Choose instant or quick-cooking oats with a clear ingredients list, and compare the fat and saturated fat content for the same amount of dry oats. What you use to prepare the oats and what you add also matter when you’re putting together a low-fat breakfast. Single-portion sachets make it easy to see how much you’re using, while loose fine oats let you weigh out your own portion.
You want to make a hot breakfast quickly while keeping track of the fat and saturated fat in the oats, milk or yoghurt, and toppings combined. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also points out that preparation and additions count too.
You’re looking for wholegrain oats or oat flakes as a simple base, so you can compare the ingredients in a plain variety with those in a mixed product.
Check the packaging of the exact variety you’re buying. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says you can identify gluten-free products by the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain trademark; ‘wholegrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a product is gluten-free.
First decide whether you’d rather weigh out your own portion or use a single-portion sachet. Then compare the dry oats on the same basis and consider how you’ll prepare them.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain base and fat | Read the ingredients list and compare the fat and saturated fat content for the same amount of dry oats. Count milk, yoghurt and toppings separately. | I want a simple wholegrain base so I can choose what to add to my breakfast; this is the main consideration for around 46% of consumers. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the preparation instructions and the number of grams in each sachet or weighed-out portion. | On busy mornings, I want breakfast to be quick and to know in advance how much oats I’m using; convenience takes priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Allergens and gluten-free suitability | Read the allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. If you need to eat gluten-free, look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain trademark on the packaging. | If I need to eat gluten-free or avoid an allergen, I want to be able to check the information on the packaging; this reassurance matters most to around 18% of consumers. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre emphasises that preparation and additions count too. A bowl made with milk, yoghurt or toppings doesn’t have the same nutritional value as dry oat flakes.
Compare dry products using the same quantity, then check the nutritional information for everything you add to your portion.
A wholegrain oat product isn’t automatically suitable if you need to eat gluten-free. Packaging may also carry warnings about other grains.
If you need a gluten-free diet, check for the ‘gluten-free’ label or Crossed Grain trademark, and read the allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen.
The nutritional value of a portion made with milk is based on something different from the value per 100 g of dry flakes. For example, Brinta also lists nutritional values for oats prepared with semi-skimmed milk.
Before comparing two figures, check whether the table refers to the dry product or a prepared portion.
Ingredients and warnings on the packaging you’re using are especially important if you have an allergy or specific dietary requirement.
Read the label before buying, and again before use if the ingredients or allergen information matter to your choice.
Quaker offers both loose oats and Oats Express portion sachets. Albert Heijn lists a preparation time of 2 minutes for Oats Express Naturel; check which Express variety you have.
Brinta Oatmeal is a loose base of extra-fine oat flakes for anyone who wants to weigh out their own portions.
AH Volkoren havermout fijne vlokken is a loose oat base for anyone who wants to choose their own portion and additions.
Jumbo offers fine and coarse wholegrain oats; choose which variety to compare based on your preferred texture and preparation method.
ALDI offers Golden Bridge fine and coarse wholegrain oats as loose flakes.
These products are suitable for a quick oat-based breakfast, but they differ in whether they offer pre-measured portions, loose flakes or a variety with added soya protein. For a low-fat breakfast, always compare nutritional values on the same basis and take your preparation method into account.
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For anyone who wants to prepare a pre-measured portion of oats quickly. Compare the fat and saturated fat content on the label for the same quantity, and check the allergen information for this variety.
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For anyone who wants to use loose oat flakes and weigh out their own portion. Check the preparation instructions, and don’t compare nutritional values for dry flakes with those for a prepared portion.
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A quick-to-prepare oat blend, rather than a product made from oats alone. The product information lists added soya protein; check the full ingredients list, allergens and nutritional values for the same quantity.
No. ‘Wholegrain’ describes the grain base, not the nutritional value of your whole breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that preparation and additions count too, so consider the oats as well as your choice of milk, yoghurt and toppings.
First compare their ingredients and the fat and saturated fat values for the same amount of dry oats. Then look at the portion size, preparation method and any allergens, so you don’t end up comparing a value for prepared porridge with one for dry flakes.
Portion sachets are a good choice if you want the quantity measured out in advance; with loose fine oats, you decide how much to use. Check the preparation instructions for both, and consider the nutritional value of the additions you actually use.
Don’t rely on the word ‘wholegrain’; check the packaging for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain trademark. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies these as useful indicators; also read the allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying.
