For tea time with children, choose plain porridge oats so you can compare the ingredients and sugar content per 100 g. Don’t treat oat biscuits and flavoured varieties as the same product. Sachets take the guesswork out of portioning, while loose oats give you room to add your own ingredients. If a child has coeliac disease, choose only oats carrying the official Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging.
When choosing a snack for tea time, you’ll want to know what’s in the porridge oats. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises comparing similar products per 100 g. Also check the ingredients list: the sugar figure in the nutrition table doesn’t tell you which sugars have been added.
If measuring out oats is inconvenient when you’re short on time, individual portions could be a good option. Quaker describes its Oats Express Naturel as individually portioned; Albert Heijn lists a box of 12 portions for this product. Check the preparation instructions on the pack you choose.
Ordinary oats aren’t automatically suitable for a child with coeliac disease. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated with gluten, so choose an oat product carrying the official Crossed Grain symbol and check the allergen information when you buy it.
First, check that the ingredients and allergen information are suitable for the child. Then compare the nutrition information for similar products and choose packaging that works with the way you prepare it at home.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar and product type | Compare sugars per 100 g and check the ingredients in plain products, flavoured varieties and biscuits separately. | I don’t want to mistake a sweetened flavour or oat biscuit for plain porridge oats. For around 36% of consumers, limiting added sugar is the top priority. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the preparation instructions and whether the pack contains loose oats or pre-measured portions. | If I need to get a snack ready quickly, I don’t want to measure out oats every time. Portion convenience is the deciding factor for around 29% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the latest allergen information; if the child has coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain symbol. | If a child with coeliac disease will be eating it, the oats must be clearly labelled as suitable. For around 21% of consumers, allergens are the first thing they consider when buying. |
| Pack size | Check the pack size and choose between a single bag and individual portions. | If I make porridge at home regularly, I want a pack that lets me take out my own portions. For around 14% of consumers, this way of storing and using the product is the top priority. |
A flavoured variety, biscuit or bar may contain different ingredients from plain porridge oats. The nutrition table shows the total amount of sugars, not just added sugars.
Compare similar products per 100 g and check the ingredients list for sugar, syrups, honey and fruit concentrate. If you want to decide what to add yourself, start with a plain base.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated with gluten. The packaging for Brinta Havermout also states that the product may contain traces of wheat and rye.
If a child has coeliac disease, choose only oats carrying the official Crossed Grain symbol and check the allergen information every time you buy them.
The allergen information on a pack won’t tell you what rules a school or childcare setting has for food brought from home.
Before packing anything, ask the school or childcare setting involved about its current food and allergen policy.
Quaker Oats Express Naturel is an example of a product for anyone looking for pre-measured portions. Quaker describes this plain variety as having no added sugars; Albert Heijn lists a pack of 12 portions.
Brinta Havermout is an example of loose oats that you can add your own ingredients to.
Jumbo’s porridge oat range includes examples of fine and coarse wholegrain oats sold loose.
ALDI lists Golden Bridge fine wholegrain oats in a 500 g pack.
This porridge oat product could suit you if you’re looking for a simple oat base for tea time. Check the preparation instructions for the specific pack and make sure the ingredients and allergen information meet the child’s needs.
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An option to consider if you’re looking for porridge oats for a snack. Compare the sugar content per 100 g on the packaging before comparing this product with other porridge oats.
The product information warns that it contains gluten and may contain traces of wheat and barley. If a child has coeliac disease, choose only an oat product whose packaging carries the official Crossed Grain symbol.
No, sugars can also occur naturally in ingredients. Check the ingredients list alongside the nutrition table and compare similar products per 100 g, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Ordinary instant porridge isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated with gluten, so choose an oat product carrying the official Crossed Grain symbol on its packaging.
No, treat oat biscuits as a separate product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that oat biscuits and bars often contain a lot of sugar, saturated fat and calories. Check the label on the specific biscuit rather than assuming it has the same ingredients as plain porridge oats.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that children aged 4 to 12 should have no more than four eating or drinking occasions between meals each day. A serving of porridge at tea time is one possible snack within this general guidance.
