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Oat Meals: Inspiring K-12 Culinary Creativity with the �Nutritious & Versatile Superfood Oat�

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We are excited to be here today!

Amanda Brill

PepsiCo Senior Sales Marketing & Strategy

Rachel Huber, MPH, RDN

PepsiCo Foodservice Dietitian

Steven Dominguez

PepsiCo Associate Principal Research Chef

Quaker Oats Lead Chef

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Today’s content will focus on…

Meet Our Super Grain

From Seed to Spoon
The Power of the Oat

All Oats are Not the Same

Types of Oats and their Culinary Applications

Oats for Breakfast and Beyond

Live Culinary Demonstration

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From Seed to Spoon

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Our oats take a production journey from seed to spoon

Growing and receiving the oats

Oats grow best in cool weather with long, sunny days and well-drained, fertile soil.
The growing process begins in the spring when farmers, including Quaker’s Direct Growers start the seeding process. The harvesting process begins in late summer/early fall, weather permitting.

Testing the oats

Samples of oats are tested to ensure it meets Quaker’s standards.
A representative sample of oats from every railcar or truck is evaluated in our proprietary oat grading labs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Quaker’s mill is located. The operators test for grain moisture, size, and composition among several other parameters.

Storing the oats

Oats are then stored in grain bins on the farm or driven directly to the elevator where they are stored in bins until it’s time for them to be loaded into railcars for transit to Cedar Rapids.

Transporting the oats

The rail cars hold 5,000 bushels (or 160,000 pounds), then travel for 10-12 days to reach the Cedar Rapids plant

Separating the oats

Depending on test results, oats are separated into storage bins and then blended to meet nutritional claims and make the best oat products.

Cleaning the oats

As the raw oats are taken from storage, the first step is cleaning to remove any non-oat material such as other grains like wheat, barley or canola that may be present during the harvesting, storage and transportation of the raw oats.

Getting to the groat

After cleaning, the protective outer coat called the hull is removed to get to the inner groat, which is the edible part of the whole grain.

Kilning the groat

The groats then go through Quaker’s unique kilning process, which heats the oats using steam as the heat source. This process is vital for oat processing as it deactivates natural occurring enzymes, toasts the oats (for flavor), and reduces the moisture where needed.

Cutting and flaking the groats

Kilned groats are ready to be cut and flaked into a variety of Quaker products.

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Cut Groats

Cut crosswise to smaller pieces to become Steel Cut Oats
Using specialized machines called “cutters”

Oat Flakes (Rolled)

Rolling groats into flakes help reduce cooking time
Process includes steaming the groats and passing them between two large flaking or pressing rolls
Instant, Quick, Old Fashioned, and Kettle Hearty Oats

All varieties of Quaker Oats are 100% whole grain, and ounce per ounce, they all provide similar amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals!

Ending with cutting or flaking each variety

Oat flakes

The most common product is the oat flake, which includes Quaker’s Old Fashioned Oats, Instant Oatmeal and Quick-Cooking Oats.
By rolling the groat into a flake, the cooking time is reduced from hours to minutes. The flaking process involves steaming the groats and passing them between two large flaking or pressing rolls. The goal is to make oat flakes of the correct thickness to meet the desired cooking times for the product.
If a shorter cooking time is desired, like quick or instant oats, the same wholesome groats will get cut into smaller pieces before flaking.

Cut Groats

In the oat cutting process, the groats are cut crosswise into smaller pieces. This is done on specialized machines called cutters, which use steel knives, and the resulting product is called Steel Cut Oats.
The cutting process was developed by Ferdinand Schumacher, one of the founders of The Quaker Oats Company back in 1875 and has gone through many improvements since then as technology has advanced.
These improvements have helped increase the efficiency of milling steel cut oats to keep up with the growing popularity of this oat variety.

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The Power of the Oat

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The oat kernel is especially nutritious

HULL – 25 – 30% of Kernel

Fibrous protective coating
Inedible
Removed during milling leaving groat intact

BRAN – 12% of Groat

Protective coating
Contains fiber, vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants

ENDOSPERM – 84% of Groat

Storage of nutrients for germination
Contains starch (carbohydrates), protein, lipids (fats), & the soluble fiber β-glucan

GERM – 4% of Groat

Embryo of kernel
Contains lipids (fats) & antioxidants

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Oats offer many health benefits

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Oats are a whole grain rich alternative for K-12 Meals and Snacks

Grain Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs

Food Products per Group	Ounce Equivalent (oz eq)	Minimum Serving Size
Group H	Ounce Equivalent (oz eq) for Group H	Minimum Serving Size for Group H
Cereal Grains (barley, quinoa, etc.) Breakfast cereals (cooked) Bulgur or cracked wheat Macaroni (all shapes) Noodles (all varieties) Pasta (all shapes) Ravioli (noodle only) Rice	1 oz eq = ½ cup cooked Or 1 ounce (28 gm) dry	1 serving = ½ cup cooked or 25 gm dry

Whole Grain Ingredients

Creditable Grains

Non-Creditable Grains

Enriched Grain & Bran and Germ Ingredients

Grain Ingredients

Oats

Oats
Oatmeal (all types)
Oat groats
Whole-grain oat flour

Oat bran

Oat fiber

Source: Crediting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service; FNS-935A; May 2023.

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We’ve heard common objections to incorporating oats in K-12 programs

What barriers, if any, are there to offering oats to your students?

Finding oatmeal recipes that students enjoy

Oats aren’t conducive to on-the-go meal occasions

Students need more time to make instant oatmeal before class

Other

None! We currently serve oatmeal or menus including oats

Source: Real Time Solutions, Cool School Café survey of School Districts, 2023

Number of respondents

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And receive common requests for menu inspiration

What tools or innovation are you in need of to incorporate oats more frequently into your menus?

Source: Real Time Solutions, Cool School Café survey of School Districts, 2023

Kid-friendly breakfast recipes

Make ahead breakfast recipes

Instant oatmeal that is easier to transport

Broader variety of oatmeal flavors

Other

New equipment to merchandise oatmeal on breakfast kiosks

Live demos to focus here!

Number of respondents

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We’re excited to debunk some common misconceptions of oats

Source: Real Time Solutions, Cool School Café survey of School Districts, 2023

“I need more time and staff”

Barriers

Requests

“Time management and trying to fit into the new 40% scratch meal category”

“We do grab & go type breakfasts in the classroom and oatmeal is not conducive to this”

“It can become a gummy texture when sitting”

“Trendy food is popular. Oatmeal is not trendy. Overnight oats is trendy. Recipes for that would be good, or kits, etc.”

“Many kids have not eaten oatmeal, ever. How do we get them to try?”

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Oats for Breakfast and Beyond

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Our demonstration will feature a wide variety of recipes

Savory Oats

Sweet Cardamon

Overnight Oats

Oats Frittata

Risotto

Oats in Chili

No Added Sugar Recipes

Savory Oats for Lunch

Globally Inspired

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We tested a similar Overnight Oats recipe in Cincinnati

76% of elementary students* said they enjoyed Overnight Oats

* Sample of < 60 Elementary Students at Cincinnati Public Schools

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Questions?

Thank You!