Is Oatmeal Vegan?

Is Oatmeal vegan?

Arguably one of the quickest and healthiest breakfast foods, oatmeal is a go-to morning meal for many people. But if you have switched to—or are thinking about switching to—a plant-based diet, you might be wondering, Is Oatmeal Vegan?

What is Oatmeal?

It might seem like there are many different types of oats, but no matter how fast they cook or what shape they come in, they are all made from the seeds of the Avena Sativa (common oat) plant.

Oatmeal Varieties:

• Old fashioned Oats: also known as “rolled oats,” or flattened kernels of grain.
• Steel Cut Oats: chopped grains that take longer to cook and have a chewy texture.
• Quick Cook Oats: rolled oats that are flattened more than old fashioned, making them absorb water more quickly.
• Instant Oats: Thinly chopped, rolled oats that cook the fastest (hence, “instant”).

Because oats come from a plant and are grown and produced without any animal byproducts, plain oatmeal is vegan friendly.

How to Tell if Oatmeal is Vegan

Vegans can eat oatmeal, but only if all of the added ingredients are also plant-based.

While any of the oatmeal varieties listed above are vegan in their purest form, some pre-made oatmeal brands will add non-vegan ingredients for flavor.

To be sure that your oatmeal is vegan, the only way to tell for sure is to read the label and make sure that every ingredient is vegan. Or, check out this list of vegan oatmeal.

There are some common ingredients in oatmeal (especially instant oatmeal) that are not vegan-friendly:

Non-Vegan Ingredients to Look Out For:

• Whey or whey protein isolate
• cream, creaming agent, or dried cream
• sodium caseinate
• honey
• milk

Many non-vegan instant oatmeal flavors are easy spot because it will say “WARNING: CONTAINS MILK INGREDIENTS.” But if it doesn’t say this, you should still read the ingredients anyway, because not all non-vegan ingredients are milk (like honey).

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Mcdonalds oatmeal vegan? Yes, McDonald’s oatmeal is vegan, BUT you have to ask for no cream. If they make it with hot water and don’t add cream, it’s vegan, including the diced apples and cranberry raisin blend.

Is Quaker Oatmeal Vegan? Most Quaker Oatmeal varieties are vegan, but watch out for added, non-vegan ingredients. Quaker old fashioned oats, quick oats, and steel-cut oats are vegan.

Is Quaker Instant Oatmeal Vegan? Not All Quaker Instant Oatmeal is vegan friendly. Check the list below to see vegan instant oatmeal varieties.

 

Vegan-Friendly Oatmeal

Rolled and Steel Cut Oats:

• Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• Quaker Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Quaker Quick Oats

Instant-Oatmeal:

• Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
• Quaker Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal
• Quaker Cinnamon & Pecan Instant Oatmeal
• Nature’s Path Original Instant Oats
• Better Oats Organic Instant Hot Cereal, Bare