Oatmilk Ice Cream Fans Need To Know About Planet Oat's Recall

A dairy company worth an estimated $2 billion in 2019, per Vox, HP Hood launched its Planet Oat brand as a non-dairy offering intended to compete with almond milk's creamy texture. The desicion to focus on oat appears to have been a smart one, as the dairy alternative has been gaining steam in recent years. Foodnavigator USA noted in 2020 that oat milk was ranked just behind almond milk as the most popular plant-based milk alternative, beating out industry stalwart soy.

Producing non-dairy creamers, milks, and frozen desserts, Planet Oat's website FAQ shares its products are made from North American-sourced oats blended with water and enzymes, plus flavorings and other ingredients. The brand's frozen desserts (aka vegan ice creams) come in flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough, mint fudge swirl, and cookies and cream, but fans of the Planet Oat confections — especially those with a peanut allergy — should take note of the recent recall shared by the FDA.

If your freezer is stocked with non-dairy ice cream pints, you may want to take a closer look at the brand and flavors, as the FDA issued a statement announcing a recall of 4,481 cases of two varieties of Planet Oat frozen desserts. Pints of the brand's recalled chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate peanut butter swirl flavors were distributed to retail stores throughout the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and the Cayman Islands.

Those pints — distinguishable by their best by date of December 17, 2022 — have been recalled after a customer found the chocolate peanut butter swirl flavor (which contains peanuts) placed in a chocolate chip cookie dough container. This variety does not contain peanuts, and therefore doesn't include the allergen warning on its label. While this mix-up could be problematic for some, no illnesses or adverse reactions have been reported.

To find the best by date, flip the pint over and look for black ink on the bottom of the container. Retail outlets have been told to take the recalled products from their shelves, and anyone who has purchased these desserts can return them for a full refund or exchange. The recall does not impact any other Planet Oat products.