If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, choose oats with a current gluten-free label or logo; the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends the Crossed Grain trademark. Plain gluten-free oats are a good fit for recipes you’re putting together yourself, while a seeded variety works for dishes that call for those ingredients. Individual sachets are handy for a single serving. Whichever you choose, keep crumbs from gluten-containing foods away from your worktop and utensils.
You want to choose oats with an appropriate label and prepare the dish without exposing it to crumbs or shared utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society also advises keeping worktops and equipment clean.
You’re looking for oats labelled gluten-free in advance, for dishes such as overnight oats or biscuits, so you don’t have to rely on ordinary oats.
You want to take a measured amount of oats with you and prepare it separately from the rest of the barbecue food. A gluten-free labelled single-serving sachet can be a practical option.
When preparing a dish for someone with coeliac disease, a gluten-free label is essential. Then compare the ingredients and packaging with what you plan to make for the barbecue.
| What to look for | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the current packaging for a gluten-free label or logo. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends the Crossed Grain trademark. | If I’m cooking for a guest with coeliac disease, I want to be able to see that the oats are gluten-free. For around 50% of consumers, this check would be the main priority. |
| Ingredients for the recipe | Compare plain gluten-free oats with a variety that also contains linseed, chia and quinoa; choose what suits your dish. | When making homemade biscuits or overnight oats, I want to choose the ingredients I add myself. For around 30% of consumers, that flexibility would come first. |
| Single serving | Check the amount in each sachet and whether the stated preparation method suits your plans. | If I’m taking one dish with me, I want to measure out my portion in advance and prepare it separately. For around 20% of consumers, that single-serving convenience would be the top priority. |
Oats without a gluten-free label aren’t suitable for this dish. For example, Quaker states that its Havermout Original may contain barley and wheat.
For a guest with coeliac disease, choose a product with a current gluten-free label or logo; the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends the Crossed Grain trademark.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that crumbs and shared utensils can expose an otherwise gluten-free dish to gluten.
Clean the worktop, use clean equipment, and keep the prepared dish covered and separate from barbecue food containing gluten.
Jumbo states that Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Havermout and Zonnatura Havermout Glutenvrij Meerzaden are no longer part of its online range.
Check availability before planning your dish and, if necessary, choose another oat base whose packaging carries a gluten-free label.
Check the gluten-free label on each pack, rather than relying on the brand name: even a well-known oat brand may sell a variety that isn’t suitable for this dish.
AH Glutenvrij Volkoren havermout comes in a 450 g pack and contains gluten-free wholegrain oats. It’s intended for hot and cold preparations and recipes.
According to the product page, Jumbo’s oat variety contains gluten-free oats and carries the Crossed Grain trademark.
Elovena Natural instant oatmeal glutenvrij consists of five individual 40 g sachets, each providing a measured portion.
According to its product listing, Zonnatura Havermout Glutenvrij Meerzaden contains 95% gluten-free wholegrain oats, as well as linseed, chia seeds and puffed quinoa.
Quaker Havermout Original is ordinary oatmeal, not a gluten-free labelled option for someone with coeliac disease.
No, not unless the packaging has a gluten-free label or logo. Oats can come into contact with gluten during production or processing; for gluten-free oats, the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends the Crossed Grain trademark.
According to European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, oats in a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must have been specially produced, prepared and/or processed to avoid contamination with wheat, rye and barley. The gluten content of those oats must not exceed 20 mg/kg.
Use a clean worktop and clean utensils, and keep the gluten-free food separate from food containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns about crumbs and shared knives, among other things, so take care when serving, too.
Use the product page to help you make your choice, but check the packaging of the product you’ve bought before using it. Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
