CHICAGO, Oct. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than a half million submissions from people across the country, three new oatmeal flavors are ready for their debut. The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., today announced the three finalist Instant Oatmeal flavors vying for a $250,000 grand prize in the brand's first-ever Bring Your Best Bowl Contest: Apple Cheddar Rosemary, Lemon Ricotta Pancake, and Vanilla Chai.

Now it's up to America to decide which flavor will win. The three finalist oatmeal flavors are available in a variety pack at stores nationwide for people to try and rally for the one they like best. Beginning today through November 19, consumers can vote for their favorite flavor[1] at BringYourBestBowl.com or by using the #VoteAppleCheddarRosemary, #VoteLemonRicottaPancake, #VoteVanillaChai hashtags on Twitter[2]. Once votes are in and tallied, the grand prize winner will be revealed and rewarded with $250,000 in February 2017, along with the chance for their oatmeal creation to hit store shelves for a limited time.

"From classic to deliciously quirky, the Bring Your Best Bowl contest encouraged America to whip up some mouth-watering oatmeal combinations," said Tiffani Thiessen, actress, foodie and mom of two, who helped Quaker kick off the contest in New York's Time Square last January. "All three Bring Your Best Bowl finalist flavors prove just how versatile oatmeal can be, and inspire me to keep mixing it up with my oatmeal dishes at home!"   

In December 2015, Quaker set out to find its next oatmeal flavor by inviting Americans to participate in the first-ever Bring Your Best Bowl contest. Fans across the country helped celebrate the versatility of oats by submitting oatmeal flavors using two to five ingredients, along with their inspirations. From December through March, Quaker received thousands of different submissions, but the combination of flavor ideas and their inspirations pushed Apple Cheddar Rosemary, Lemon Ricotta Pancake and Vanilla Chai to the top.

"People had a lot of fun with this contest, and it was amazing to uncover some really unexpected oatmeal flavors and creative inspirations," said Becky Frankiewicz, senior vice president and general manager of Quaker Foods North America. "We can't wait to have America give each flavor a try and help us choose our very first Bring Your Best Bowl winner."

Flavor Inspirations from the Finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Apple Cheddar Rosemary, Karen D. (Boston, Mass.) –"The savory tastes of my rosemary, cheddar and apple flatbread reinvented into oatmeal after my boyfriend had surgery and couldn't eat crispy foods."
• Lemon Ricotta Pancake, Maria A. (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) – "I'm Italian and I love ricotta cheese; after looking up recipes that included ricotta cheese, I found an amazing recipe for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes that inspired me."
• Vanilla Chai, Heather K. (Redondo Beach, Calif.) – "My husband's family is from India and I have fallen in love with Chai Tea with a hint of vanilla for breakfast. Why not in my oatmeal as well?"

In addition to Bring Your Best Bowl, Quaker is also transforming the month of October into OATOBER, with a nationwide movement to celebrate the goodness and versatility of oats.  Throughout the month, Quaker is encouraging people to think differently about the pantry staple with fun recipes, videos, events, and social content, illustrating how everyone can enjoy Quaker oats in more ways, more often.

You can vote and follow along with all the Bring Your Best Bowl action, find recipe inspiration, and see personal recipes from Tiffani Thiessen by visiting www.BringYourBestBowl.com. You can also follow @Quaker on Twitter or Instagram, check out QuakerOats on Pinterest and visit Facebook.com/QuakerOats for more information.

Suggested Bring Your Best Bowl Tweets:

• #BringYourBestBowl Top 3: Apple Cheddar Rosemary, Lemon Ricotta Pancake & Vanilla Chai! Vote for your fave by 11/19: bit.ly/QuakerBYBB
• The 3 @Quaker #BringYourBestBowl flavor finalists are chosen! Which one should win? Vote for your fave by 11/19! bit.ly/QuakerBYBB

About The Quaker® Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 135 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. Follow PepsiCo:

• Twitter (@PepsiCo)
• Facebook
• PepsiCo Press Releases
• PepsiCo Multimedia
• PepsiCo Videos

[1] One vote per day, per person, per platform (at BringYourBestBowl.com, via Facebook, and/or by using the #VoteAppleCheddarRosemary #VoteLemonRicottaPancake #VoteVanillaChai hashtags on Twitter

[2] No Purchase Necessary

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161024/432067

SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company