If you need to eat gluten-free because of coeliac disease, first choose a breakfast cereal whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’; ordinary oats, muesli and cruesli are not automatically suitable. Then decide between ready-to-eat chocolate cereal, crunchy granola and hot porridge, based on the flavour and preparation you prefer. Compare the sugars per 100 g, and check the allergens in the product, your drink and any toppings.
You want to choose a sweet breakfast with coeliac disease in mind. The type of grain or brand name alone isn’t enough: check the gluten-free label, ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the exact variant.
You’re looking for crunchy granola to enjoy with yoghurt or milk, and want to compare how much sugar it contains. Check the ingredients and allergens too: the buckwheat and nut granola reviewed contains almonds and hazelnuts.
You prefer to make a hot, gluten-free porridge base and add your own fruit or another suitable topping. This also means factoring in preparation time and checking your drink and toppings separately.
If you have coeliac disease, check the packaging of the exact variant first. Only then does it make sense to choose between sweet crunch, granola and porridge you prepare yourself.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is it most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging, then read the ingredients and allergens for the exact variant. | If I’m choosing breakfast cereal because of coeliac disease, I need to be able to rely on the gluten-free label rather than the words ‘oats’ or ‘muesli’. For around 39% of consumers, checking this is their top priority when buying. |
| A distinctly sweet flavour | Compare the type of cereal and the sugars per 100 g and per serving; for chocolate variants, check the allergens too. | I want a ready-to-eat bowl with a pronounced chocolate flavour, even if that means keeping a closer eye on the sugars. This sweet flavour is the top choice for around 23% of consumers. |
| Added sugar and crunch | Compare the ingredients and total sugars per 100 g; for granola, check the information about nuts and possible traces too. | I want the crunchy texture of granola, but I’d rather weigh up the added sugar myself when choosing a flavour. Around 23% of consumers give this combination top priority. |
| Hot porridge and toppings | Check the gluten-free label on the porridge base, and check the ingredients and allergens in your drink and toppings separately. | I prefer a warm bowl to ready-made crunch, as long as I can control the sweetness with my own toppings. That’s why preparing breakfast yourself is the top choice for around 15% of consumers. |
The type of grain or product name doesn’t prove that a product is gluten-free. For example, Albert Heijn’s ingredient information for Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Naturel lists both wheat flakes and wheat flour.
If you have coeliac disease, choose based on the current gluten-free label on the exact variant, then read the ingredients and allergens.
According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Krokante muesli chocolade contains 26 g of sugars per 100 g; the retailer lists 24 g per 100 g for Freee Chocolate Stars. So, a similar chocolate flavour doesn’t mean the nutritional values are the same.
Compare the total sugars per 100 g and per serving in the variants you’re considering.
The Holie's Buckwheat & Nuts granola described by Albert Heijn contains almonds and hazelnuts, and may also contain other nuts, peanuts and soya. Information about sugar tells you nothing about these ingredients.
Read the full allergen information on the specific packaging, even if the nutritional information already suits your preferences.
The ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information for a breakfast cereal variant can change. That means an earlier comparison isn’t enough for the product you eventually use.
Check the current packaging again, especially the gluten-free label, ingredients and allergens.
Albert Heijn has a dedicated gluten-free breakfast cereal category, including muesli, granola and cornflakes. Always compare the individual variants within the range.
The Buckwheat & Nuts variant is a crunchy granola made with buckwheat and gluten-free oat flakes, for anyone comparing granola by its ingredients and nutritional value.
Chocolate Stars is a chocolate-flavoured cereal labelled as gluten-free and made with maize and rice flour, for anyone looking for a sweet, ready-to-eat breakfast.
Zonnatura offers gluten-free options for anyone who prefers to prepare a hot breakfast, including Teff meergranenontbijt and Havermout meerzaden.
Regular Cruesli is a useful point of comparison for sweet, crunchy muesli, but the product range name is not a gluten-free label.
Don’t rely on the front of the pack alone: choose an exact variant whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and check the ingredients and allergens. Ordinary oat products and cruesli aren’t automatically gluten-free; for example, Albert Heijn lists wheat flakes and wheat flour for Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Naturel.
No. Information about sugar and whether a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet relate to different things. According to Albert Heijn’s ingredient information, Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Naturel contains wheat, so always check separately whether the exact packaging says ‘gluten-free’.
First choose a porridge base labelled as gluten-free, then decide for yourself which sweet topping to add. According to Albert Heijn, Zonnatura Teff meergranenontbijt is a gluten-free option to prepare with milk or a plant-based drink; check the drink and each topping separately for ingredients and allergens.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information for your chosen variant, not just the gluten-free label. For the chocolate products and granola discussed here, check for nuts, milk and soya if these are relevant to you. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that, for cereals containing gluten, the name of the cereal must appear in the ingredients list.
