Start with the gluten-free label on the pack you’re buying, not a familiar brand name or a grain that is naturally gluten-free. For a warm bowl or overnight oats, you can choose oats labelled gluten-free if you tolerate oats. If you want to avoid oats, look for a gluten-free porridge made with other grains. For a crunchy bowl, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and always check the current label before eating.
You’re looking for breakfast cereals for a strict gluten-free diet. That’s why you check the gluten-free label, the ingredients and any warnings about cereals containing gluten on the pack you’re going to use.
You want to make porridge or overnight oats, so you choose only oats labelled gluten-free. If you don’t tolerate pure oats, an oat-free breakfast option may suit you better.
You want a cold, crunchy breakfast cereal on Sunday. Among products labelled gluten-free, you compare the nutritional information and check for any allergens that are relevant to you.
First, check that the specific product is labelled gluten-free. Then choose between warm oat porridge, oat-free porridge and a crunchy bowl. Only after that should you compare the nutritional information of products that suit your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free assurance | Check the gluten-free label on the current pack and read any warnings about cereals containing gluten. | If I’m choosing breakfast cereals with coeliac disease in mind, I don’t want to rely on the ingredient or brand name alone. For around 46% of consumers, this product-specific assurance comes first. |
| Warm porridge and oats | Choose only oats labelled gluten-free if you tolerate oats; otherwise, look for a gluten-free oat-free porridge base. | For a warm bowl or overnight oats, I want to choose a base that suits how I tolerate oats. For around 27% of consumers, this preparation is the first thing to consider. |
| Crunchiness and nutritional information | For crunchy products labelled gluten-free, compare fibre, sugars and other nutritional values per 100 g. | I want a cold, crunchy bowl, but I also want to be able to compare the labels of suitable products. This combination comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
A grain that doesn’t naturally contain gluten can come into contact with cereals containing gluten before or during processing. That’s why the label on the specific product matters when it comes to oats.
Choose breakfast cereals with an explicit gluten-free label. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends looking for the Crossed Grain symbol on oat products wherever possible.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt contains wheat. Quaker Cruesli Luchtig and Nestlé KitKat Cereals also list ingredients containing gluten. A familiar brand name therefore tells you nothing about whether every variant is suitable.
Check the full product name, the gluten-free label and the ingredients list on the exact pack you’re buying.
The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you how much fibre, sugar or fat a breakfast cereal contains. Even two types of flakes labelled gluten-free can differ in this respect.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g of products that are suitable for you, then choose the flavour and preparation you fancy on Sunday.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. So a product page you looked at before is no substitute for checking the pack in front of you now.
Read the current label every time you buy, even if you’ve used the same product before.
These brands offer different breakfast cereals for the preparations discussed here. Always check the specific variant and the current packaging, rather than judging the brand as a whole.
This range includes wholegrain oats, cornflakes and bran flakes that Albert Heijn labels gluten-free. That gives you the option to compare a warm bowl of oats with crunchy flakes.
The Teff meergranenontbijt labelled gluten-free is a porridge base made with teff, maize, buckwheat and rice. It’s an option if you’re looking for a warm bowl without oats as a listed ingredient.
According to the product information, Leev Simply Free offers organic wholegrain oats labelled gluten-free for porridge or overnight oats.
According to the product information, Semper Havregryn gv is a gluten-free oat flake option for anyone who wants to make their own warm porridge.
These Joybuy products are two pack sizes of Holie’s gluten-free peanut and chocolate granola. They’re suited to a crunchy breakfast bowl; if you have coeliac disease, check the current packaging and bear in mind your tolerance of oats.
Image unavailable
A pack size for anyone looking for gluten-free granola for a crunchy breakfast bowl.
The pack contains 6 × 330 g. Check the current label for the gluten-free claim and allergen information; according to the product information, this granola contains peanuts and oats.
Image unavailable
A single pack of gluten-free granola for anyone who wants to put together a crunchy breakfast bowl.
The pack contains 330 g. Check the current label for the gluten-free claim and allergen information; according to the product information, this granola contains peanuts and oats.
No. Oats can come into contact with cereals containing gluten during harvesting or processing, so choose oats labelled gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Society also points out that not everyone with coeliac disease tolerates pure oats.
Not if you need a strictly gluten-free product for coeliac disease: according to Albert Heijn’s product information, Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt contains wheat, while Quaker Cruesli Luchtig lists wheat and barley malt, among other ingredients. Always check the specific variant and the current label.
Once you’ve checked that they’re gluten-free, compare the nutritional information for both products per 100 g. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Glutenvrij Cornflakes list 5 g of fibre and 4,1 g of added sugars per 100 g, while AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijke bran flakes list 12 g of fibre and 8,2 g of added sugars per 100 g. So, for these variants, more fibre doesn’t go hand in hand with less added sugar.
Check the current packaging before use. Albert Heijn says that product ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change, so check the gluten-free label again and review any information that’s relevant to your choice.
