When choosing instant porridge for your cupboard, start by checking the ingredients and allergens on the pack you’re buying. Plain varieties, sachets and cups aren’t automatically suitable if you have a food allergy. If you have coeliac disease, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says oat products must carry the official Crossed Grain symbol. Also check for any other allergens you need to avoid, then choose a preparation method and portion size that suit you.
You’re looking for oats to keep in the cupboard, and want to be able to check that they’re gluten-free. For oat products suitable for people with coeliac disease, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says the pack must carry the official Crossed Grain symbol.
If you need to avoid milk, nuts or soya, for example, compare the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the current packaging with the foods you need to avoid.
You’re looking for a porridge product you can keep in stock and prepare with ingredients that suit you. Even with a sachet or cup, it’s the product’s own ingredients that matter.
For every variety, start by checking the allergens on the packaging. Then see whether the preparation method and portion size suit how you want to store and use the porridge.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergens | Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warning about possible cross-contamination on the packaging. | If you need to avoid a particular allergen, you’ll want to check the packaging against your own list of foods to avoid. For around 50% of consumers, checking allergens comes first. |
| Gluten-free suitability | If you have coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain symbol that the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends for oat products. Don’t rely on the words ‘plain’ or ‘100% oats’ alone. | If you have coeliac disease, you’ll want reassurance about the oats, even if the ingredients list is short. For around 30% of consumers, gluten-free suitability is the top priority. |
| Preparation and storing in your cupboard | Check the preparation instructions, suitable liquid, storage instructions and best-before date on the pack. | You’ll want to be able to prepare a portion from your cupboard using a liquid that suits you. For around 20% of consumers, convenience matters most, once they’ve checked for relevant allergens. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that ordinary oat products can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains. Albert Heijn lists possible barley and wheat in Quaker Oats Express Naturel, and possible wheat and rye in Brinta Havermout.
Don’t treat a short ingredients list as a substitute for checking that a product is gluten-free. If you have coeliac disease, look for the symbol recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre on the packaging.
A cup you prepare with water can still contain allergens. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Oat & Go apple and cinnamon contains milk and almond.
Check the ingredients and allergens for the exact flavour and variety, even if you’re only adding water.
A previous pack or product page isn’t the packaging you’ll be using now. What matters is the allergen information on the specific product you have in front of you.
Check the ingredients and warnings again before using the product, even if you’ve bought something with the same name before.
Quaker Oats Express Naturel is a portioned porridge variety for quick preparation.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Brinta Havermout is made from 100% oat flakes and comes in a pack you can portion out yourself.
AH Oat & Go apple and cinnamon is an individual porridge cup that, according to the product information, is prepared with hot water.
Albert Heijn describes Elovena Natural instant oatmeal as gluten-free instant porridge in individual portions.
This Quaker porridge is an option if you’re looking for a simple oat-based product to keep in your cupboard. Before choosing it, check the packaging for any allergens you need to avoid.
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For anyone who wants to keep an oat-based porridge in the cupboard and check the allergens on each pack.
Pack weight: 324 g.
Be aware that it may contain soya, barley and wheat (gluten). This product hasn’t been confirmed as suitable for coeliac disease, so check the current packaging.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says oat products can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains, and recommends looking for the official Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging if you have coeliac disease. Also check whether any other listed allergens are relevant to you.
Check the ingredients list on the packaging, where allergens must be clearly distinguished. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains this labelling requirement for pre-packed foods. Also read any warning about possible cross-contamination.
It depends on the variety and its preparation instructions. Albert Heijn lists water or milk as options for Elovena Natural, and hot water for AH Oat & Go apple and cinnamon. Preparing it with water doesn’t mean the product is milk-free: the AH cup mentioned above contains milk.
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the pack you buy. Brinta and Elovena product information says to store them in a dry place; AH Oat & Go apple and cinnamon should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. At home, avoid contact with ingredients you need to avoid if cross-contact is a risk for you.
