If you have coeliac disease, first look for an explicit gluten-free statement on the packaging. Then compare the oats and other allergens, ingredients and nutritional information. Before doing your Sunday food shop, check that your chosen variety is available.
For you, choosing starts with the gluten-free statement on the finished product, not just the individual grains. If the muesli contains oats, your own response to them is also something to consider, as the Dutch Coeliac Association points out.
As well as checking for gluten, you check the ingredients and allergen warnings. Gluten-free muesli may, for example, contain soya or carry a warning about the possible presence of nuts, milk, peanuts or sesame.
You’re looking for a plain or fruit muesli among the gluten-free options to suit your breakfast. The ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g help you compare things such as sugars and fibre.
First check for a gluten-free statement and any other allergens. Then choose based on flavour and ingredients, and check that the product is available shortly before you shop.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free statement | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging. If the muesli contains oats, check what type of oats are listed too. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume muesli is suitable based on the type of grain alone; demonstrable gluten-free suitability is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients list and check both ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ in the allergen information. | If I also have another food allergy or am buying for a guest, the whole pack needs to suit their needs. These additional ingredients and allergens matter most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and flavour | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g, and decide whether you’d like a plain, fruit or crunchy variety. | For my Sunday breakfast, it makes a difference whether I add my own fruit or choose a mix with dried fruit; ingredients and flavour are the main focus for around 21% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check current in-store or delivery availability. If you choose an alternative, check its gluten-free statement and allergen information again. | When I’m sorting out the Sunday food shop, I want to know whether my chosen variety is available. For around 14% of consumers, being able to buy the product is the main priority. |
An ingredient such as buckwheat or oats doesn’t automatically make the finished muesli gluten-free: it may come into contact with gluten-containing grains during production.
If you have coeliac disease, check for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ statement on the current packaging. Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the statement may be used if the finished product contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
Albert Heijn lists soya and oats in AH Glutenvrij Muesli and warns that it may contain nuts. For an Eat Natural buckwheat variety, Jumbo warns that it may contain milk, nuts, peanuts, sesame and soya, among other allergens.
Check the ingredients and allergen warnings for each variety individually, even when ‘gluten-free’ appears in the product name.
The Consenza fruit muesli listed by Jumbo carries this statement, but its nutritional information lists 15,0 g of sugars per 100 g. The recipe contains dried fruit.
Compare the total sugar content per 100 g, and check the ingredients list and your usual portion size.
Products may only be available in store, may have been discontinued or may no longer be available online. So a variety you looked at earlier isn’t a sure choice for the coming Sunday.
Check in-store or delivery availability just before you buy. If you choose an alternative, check its current label too.
The product varieties mentioned show differences in ingredients, nutritional information and allergens. A previous product listing doesn’t mean a variety is available now.
Albert Heijn lists a gluten-free basic muesli made with oat, soya and buckwheat flakes, raisins and sunflower seeds.
Jumbo lists a gluten-free organic fruit muesli from Consenza, made with gluten-free oats, cornflakes and dried fruit.
An organic apple and cinnamon muesli from Zonnatura listed by Albert Heijn contained gluten-free wholegrain oats, rice, buckwheat, linseed and apple, among other ingredients.
Jumbo listed toasted gluten-free breakfast options from Eat Natural, including a buckwheat mix and another mix with gluten-free oats, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and chia.
Jumbo listed an organic gluten-free fruit flakes muesli from Leev, made with dried fruit, maize, rice, seeds and pseudocereals, among other ingredients.
This product selection is granola, not muesli. Consider it as another breakfast cereal option for Sunday, and if you have coeliac disease, check the gluten-free statement on the packaging.
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A granola option if you’d prefer a peanut and chocolate variety to muesli for Sunday breakfast.
The product name includes ‘Glutenfree’ and the pack size is 330 g. Check the gluten-free statement and the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, especially if peanuts, nuts or soya are relevant to you.
Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the statement ‘gluten-free’ may be used in the Netherlands when the food sold to consumers contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. When choosing, look for the statement on the finished product’s packaging.
Muesli with oats can carry a gluten-free statement, provided the oats have been specially produced, prepared or processed in accordance with EU rules to avoid contamination with wheat, rye and barley. The Dutch Coeliac Association points out that a small number of people with coeliac disease also react to pure oats; discuss any previous reactions with your doctor or specialist dietitian.
Use the online information to help you choose, but check the current packaging before eating the muesli too. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients and allergen information can change. A gluten-free statement also doesn’t rule out other allergens.
Not necessarily: the Consenza fruit muesli listed by Jumbo carries the statement ‘no added sugars’, but its nutritional information lists 15,0 g of sugars per 100 g. So compare the total sugar content per 100 g and check which ingredients the mix contains.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging you’ve chosen and seal it well after use. Albert Heijn advises storing its gluten-free muesli in a cool, dark and dry place; other varieties may have different storage instructions.
