For a quick Christmas breakfast, choose plain instant oats and check the ingredients and sugar content per 100 g. Quaker Netherlands lists 1 g of sugars per 100 g for Quaker Oats Express Naturel; according to Albert Heijn, this variety is ready in under two minutes. If you’re making breakfast for several people, you can also portion out regular oats yourself. Check each flavour separately, as instant doesn’t mean sugar-free.
You want a warm portion with little preparation during the busy Christmas period. With instant oats, check the ingredients and nutritional information too: a short preparation time says nothing about added sugar.
You want to choose the amount of oats and toppings yourself. A standard pack means weighing and preparing the oats yourself, but you don’t have to rely on individual portion sachets.
You’re comparing a protein variety with regular oats and checking the ingredients list. Soy may be an ingredient; other products may list wheat, barley or rye in their allergen information.
Choose this if: you want to make an individual portion quickly and the ingredients and sugars per 100 g for that exact variety suit your needs.
Bear in mind: you’ll need several portions if you’re serving a group, so check how many sachets are in the pack.
Choose this if: you want to weigh out portions yourself for several people and add toppings separately.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to portion them yourself and check the preparation time on the pack.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Read the ingredients list and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g for the exact variety. | If I want to avoid added sugar, I look beyond the word ‘instant’: a flavoured variety may contain sugar. For around 42% of consumers, checking sugar content is the top priority. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the preparation time, instructions and number of portions in the pack. | When breakfast needs to be on the table quickly, I want to know whether I can prepare individual portions without weighing them out. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Amount for guests | Compare the pack size with the number of people eating and check whether you’ll need to portion it yourself. | For a Christmas brunch with several guests, I want to be able to measure out enough oats without relying on individual sachets. Around 25% of consumers give this option for serving several people top priority. |
A short preparation time says nothing about the sugar content. Quaker Netherlands lists sugar as an ingredient in Oats Express Kaneel, with 19 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 1 g per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel.
Before buying, compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact flavour.
A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. Quaker Netherlands lists 1 g of sugars per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel.
Check both the claim and the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Don’t treat ‘no added sugars’ and ‘reduced sugar’ as the same claim.
An individual sachet can be handy for one breakfast, but for a Christmas brunch you’ll need to work out how many portions you need.
Count the number of people eating and compare the number of sachets with a standard pack that you can weigh out yourself.
Oat products can contain different ingredients and warnings about possible traces. According to the product information, the protein variety reviewed contains soy.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack you’re buying, especially if soy or certain grains matter to you.
The product ranges reviewed include regular oats, plain instant oats, a cinnamon variety and a protein variety.
Brinta Havermout is an option if you want to portion out regular oats yourself for a Christmas breakfast.
Own-brand portion packs show why you should assess plain and sweetened oats separately.
The range reviewed includes fine and coarse wholegrain oat flakes, as well as instant products.
Lists oat flakes as a standard-pack option for anyone who wants to make up their own portions.
Golden Bridge fijne volkoren havermout is a regular oat option that you can portion out yourself.
These products include two Express varieties for anyone looking for a quick portion, and a regular oat option to portion out yourself. Check the ingredients, nutritional information and preparation instructions for each product separately.
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An Express variety to consider if you want to make an individual portion during the busy Christmas period. The pack contains 324 g; check the exact variety, preparation instructions and sugars per 100 g on the label.
Also check the current allergen information if possible traces of soy, barley or wheat matter to you.
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An Express variety to compare if you’re specifically looking for a protein option for a quick breakfast. The pack contains 302 g; compare the ingredients and sugars per 100 g with a plain variety.
According to the product information, this variety contains soy protein and soy lecithin. Check the current allergen information too.
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A regular oat option if you want to measure out your own portions for a Christmas breakfast. The pack contains 450 g; check that the preparation instructions fit your schedule rather than assuming it can be prepared instantly.
Check the allergen information on the pack if gluten matters to you.
No. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars: Quaker Netherlands lists 1 g of sugars per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel. ‘Reduced sugar’ is not the same claim either, so compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the products you’re considering.
A plain instant variety may suit you if the current label confirms that no sugars have been added. Quaker Netherlands lists wholegrain oats as the ingredient in Oats Express Naturel and 1 g of sugars per 100 g; according to Albert Heijn, the variety is ready in under two minutes. Check the pack and flavour you choose separately.
According to Albert Heijn, you can prepare Quaker Oats Express Naturel in under two minutes using a microwave or saucepan. Follow the instructions on the pack for the amount of liquid and exact preparation method.
No, you can’t assume that. Quaker Netherlands lists sugar as an ingredient in Oats Express Kaneel, with 19 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 1 g per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel. Read the nutritional information for the exact variety.
Check the ingredients, sugars per 100 g and allergens on the product you receive. Ingredients and product information can change; if you’re choosing a protein variety, pay particular attention to soy, and check regular oats for warnings about other grains.
