If you have coeliac disease, choose oats with an explicit gluten-free statement on the current packaging, and look for the Crossed Grain Trademark, which the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends for oat products. Gluten-free portion sachets save you measuring during a short break from working at home. Loose gluten-free oats give you more freedom to put your lunch together and choose your portion size, but require a little more preparation.
For you, checking the packaging comes before convenience. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing, so you shouldn’t assume that ordinary porridge oats are safe.
You’re looking for an option that is clearly gluten-free and takes little effort to prepare, such as a portion sachet to mix with liquid or porridge oats that can be made in the microwave.
You’d rather choose loose gluten-free wholegrain oats than a set instant portion, so you can decide how much to use and what to add.
For a work-from-home lunch when you have coeliac disease, first check the gluten-free statement and certification. Then compare how much preparation time you have and how much freedom you want over portion size.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Clearly gluten-free | Check the current gluten-free statement, the Crossed Grain Trademark and the allergen information. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be able to check before preparing my lunch that the oats are intended for a gluten-free diet. For around 42% of consumers, this reassurance would be their top priority when buying for the first time. |
| Quick to prepare | Compare the portion size and preparation instructions: is water or milk all you need, or do you need a microwave? | Between appointments, I want to make lunch without having to measure everything out or cook. For around 33% of consumers, convenience would come first. |
| Make it your own | Check the ingredients and choose between a set portion, plain oats or a mix with seeds. | I want to decide how much oats to use and what to add, even if that takes a little more preparation. This would be the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing. So the type of grain alone doesn’t tell you enough about the product you’re buying.
Check the current gluten-free statement and allergen information. If you have coeliac disease, also look for the official Crossed Grain Trademark on oat products.
Quick to prepare doesn’t mean gluten-free. Albert Heijn says Quaker Oats Express Naturel may contain wheat and barley; Quaker itself says it cannot guarantee that its products are completely gluten-free.
If you have coeliac disease, only compare instant options whose current packaging clearly confirms they’re suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Elovena Natural is a gluten-free instant porridge for anyone who wants a pre-measured lunch portion.
AH Glutenvrij Wholegrain Oats are a loose oat base for anyone who wants to put their own lunch together.
Simply Free by Leev offers loose organic gluten-free wholegrain oats.
Zonnatura Glutenvrij Meerzaden is for anyone who wants oats, quinoa and seeds together in one lunch bowl.
Quaker Oats Express Naturel shows why convenience and suitability for a gluten-free diet need to be considered separately.
Don’t assume they are. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing and recommends checking for the official Crossed Grain Trademark on oat products if you have coeliac disease. Also check the current gluten-free statement and allergen information.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the claim ‘gluten-free’ may only be used for a food sold to the final consumer if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Oats in these products are also subject to requirements designed to prevent contamination with wheat, rye and barley, among other grains.
You can if the preparation instructions for your chosen product say that it’s suitable. Elovena Natural’s product information also gives instructions for making it cold with milk or water. Check the instructions on the pack you buy.
