Are Quaker Old Fashioned Oats Gluten Free? (& GF Oatmeal)

Last Updated on July 4, 2024

Oatmeal in the morning is the perfect start to any day, and as oats are naturally gluten-free – you’ll probably be thinking it’s the perfect gluten-free breakfast. However, oats are not always gluten-free! Let’s take a closer look.

Quaker Old Fashioned Oats Ingredients

You’ll likely already be familiar with Quaker Oats. They’re a brand that produces a range of oats and oatmeal products. When looking at their standard Old Fashioned Oats, there is just one ingredient. That ingredient is:

• Whole Grain Rolled Oats

They’re a great source of fiber and leave you full of energy. Looking at the list of ingredients you may be thinking that there’s a chance they may be gluten-free – let’s take a look.

Are Quaker Old Fashioned Oats Gluten-Free?

There’s some good and bad news. The bad news: the traditional Old Fashioned Oats are not gluten-free. While they do not contain any gluten ingredients, Quakers themselves have told celiacs and gluten intolerants to avoid this product. Part of their statement says:

“Although wheat, rye and barley are not part of the ingredients in Quaker Steel Cut, Quaker Old Fashioned and Quaker Quick Oats, there is the possibility that they could contain trace amounts of these grains.”

This is because the growing and manufacturing methods mean that it’s likely that the oats have come into contact with other cereal grains such as barley, rye, and wheat. While this may not be the case, the products are not tested for gluten, so it’s best to avoid them.

However, the good news is they do have gluten-free alternatives at Quaker Oats! They even do their Old Fashioned Oats as a gluten-free option. They actively encourage celiacs and gluten intolerants to not buy the standard version, but the gluten-free version instead; despite there being no gluten ingredients in either.

Read more about Are Apple Jacks Gluten Free?

Is Oatmeal Gluten-Free?

Much like oats, oatmeal is often not gluten-free, unless specifically carrying a gluten-free label. This is because of potential cross contact throughout the process from growing the oats, to hitting the shelves. From growing in the same fields as other cereal grains to using the same equipment – there is a high risk of cross-contact. So like oats, it’s best to avoid oatmeal unless it states that the oats are gluten-free.

Quaker Oatmeal Ingredients List

The ingredients in the original Quaker Oatmeal are as follows:

• Whole Grain Rolled Oats
• Calcium Carbonate
• Salt
• Reduced Iron

Again, it may appear gluten-free. But the standard versions of their oatmeal are not gluten-free. This is because of all the same reasons we’ve looked at earlier. But again, there is good news if you like Quakers…they offer gluten-free oatmeal too!

Gluten-Free Oatmeal

Now let’s take a look at the reason you’re likely here – you’re wanting to find some gluten-free oatmeal alternatives. And because oats are naturally gluten-free, there’s a huge selection available. It’s important to note that those with gluten sensitivities may also have a sensitivity to oats – even gluten-free ones. I am one of those people and unfortunately can’t tolerate even gluten-free oats.

However, if you can, here’s a list of our favorites.

Quaker Oats

Of course, the brand we’re going to look at first is Quaker Oats. They have a gluten-free section on their website, to make it easy to navigate. And they contain the same ingredients as the standard Quaker Oats, except this time there’s no chance of cross-contact – so they’re completely gluten-free!

The gluten-free products available from Quaker are:

• Quaker Oatmeal Gluten Free
• Maple and Brown Sugar Gluten-Free Instant Oatmeal
• Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats
• Gluten-Free Quick 1 Minute Oats

Be sure that the Quaker Oats you’re buying display the “gluten-free” wording, because these are the only ones that are certified gluten-free, and tested for gluten.

Bob’s Red Mill

Although Quaker may be the most popular oat choice, Bob’s Red Mill has an incredible gluten-free oat selection. In fact, they have a staggering 18 different options on their website. If you’re a fan of oats, and all things oatmeal – this is the brand for you. Their varieties include:

• Classic Oatmeal Cup (Organic)
• Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cup (Organic)
• Fruit and Seed Oatmeal Cup (Organic)
• Pineapple Coconut Oatmeal Cup (Organic)
• Gluten-Free Classic Oatmeal Cup
• Brown Sugar and Maple Syrup Oatmeal Cup (Gluten-Free)
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cup (Gluten-Free)
• Blueberry Hazelnut Oatmeal Cup (Gluten-Free)
• Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats (Gluten-Free)
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (Gluten-Free)

This is just a small section of their oat offerings – it really is incredible! All of the above carry a clear gluten-free label – so be sure to look out for that! As it’s important to note that not all Bob’s Red Mill products are gluten-free.

Other GF Oatmeal Brands

This list is by no means extensive, and some other brands you may want to consider are:

• GF Harvest
• Lilly B’s
• Montana Gluten-Free

Or you may even want to try making your own – it’s easier than you think!

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped to answer the question: are Quaker Old Fashioned Oats gluten-free? And introduced you to some of the most popular gluten-free oats and oatmeal available. With oats being naturally gluten-free, it’s not as difficult as you may think to find gluten-free options. Just be sure to only buy products with a clear “gluten-free” label. Even though there will likely be no gluten ingredients, the end product may still contain traces of gluten – unless specifically stated that it doesn’t.

Read more about: Substitutions For Oat Bran