Breakfast eaters who want to choose their own toppings
You want to make porridge quickly and decide for yourself whether to add milk, yoghurt, fruit or something sweet. A simple ingredients list can help.
Who might these choices suit?
Commuters and office workers
You want to take a measured portion with you without weighing out oats in the morning. Whether a sachet is convenient also depends on the liquid and preparation facilities available where you’re going.
Shoppers who need to check allergens
Look beyond the word ‘oats’ and check the allergen information, any warnings about possible cross-contamination and, where relevant, the gluten-free label on the specific pack.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide which ingredients you want to add to your breakfast. Then check whether you can prepare your chosen oats where you plan to eat them.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients list and compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per portion. For a prepared portion, check which additions have been included in the figures. | I want to decide for myself whether to add sweet ingredients to my porridge, rather than relying on a claim on the front of the pack. An estimated 36% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Preparing breakfast on the go | Check the preparation time and whether you’ll need water or milk, a bowl and a heat source. | When I have breakfast at work, I don’t want to weigh out oats first, and I need to be able to prepare my portion there. An estimated 29% of consumers put convenience first. |
| Portioning it yourself | Check the pack size and decide whether you want to prepare portions at home in a container to take with you. | I’d rather portion out a larger pack myself, even if it takes a little preparation beforehand. Around 21% of consumers prioritise having that choice. |
| Allergens and gluten | Read the allergen information for the exact product, including warnings about possible cross-contamination. If necessary, check for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label. | I need to be able to check which grains and other allergens are relevant to me before buying. For around 14% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products with no added sugar may still contain sugars. The claim doesn’t tell you how much sugar will be in your prepared breakfast.
Read the ingredients and check ‘of which sugars’. Only compare portions directly when the nutrition information is based on the same method of preparation.
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Comparing prepared porridge with dry porridge oats
For Brinta Oatmeal, the nutrition information shown per prepared portion is for 40 g of oats with 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk. This is not the nutritional value of the dry oats alone.
For each nutrition table, check whether it describes the dry product, the product prepared with water or a serving made with milk.
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Assuming ordinary oats are gluten-free
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that oats can be contaminated by cereals containing gluten. The ingredient name alone therefore doesn’t tell you whether a specific product is suitable.
Check the allergen information and, if you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label on the pack.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Quaker
Quaker Oats Express Original is an example of individually portioned porridge oats. The listing at Albert Heijn specifies 12 sachets of 27 g and a preparation time of two minutes.
- Wholegrain oats are listed as the ingredient in this Original variant, with 1 g of sugars per 100 g.
- The product information notes that it may contain soya, barley and wheat. Check the pack if you have a relevant allergy or need to eat gluten-free.
Brinta
Brinta Oatmeal is an option if you want to measure out your own portions. The listing at Albert Heijn specifies 100% oat flakes and preparation with water or milk.
- The fine flakes are described as ready to prepare in just a few minutes.
- The stated 12 g of sugars per prepared portion is for 40 g of oats with 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk. Possible traces of wheat and rye are also listed.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range includes both basic porridge oats in larger packs and Original Oatmeal Portions.
- You can compare a larger pack with a portion-sized option and weigh up how much preparation you want to do yourself.
- Check the ingredients and nutrition information for the variant you choose, as these may differ between basic porridge oats and portion-sized products.
Golden Bridge
ALDI lists Golden Bridge Fine Wholegrain Oats in a 500 g pack, intended for portioning yourself.
- The pack size makes it easy to measure out portions in advance to take with you.
- If you’re choosing based on sugar or allergens, read the nutrition information and allergen details on the specific pack.
Healthy Fit
Lidl lists Healthy Fit Protein Oatmeal as an alternative in its porridge oat range.
- The product name makes it easy to recognise the range in store.
- ‘Protein’ alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product contains. Check the ingredients and nutrition information on the pack.
Porridge oat products on Joybuy
These products show two ways to make porridge quickly: take a measured portion with you or prepare a portion at home from a larger pack. Before choosing one for a breakfast where you’re keeping an eye on sugar, compare the ingredients and nutrition information on the pack.
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Quaker Express Oatmeal, 324 g
An option if you’d rather take a portion with you than measure out porridge oats at home. Before buying, check the ingredients, nutrition information per 100 g, and the preparation and allergen instructions on this pack.
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Family Whole Reduced Sugar Oatmeal with Milk, 838 g
An oatmeal mix for anyone who wants to prepare a measured portion. Don’t consider the ‘Reduced Sugar’ claim on its own: check the nutrition information and ingredients, as the pack also contains individual glucose sachets. Check how to prepare the mix and which allergens are listed on the pack.
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Brinta Oatmeal, 450 g
A pack for anyone who wants to measure out a breakfast portion to take with them. Compare the nutrition information for the dry oats with that of your prepared serving, and check the allergen information for this variant too.
Frequently asked questions
Are instant oats with no added sugar also sugar-free?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, they may still contain naturally occurring sugars. So, as well as reading the ingredients list, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per portion.
Can I prepare a sachet without a kitchen?
Not always. For Quaker Oats Express Original, Albert Heijn gives a preparation time of two minutes with milk in a microwave or pan. Before you set off, check which liquid, equipment and heat source your chosen product requires.
Are ordinary porridge oats automatically gluten-free?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated by cereals containing gluten. If you need to avoid gluten, check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the allergen information on the specific pack.
Why is the sugar content of prepared porridge different from that of dry oats?
Ingredients added during preparation are included in the nutrition information for the prepared portion. For example, the stated Brinta portion of 40 g of oats with 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk contains 12 g of sugars; that is not the figure for the dry oats alone.