Look what happened at the gluten free Quaker Oats Summit!
Now is the best time then ever to talk about gluten free oatmeal, isn’t it? Do I have some exciting news for those of you who have to stay away from gluten! Quaker is rolling (pun intended) out their newest line of gluten free oatmeal that has already begun hitting store shelves last month and will really become widely available January 2016. What’s the big deal though, right? Oats are naturally gluten free so why is this good news? Pull up a chair because you are about to get Oatucated.
I was so honored to have been chosen along with 9 other gluten free bloggers to be a part of the Quaker Gluten Free Oats Summit last week in Chicago. It was an invaluable experience where I was able to try out a bowl (or 3) of their oatmeal for myself, meet some genuinely passionate people from the company, and actually learn a thing or 2 about why Quaker is different with their gluten free mission and how their gluten free oats have become a success story.
Quaker’s new line of gluten free oatmeal, including Quick 1 minute oats, and their Original and Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
Yes, you are right, oats are naturally gluten free however there are many problems with the end product due to farming in the fields, storage, and the transportation of the grains. Inevitably, gluten-containing crops will unintentionally be introduced into the lot, making oats extremely unsafe for those with celiac and other autoimmune diseases, despite their gluten free label. Part of the reason really comes from the testing process and the way companies go about it. What I was most impressed with Quaker is hearing that they realized that it was not enough for them to duplicate what was out there. They knew that if they were going to get into the gluten free market they were going to make sure they did it right. FOUR years later, we now benefit from their hard work.
So what makes Quaker different? It’s completely in the process in which they test their oats for gluten-containing grains. Folks, they have created their own methods, realizing that what was currently standard did not meet their expectations one bit. That’s right, Quaker is leading the field when it comes to gluten free oats, to ensure that each sample they take is safe to put on the market. We are not just talking about a handful of samples either, we are talking about MANY, as in 3,000 40g servings: that’s 16 individual samples from the finished lot every 30 minutes (a number based off of statistics that they concluded was the adequate amount). If any samples come back as insufficient, meeting less than 20 PPM standard set by the FDA, the entire lot–ALL of it–is rejected and sent back to their gluten-containing production line.
Why do they do this? Because Quaker is committed to ensuring the seal of quality and safety to their brand and the safety of you and your family around the breakfast table. You want to know what the best part so far (besides gluten free oatmeal)? At this point, there has not been ONE time during their production where any samples they have tested does not meet the FDA standards for gluten free.
Of course you wouldn’t expect me to showcase Quaker’s new line of gluten free oats without putting my oatmeal into some sort of animal shape, now would you? Of course you wouldn’t. You know me too well. Let us pause a brief moment to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season with a breakfast your kids will LOVE.
And now you can rest assured that these gluten free oats are completely safe for your littles, not to mention have the SAME taste and texture as Quaker’s traditional oatmeal. I am not even exaggerating on this one either; it’s true! Santa has come early this year. Get a canister or individual packet servings of your very own gluten free oatmeal today.
Please use your best judgment when deciding whether or not to try Quaker’s gluten-free products. I have presented the facts as they were presented to me, and I hope they help you make the right decision for yourself and your family.
Though compensation was made for this post by Quaker, all opinions and text expressed are my own. To read more about my sponsors, click here.
