OatPop At Home! Series: "Whitney!"

Happy New Year, y’all! Let me tell you about one of my favorite local gems I discovered in 2021. OatPop Bars! (Strawberry is my personal fave.) I met Brandon, the creator, through his mom and quickly discovered he had a little bakery business going. If you know me, you already know that if there's food on the table, I’m going to try it. And I’m so glad I did!

The only tricky thing about ordering them is that if I want to have one for myself, I have to hide a stash as soon as they come into our house. Seriously. Otherwise, they disappear quick, and I miss out!

My husband takes them to work as a mid-morning pick-me-up; the kids like them for breakfast, as a lunchbox treat, or for their after-school snack; and if there are any left, I love them with a cup of coffee in the morning. They’re just so dang good!

Here are a few things I love about them, besides the fact that they’re delicious. They’re homemade with simple, whole ingredients. No “junk.” You know what’s in them, where they were made, and how they got to you. No supply chain issues there. Another plus for me is that the bars inside the bag are individually wrapped. This makes them super easy to take along in a lunchbox or purse, and I’ve even given them as part of little gift bags. (They’re a great treat to send to teachers!) Finally, and maybe most importantly for me, buying OatPop supports a small, local business, and you can tell Brandon has a passion for what he does. I love that you can chat with him and pick them up at the Farmers Market (or Market2Go, out of season) or take advantage of the free local delivery. Brandon lives three houses down from me, so that’s about as local as it gets! (Don’t worry if you’re not a local, though – he offers shipping, too.)

I think these days we’re all looking for little bits of happiness and connection wherever we can find them. It feels kind of silly to say, but OatPop bars have been a bright spot for me during this last crazy year. It’s a treat that not only tastes amazing but also one you can feel good about buying and eating. It’s a win-win all around.

Thank you, Brandon, for the yummy bars! We’ll take ‘em for as long as you bake ‘em! And now for my New Years resolution: Try the cookies…