If you’re cooking for a guest with coeliac disease, only choose oats whose current packaging clearly states that they’re gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Association recommends looking for the Crossed Grain trademark where possible. Plain flakes are ideal for a dessert you want to put together yourself, while gluten-free individual sachets are handy for serving separate bowls. Ask in advance whether your guest can tolerate gluten-free oats, and prepare and serve them separately from food containing gluten.
You’re making a dish for several people and want to prevent the portion for this guest from coming into contact with gluten. So, as the Dutch Coeliac Association advises, check that the packaging says gluten-free and use clean utensils and a clean work surface.
You’re looking for plain, gluten-free oat flakes for biscuits, granola or a dessert layer, for example. This lets you choose and check the other ingredients yourself.
You want to quickly prepare a separate bowl for each guest and are looking for pre-measured gluten-free oats. Even when serving individual portions, it’s important to use clean spoons and check the toppings.
First, ask whether your guest can tolerate gluten-free oats. If they can, check the packaging and then choose a product that suits your dish. When preparing and serving it, make sure it doesn’t come into contact with gluten.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free choice and preparation | Check the current gluten-free statement on the packaging, and plan to prepare and serve the dish separately using clean equipment. | When I’m cooking for someone with coeliac disease, I want to prevent the dish from coming into contact with gluten during preparation or serving. For around 50% of consumers, gluten-free safety would be their main concern when buying. |
| Room to create your own recipe | Check whether plain gluten-free flakes suit the dish you want to make, and check the other ingredients separately. | When making a dessert from scratch, I want to choose the flavour and ingredients myself. Around 30% of consumers would put the freedom to create their own recipe first. |
| Individual portions | Check the portion size and preparation instructions for an explicitly labelled gluten-free instant product. | When I’m making separate bowls just before serving, I don’t want to have to measure out oats for everyone first. Around 20% of consumers would see quick individual serving as their main priority. |
Oats can come into contact with cereals containing gluten during growing or processing. Quaker says it can’t guarantee that its products are completely gluten-free.
For this guest, choose oats that are explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the packaging of the product you’re using.
Crumbs or residue on a spoon, work surface or serving dish can end up in the food.
Use a clean work surface and clean or separate utensils. Keep toppings and sauce for your guest separate from products containing gluten.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, not everyone with coeliac disease can tolerate pure gluten-free oats.
Ask before choosing the dish. If your guest can’t tolerate oats or isn’t sure, choose another gluten-free base.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, as Albert Heijn also points out in its product information.
Read the current label when you buy the product, and check the packaging of toppings and other ingredients before cooking too.
According to Albert Heijn, this range includes 450 g of gluten-free wholegrain oats for dishes made with plain oat flakes.
These organic, gluten-free oats make a plain base for a dish you can create yourself.
Elovena offers gluten-free instant oats for individual portions.
Jumbo lists 450 g of gluten-free oats with the Crossed Grain trademark in this range.
The brand name alone isn’t a reason to choose Quaker oats for a guest with coeliac disease.
Not necessarily: oats can come into contact with cereals containing gluten during growing, storage or processing. For this dish, choose oats with a clear gluten-free statement on the current packaging. The Dutch Coeliac Association recommends looking for the Crossed Grain trademark where possible.
No. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, not everyone can tolerate pure gluten-free oats. Ask your guest in advance whether oats are suitable for them. If they say no or aren’t sure, choose a dish without oats.
Use clean or separate utensils and keep the dish away from food containing gluten. Set aside toppings and sauce for your guest too, so that crumbs or residue from shared dishes can’t get into their food. This is in line with the Dutch Coeliac Association’s advice on preventing cross-contamination.
Don’t serve the topping to your guest with coeliac disease until you’ve checked its ingredients and allergen information. If it’s an unpackaged product, ask for this information and check for possible cross-contamination too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses that allergen information is important when making a choice before buying.
