A pupil with coeliac disease
Needs a lunch made with a product whose current packaging carries a gluten-free label. Regular oats aren’t automatically suitable: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that they may be contaminated with gluten.
Who is this choice relevant to?
A pupil without cooking facilities
Wants to mix a portion during break without using a pan. Check that the product you choose can be made with the liquid available at school.
A parent preparing lunch at home
Can portion gluten-free oats in advance or prepare overnight oats in a lunch container. This takes more preparation than using an instant sachet.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check the packaging for a gluten-free label. Then decide whether the pupil will prepare it during the school day or take a lunch made at home.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and read the allergen information too. The Crossed Grain symbol can be an additional way to identify suitable products. | If the lunch is for a pupil with coeliac disease, I want to know which oats I’m packing before I put them in their lunch bag. For around 42% of consumers, checking the gluten-free label is the top priority. |
| Preparing it during break | Check whether the product can be mixed with cold or hot liquid, and what facilities are available at school. | I don’t have a pan during break and want to make a portion with what I’ve brought with me. Around 33% of consumers prioritise being able to prepare it there and then. |
| Preparing it at home | Compare instant portions with gluten-free oats that you can portion yourself and prepare cold in advance. | If I can make lunch at home, all I need to do at school is open a filled container. For around 25% of consumers, preparing it in advance is the priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘oats’ means ‘gluten-free’
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats can be contaminated with gluten. So a regular bag of porridge oats isn’t a substitute for a product with a gluten-free label when the lunch is for someone with coeliac disease.
Read the current packaging before you buy, then check it again before packing lunch.
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Focusing only on how quickly it can be made
Quaker says that Pots Protein Naturel may contain barley and wheat. So the preparation method alone doesn’t tell you whether a product is suitable for a gluten-free lunch.
Check the gluten-free label and allergen information before comparing preparation methods.
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Not considering what happens at school
Choosing a suitably labelled product doesn’t, by itself, cover how a pupil will eat during celebrations or shared meals. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends agreeing arrangements in advance when the school provides a meal.
Ask the school what arrangements apply to packed lunches, meals provided by the school and shared mealtimes.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Elovena
Albert Heijn describes Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal as gluten-free porridge oats in five 40 g sachets.
- According to the product information, it can be mixed with hot or cold milk or water, so you can make a portion without a pan.
- Check the current packaging for ingredients, nutritional information and allergens before packing a sachet.
Albert Heijn
AH Glutenvrij Volkoren havermout is a loose oat base for a lunch you prepare at home.
- Albert Heijn labels this product gluten-free and says it can be eaten hot or cold.
- The 450 g pack doesn’t contain instant sachets, so you’ll need to portion and prepare it yourself.
Jumbo
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Havermout 450 g is a gluten-free oat option for preparing at home.
- The product information includes a gluten-free label and the Crossed Grain symbol.
- Jumbo says this item is no longer available in its online range. Check availability before making it a regular school lunch choice.
Quaker
Quaker offers quick oat products, but a quick preparation time doesn’t automatically make a product suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
- According to Quaker, Pots Protein Naturel is made with boiling water.
- Quaker says this specific pot may contain barley and wheat, so don’t choose it for the gluten-free lunch described here.
ALDI
ALDI lists gluten-free porridge oats among its breakfast cereals.
- This gives you a product category to look for when shopping.
- Check each pack individually: the name of a regular oat range doesn’t confirm that it’s suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is regular porridge suitable for a pupil with coeliac disease?
No, don’t assume it is. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that oats can be contaminated with gluten. For this lunch, choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’.
What does ‘gluten-free’ on a pack mean?
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may be used if the food, as sold to consumers, contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Oats in these products must also meet requirements designed to prevent contamination with wheat, rye and barley.
Can you take instant porridge to school without a pan?
Yes, if the chosen product’s preparation method suits what the pupil can bring and use at school. Albert Heijn describes Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal as suitable for mixing with hot or cold liquid. Check the instructions on the pack and the facilities available at school.
What arrangements are needed if the school provides food?
Agree arrangements in advance for any meal provided by the school. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends discussing these situations with parents. Also ask the school what arrangements apply to celebrations and shared mealtimes.