The Rise of Oatmilk in the Land of Dairy

This article was generously sponsored by our friends at Happy Planet, makers of super-delicious oatmilk! They are one of the awesome companies working to bring more oatmilk to the people and contributing to the rise of oatmilk around the world. I’m a big fan, and we’re so honored to collaborate!

Soy milk. Almond milk. Cashew milk. Coconut milk. Rice milk. Flaxseed milk. Hemp milk. Quinoa milk. Banana milk. The list goes on, and continues to grow as our world moves toward phasing out cow’s milk.

But the hottest milk of the year is new to many: Oatmilk!

Oatmilk has been available in Europe for many years now (with oatmilk brands dating back to the 90’s), but it’s only recently gotten a foothold in the United States and beyond. Just a couple of years ago oatmilk was a foreign concept, but today it’s on most grocery store shelves, in a growing number of coffee shops, and is becoming a favorite in homes worldwide.

Dozens of companies—including long-standing dairy brands like Happy Planet—are seeing the trend and jumping into action to bring much-desired oat milk to the people.

In the UK alone, oatmilk sales skyrocketed, jumping 70% in 2018. And that same year America had a national oatmilk shortage.

And it’s no wonder why.

It’s Delicious

Oatmilk—made from oats and water—is quite creamy and naturally a little bit sweet. It’s got a mild flavor (unlike coconut milk) and has none of the “nuttiness” or “earthiness” that many people notice in nut-based milks. It blends beautifully in coffee (bye-bye, coffee creamer!), it’s perfect in smoothies, and it also works great in baking.

I have several non-vegan friends who have given oatmilk a try and have never turned back. Of all the plant-based milks, oatmilk has become many people’s #1 choice.

It’s Sustainable

Oats are incredibly efficient (and inexpensive) to grow!

Think about it. You can buy rolled oats in stores for around one dollar per pound, whereas nuts like almonds and cashews can cost upwards of 12 dollars per pound.

Oatmilk requires significantly less water to grow than cow’s milk (we’re talkin’ 7x less), and even less than many other plant-based milks (like almond milk). It also requires significantly less land and releases less greenhouse gases.

So if you’re looking for a milk that’s friendly to our planet, you can lower your carbon footprint by ditching dairy and reaching for plant-based milks like oatmilk instead!

It’s Healthy

Oatmilk is naturally cholesterol-free (as all plant-based milks are), which is a win for arteries and hearts everywhere.

The big differentiator from its nut milk brothers and sisters is that oatmilk is also nut-free, making it one of the most allergy-friendly milks around. This is especially great for families with school-aged children!

Meet Happy Planet

Happy Planet is one of the leading milk brands that has recognized the power of oatmilk and is bringing oatmilk to life in many forms. They’ve made original and vanilla Oatmilk, chocolate Oatmilk (my fave!), single-serve lunch-box packs (including fun chocolate milks for the kiddos), and even a barista blend ideal for those morning lattes.

Happy Planet also gives back, donating over 100,000 servings of fresh food to food banks every year.
So…have you tried Happy Planet’s oatmilk yet? If not, what are you still doing here? Go, go, go!

Article and photos by Michelle Cehn, copyright of World of Vegan™. Many thanks to our friends at Happy Planet for teaming up and supporting our work at World of Vegan, and for making some of the most delicious oatmilk around!