If you have coeliac disease, first check that the current packaging explicitly labels the muesli as gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends choosing oats with the Crossed Grain symbol where possible. Then choose between a plain base, fruit muesli or an oat-free option, taking the ingredients, other allergens and your breakfast preferences into account.
You’re looking for muesli for a weekend breakfast and check the current packaging before considering flavour or nutritional value. If the product contains oats, you also check how those oats are labelled.
You’d like to eat oat muesli with yoghurt, milk or quark, for example, but are specifically looking for a gluten-free option. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that personal tolerance of gluten-free oats can also be a consideration.
As well as the gluten-free claim, you may need to check for soya, nuts or traces of milk, for example. The ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack will tell you whether an option meets your needs.
For a weekend breakfast when you have coeliac disease, the first thing to check is the gluten-free claim. Only then should you compare the other ingredients and the flavour or composition of the muesli.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim and oats | Look for the gluten-free label on the current packaging. If the product contains oats, check that they are labelled gluten-free; the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends choosing a product with the Crossed Grain symbol where possible. | When choosing muesli for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume it’s suitable based on the type of grain alone. For around 50% of shoppers, this check comes first. |
| Other allergens and ingredients | Read the ingredients and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements, especially for soya, nuts, milk and oats. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients as well as gluten, I check whether the specific option is suitable. Around 30% of shoppers give this additional check top priority. |
| Flavour and breakfast preferences | Compare dried fruit, fibre and sugars per 100 g, among other things. Also consider how much you plan to serve. | For my weekend bowl, I want to choose between a plain base that I can add my own fruit to and a fruit muesli. For around 20% of shoppers, breakfast preferences matter most, after checking the gluten-free claim and relevant ingredients. |
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains during production. So the words ‘oats’ and ‘wholegrain’ don’t confirm that muesli is gluten-free.
Check the gluten-free claim on the current packaging and, where possible, look for the Crossed Grain symbol on products containing oats.
Quaker Netherlands states that Cruesli Luchtig contains wholemeal wheat flour and barley malt. The Golden Bridge wholegrain muesli described by ALDI Netherlands contains wheat flakes. These specific products are not gluten-free alternatives.
Always check the ingredients of the option you’re buying, even if you’re familiar with other products from the same brand.
Gluten-free muesli may still contain oats, soya or nuts. The packaging may also mention possible traces of other allergens.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information if you need to avoid anything besides gluten.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes a separately labelled gluten-free muesli.
Jumbo describes a gluten-free organic fruit muesli under the Consenza brand.
Schär Müsli Fruit is a fruit muesli whose listed ingredients do not include oats.
Here, Cruesli refers to a crunchy cereal range, not a gluten-free muesli label.
Golden Bridge is an own brand under which ALDI Netherlands also lists regular wholegrain muesli.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, the ‘gluten-free’ label means that a product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. When buying, check that this label appears on the current packaging of the muesli you’ve chosen.
Muesli containing oats confirmed as gluten-free may be an option, but personal tolerance is still important. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends choosing a product with the Crossed Grain symbol where possible and notes that a small number of people with coeliac disease also react to pure oats.
Don’t assume so: the Cruesli Luchtig described by Quaker Netherlands contains wholemeal wheat flour and barley malt. Check the current packaging of any other option separately rather than relying on the brand name.
No. Jumbo states that the gluten-free organic fruit muesli described contains no added sugars, while the nutritional information lists 15 g of sugars per 100 g. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g if you want to compare the sugar content of different options.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of your muesli. For AH Glutenvrij Muesli, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a cool, dark and dry place, and sealing the pack securely after use.
