If you have coeliac disease, first check the gluten-free claim and other allergen information on the pack you’re buying. A small portion or a rice- or maize-based recipe does not, by itself, prove that a product is suitable. For breakfast for one, you can divide a suitable gluten-free product into clean, sealed portions at home. Then choose between classic chocolate breakfast cereal, chocolate muesli and peanut granola: these are different products.
You’re looking for an amount that suits one breakfast, but the current label comes first. If a suitable larger pack is more practical, you can portion it at home without letting it come into contact with crumbs or utensils that have been used with gluten-containing foods.
You might want chocolate stars, for example, rather than muesli or granola. Freee Foods describes its Chocolate Stars as gluten-free breakfast cereal made with maize and rice; check the pack you’re buying for this product too.
You’re deliberately looking for a different type of product from classic chocolate breakfast cereal. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Krokante muesli chocolade, while Jumbo lists Holie's Gluten Free Granola Peanut Chocolate. For the pack you choose, check both the gluten-free claim and the ingredients and allergen information.
Start with the label: according to the European Commission, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Only then compare the packaging and type of breakfast cereal.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Read the claim on the current pack, along with the ingredients and any warnings about gluten-containing cereals. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the pack before choosing a small portion or flavour. This check comes first for around 50% of consumers. |
| Portions and storage | Compare the pack weight and consider whether you can divide the product into sealed portions using clean, separate utensils. | For breakfast on my own, I don’t want to rely on a convenient little sachet that may not be gluten-free. A practical portioning and storage routine is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Product type and flavour | Distinguish chocolate stars from chocolate muesli and granola; check the ingredients of your chosen variety too. | If I’m looking for classic chocolate breakfast cereal, peanut granola isn’t an equivalent alternative, even if both are sold as gluten-free. The product type they want is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Individual portions tell you nothing about the gluten content. Kellogg's Nederland lists cereals containing, among other things, wheat in its Variety-pack.
Check the gluten-free claim on the specific product; don’t choose a variety pack just because the portions are small.
Albert Heijn points out that product information can change. So, a listing in a gluten-free category is no substitute for checking the pack you receive.
Before eating it, check the gluten-free claim, ingredients and allergen information on that pack.
The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of avoiding cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease. Crumbs or a scoop also used for regular breakfast cereal could come into contact with gluten.
Use clean, dry, sealable containers and a separate clean scoop. Keep the portions away from crumbs containing gluten.
Freee Chocolate Stars, AH Glutenvrij Krokante muesli chocolade and Holie's peanut granola are different types of product. The ‘gluten-free’ claim doesn’t tell you which one suits your taste.
Choose the product type you want, and check the ingredients and allergen information for the Holie's variety if peanuts are a concern for you.
Worth considering if you’re looking for classic chocolate stars to portion at home.
Worth considering if you’re specifically looking for chocolate muesli.
Worth considering if you’re looking for granola with chocolate and peanuts.
One to bear in mind if you’re considering a Variety-pack because of its individual portions.
One to bear in mind if you’re considering Chocapic as chocolate breakfast cereal.
No. The type of grain alone doesn’t confirm that the finished product is gluten-free. Check the current pack for a gluten-free claim, and read the ingredients and warnings too. According to the European Commission, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ can contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
Don’t rely on the word ‘oats’ in the ingredients list alone. Check whether the pack of the specific product carries a gluten-free claim, and read any warnings about gluten-containing cereals.
Not because of the portion size. Kellogg's Nederland also mentions wheat in the legal product name for this Variety-pack. If you have coeliac disease, choose only a specific product whose current pack confirms that it is gluten-free.
First check the gluten-free claim on the pack, then use clean, dry utensils to divide the product into sealed containers. Don’t use a scoop that has also come into contact with regular breakfast cereal, and keep the portions away from crumbs containing gluten.
