If you have coeliac disease, ‘100% oats’ isn’t enough: choose porridge oats whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol. For a lactose-free breakfast, also check the ingredients and allergen information for the oats and anything you add to your porridge, such as milk, yoghurt or toppings.
You need porridge oats that are clearly labelled as gluten-free; oats appearing in the ingredients list alone aren’t enough. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for the Crossed Grain symbol on oats if you have coeliac disease.
Check not only the oats, but also the milk, yoghurt and toppings. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says lactose is found in milk, dairy products and products containing milk ingredients.
You want a simple base for porridge or overnight oats and prefer to choose what you add yourself. Check the label on each pack individually, even if you’ve bought a product from the same brand before.
If you need to follow a strict gluten-free diet because of coeliac disease, start by checking the gluten-free label on the pack. Then consider whether both the oats and the way you prepare them are suitable for your lactose-free breakfast.
| What to look for | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging; if you have coeliac disease, don’t rely on ‘100% oats’ alone. | If I have coeliac disease, I need to see that my porridge oats meet the gluten-free requirement. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Lactose-free preparation | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the oats, and check milk, yoghurt and toppings separately. | I don’t want ordinary milk or an added ingredient to make my breakfast unsuitable for a lactose-free diet. For around 30% of consumers, this is the first thing to check. |
| A simple oat base | Check the ingredients list if you want to choose your own drink and toppings; check the labelling again for flavoured varieties. | For porridge or overnight oats, I prefer to decide for myself what to add to the oats. This simple preparation is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
A product made with oats as its only ingredient may still have come into contact with gluten. Quaker Havermout Original, for example, states that it may contain barley and wheat.
If you have coeliac disease, choose based on the current gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol, not just the name of the ingredient.
Even if the dry oats are lactose-free, ordinary milk, yoghurt or a topping containing milk ingredients can add lactose to your breakfast.
Check each added product separately and make your porridge with water or a suitable lactose-free alternative.
Jumbo says that Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Havermout 450 g is no longer part of its online range. So an earlier listing doesn’t tell you which pack you can buy now.
Check current availability and read the label again when you buy it.
Albert Heijn’s product page for AH Glutenvrij Volkoren havermout 450 g labels it as both ‘gluten-free’ and ‘lactose-free’.
Jumbo lists porridge oats in its Lekker Vrij van Gluten range.
Quaker Havermout Original is ordinary wholegrain porridge oats, not a confirmed gluten-free option for people with coeliac disease.
ALDI offers fine and coarse wholegrain porridge oats under the Golden Bridge brand.
Lidl has a regular range and also promotes additional gluten-free products.
No. Oats can come into contact with gluten during production. If you have coeliac disease, check the current packaging for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
No. Even if the oats themselves contain no milk ingredients, milk, yoghurt and toppings can add lactose. So check the ingredients and allergen information for everything you use.
Check the oat drink separately for the labelling you need for your breakfast. Don’t assume that an added oat drink carries the same gluten-free label as the porridge oats.
