When baking cookies with children, choose plain oats and compare the ingredients and sugars per 100 g. Loose, finely milled oats give you more control over the quantity and texture of the dough, while instant sachets make measuring easier. Bananas and dates still add sugars to the cookies, even if you choose an oat base with no sugar listed as an ingredient.
When you bake cookies with children, a plain oat base lets you choose which sweet ingredients to add to the dough. To do this, read both the ingredients list and the nutritional information, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Portion sachets give children a set amount to add to the dough. Check how much oats the recipe calls for, though: one sachet won’t necessarily be enough for a whole baking tray.
Check the exact packaging if a child has an allergy. For coeliac disease, ordinary oats are not automatically suitable, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre; look for the official Crossed Grain symbol.
First, compare plain oat products by their ingredients and sugars per 100 g. Then choose between loose oats and portion sachets based on the recipe and the tasks children can help with.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients list and, for comparable dry oat products, compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | If I want to control how sweet the cookie dough is, I also look at the banana, dates or other ingredients I’m adding. Around 40% of consumers put this sugar check first. |
| Dough texture | Choose how finely milled you want the oats, and check how much flexibility the recipe gives you to adjust the quantity. | For cookies I want to shape myself, I want to be able to change the ratio of oats to other ingredients. Around 30% of consumers put that recipe flexibility first. |
| Measuring and preparation | Compare the amount in each sachet with the quantity of oats in the recipe; quick preparation of porridge does not replace mixing and baking. | When children are helping to measure, I like having a set portion and keeping preparation to a minimum. That’s the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Check the allergen information on the exact packaging. For coeliac disease, look for the official Crossed Grain symbol, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | If a child has an allergy or coeliac disease, I first need to check that the oat base I’ve chosen is suitable. Around 10% of consumers put this check first. |
Even if the oat base contains no added sugars, sugars from ingredients such as bananas and dates still count towards the amount in the finished product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that the ‘of which sugars’ figure covers all sugars in a food.
Read the oat base’s label, then look at the full recipe, including everything you add yourself.
Ordinary oats can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Quaker Express and Brinta product pages also mention possible traces of other ingredients or grains.
For coeliac disease, look for the official Crossed Grain symbol. If you have allergies, check the latest allergen information on the exact packaging.
The short preparation time applies to the porridge, not to mixing, shaping and baking cookies. You may need several sachets for a larger recipe.
Compare the number of grams of oats in your recipe with the amount in the sachet. Use loose oats if you want to adjust the quantity more easily as you mix.
Quaker Express is a portion-packed oat option for anyone who wants children to help using pre-measured amounts.
Brinta Oatmeal is a loose oat base for anyone who wants to measure out the oats and other ingredients themselves.
Jumbo Organic Wholegrain Oats are a loose base to which you can add your own ingredients when baking.
Golden Bridge offers a fine wholegrain oat option for anyone looking for a loose oat base.
These products suit anyone looking for instant oats in individual portions. For cookies, compare the ingredients and the amount in each pack with your recipe; preparing the oats as porridge is different from baking with the dry product.
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A portion-packed option for when children are helping to measure. Joybuy lists wholegrain oats for this Quaker Express porridge, with a preparation time of 2 minutes; for cookies, check separately how much oats your recipe calls for. If you have an allergy, check the latest packaging.
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Another Express variant to consider if you want to use pre-measured portions. The pack contains 302 g. Compare the ingredients with an oats-only base, especially if soya is a concern, and check that the quantity and texture suit your cookie recipe.
No. Ingredients you add yourself, such as bananas or dates, can add sugars to the cookies. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information covers all sugars in the product. Compare oat products per 100 g, and assess the full recipe too.
Sachets are useful when children can help measure a set amount of oats. Loose oats give you more flexibility for a larger batch of dough, or if you want to adjust the ratio as you mix. In either case, check how many grams of oats your recipe calls for.
Not automatically. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ordinary oats can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains. If someone has coeliac disease, check that the oat product’s packaging carries the official Crossed Grain symbol.
Children can help get ingredients ready, measure and stir, depending on what they’re able to do. An adult should switch on a blender or hand blender; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends adult supervision when cooking with children.
