions of the world and do not rely on any animal-based substances to grow. To harvest the oats, you have to cut the stalk, dry them, and have it go through a threshing process to separate the seeds.
Once threshed, the seeds have to be milled to get rid of materials that are not ideal for human consumption. It then goes through a cleaning process to get rid of potential contaminants and other debris that may have attached during the previous stages.
Then, the cleaned oats will go through the manufacturing process to have them rolled or steel-cut. The actual process depends largely on the manufacturer. The final product is what’s ready for cooking as oatmeal.
Is Oatmeal Vegan?
From how oats are harvested, it’s easy to see that it does not have anything to do with animal-derived substances. Thus, by itself, we can say that oatmeal is vegan.
However, we must remember that there’s a fine line between the harvesting and manufacturing stage and the actual oatmeal cooking.
Since oatmeal is usually cooked with hot milk, there may be instances when oatmeal cannot be considered vegan. Bear in mind that dairy milk comes from cows, and that goes against veganism.
Fortunately, there are a lot of plant-based milk substitutes that you can use for your oatmeal. Popular choices include almond milk, oat milk, and soy milk, but others also use coconut milk and rice milk – it all depends on how you want your oatmeal.
Is Quaker Oatmeal Vegan?
With that out of the way, let’s now go to the specifics. Particularly, is Quaker Oatmeal vegan?
Quaker Oats Company is one of the largest – if not the largest – producers of ready-to-cook oatmeal around the world. Consumers can choose between the old-fashioned oatmeal preparation where you have to cook the oatmeal in boiling water or the instant add-hot-water variety.
The brand also offers its oatmeal in different flavors to suit the varying tastes of its market. They even offer oat-based cookies and other snacks for everyone to enjoy.
So, is Quaker Oatmeal vegan?
While the oats used by the company are 100% vegan, some of its products may not be vegan. With so many flavors to choose from, some of them may already contain animal-derived additives, and that takes it out of the vegan-friendly list.
Nevertheless, Quaker still offers a variety of vegan items, especially the unflavored ones that you have to prepare yourself.
Is Starbucks Oatmeal Vegan?
Aside from Quaker Oatmeal, we also get this question a lot: is Starbucks oatmeal vegan?
While Starbucks is best known for its wide coffee selection, it also offers food items to pair with our favorite cup of Joey – and that includes oatmeal.
Fortunately, this international coffee chain takes its sustainability commitment seriously, which is how it made its menu more inclusive. That’s why it has recently included vegan items on its menu – including its Hearty Oatmeal option.
This Starbucks Oatmeal is made with hearty oats in non-dairy milk and topped with fruits to ensure a tasty snack for everyone. It’s also fortunate that Starbucks has introduced a variety of plant-based milk options like soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and oat milk. So if you have allergies, you have more than one option to choose from.
But aside from its oatmeal, this international coffee chain has other vegan options to choose from. That gives you peace of mind, knowing that you’ll never go hungry or thirsty when you decide to drop by at Starbucks.
> Read more: Vegan options at Starbucks.
Vegan food options include the famous Impossible Breakfast Sandwich, avocado toast, and a variety of bagels, to name a few. As for the drinks, any coffee-based drink with non-dairy milk is safe for vegans. It also helps to opt-out of java chips and certain syrups which might contain dairy. Fruit-based drinks and teas are also available – as long as you opt-out of dairy-based add-ons.
Since Starbucks is one of the most inclusive brands out there, you can count on them to continuously update their menu for more vegan-friendly options. All you need to do is ask.
Is McDonald’s Oatmeal Vegan?
Aside from Starbucks, another global food chain has made its menu items more inclusive to vegans. This time, it’s fast-food giant McDonalds.
In some McDonald’s locations, the stores offer McDonald’s Oatmeal. Now the question is this: is McDonald’s Oatmeal vegan?
We have to qualify that answer. While the oats used are undoubtedly vegan, the oatmeal may contain dairy milk. But if you opt for the fruit and maple oatmeal with no cream, you can already enjoy a hearty vegan breakfast.
But aside from the oatmeal, there are other menu items for vegans to enjoy. That includes the side salad and its fruit slices.
> Read more: Vegan options at McDonald’s.
As for the drinks, you have a lot of options to choose from. You can get the brewed coffees without any cream, sodas, as well as several fruit juices to choose from.
While these aren’t the most exciting options, we hope for McDonald’s to follow suit and include plant-based meat items and non-dairy alternatives to their menu. They will surely drive in more customers if they choose to make that move.
