Salt-conscious stock-up shopper
You buy porridge oats for several breakfasts and want to compare the salt content of dry products per 100 g. Check the ingredients too, as well as what you add during preparation.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Quick breakfast portion shopper
You don’t want to weigh out your oats before work. Individual sachets give you a set portion, but a short preparation time doesn’t tell you anything about the salt content.
Shopper looking for gluten-free porridge oats
You’re looking for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free, with a salt content that suits you. Check these two details separately on the packaging.
What should you look for when buying?
First decide which salt content and ingredients suit you, then choose between fixed portions and a larger pack for the week.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt and ingredients | Compare the salt content per 100 g of dry products and read the ingredients list for the variety you’ve chosen. | If I’m keeping an eye on salt, I want to know what’s in the oats themselves before putting my breakfast together. Around 42% of consumers put checking salt first. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the preparation time, the amount in each sachet and which liquid you’ll need. | On busy mornings, I want to make a set portion without weighing it out. For around 33% of consumers, convenience is the deciding factor. |
| Weekly supply | Check the pack size, number of portions and storage instructions. | I want one pack to make several breakfasts, and I don’t mind measuring out the portions myself. That’s the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Comparing dry oats with a prepared bowl
Milk and other additions change the nutritional value of your breakfast. That means the salt content per 100 g of dry oats isn’t directly comparable with that of a prepared portion.
First compare dry products on the same basis. Then look separately at the liquid and toppings you use.
-
Assuming gluten-free means lower in salt
According to Albert Heijn, gluten-free Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal contains 1 g of salt per 100 g. So a gluten-free label is no substitute for checking the nutritional information.
Check separately for the gluten-free label you need and the salt content on the exact pack you’re buying.
-
Going by the product name alone
A name such as plain or instant doesn’t tell you how much salt the particular variety contains. The ingredients and allergen information also matter when making your final choice.
Read the current packaging just before you buy, especially if you regularly buy the same variety.
Brands compared
Quaker
The Oats Express Naturel variety is designed for anyone who wants to make a quick, pre-portioned breakfast.
- Quaker Netherlands lists wholegrain oats and 0 g of salt per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel; Albert Heijn gives a preparation time of two minutes.
- This information applies to this plain variety and not automatically to other Quaker products.
Brinta
Brinta Porridge Oats are an option if you want to portion out extra-fine oats from a larger pack yourself.
- Albert Heijn lists 100% oats as the ingredient; Joybuy’s product information gives the salt content of the dry oats as 0.01 g per 100 g.
- Don’t compare that figure for dry oats directly with the nutritional value of a portion prepared with milk.
Jumbo
Jumbo Fine Wholegrain Porridge Oats come in a larger pack, for anyone who wants to portion out several breakfasts themselves.
- Jumbo gives a salt content of 0.02 g per 100 g for the 500 g pack.
- These aren’t individual instant sachets; you decide how to prepare them and how much to serve.
Elovena
Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal is worth considering if you’re looking for instant porridge oats explicitly labelled gluten-free.
- Albert Heijn labels this variety gluten-free and lists portions of 40 g.
- The same product information lists 1 g of salt per 100 g, so check the gluten-free status and salt content separately.
ALDI / Golden Bridge
Golden Bridge Fine Wholegrain Porridge Oats are worth a look if you’re after a larger pack for the week.
- ALDI Netherlands lists a 500 g pack of fine wholegrain porridge oats.
- Check the salt content, ingredients and allergens on the current pack before comparing this variety with other products.
Instant porridge oats at Joybuy
This selection features Quaker Express Oatmeal as an instant porridge option for your weekly shop. Check the salt content and ingredients on the pack available to you before deciding.
No image available
Quaker Express Oatmeal 324 g
For anyone looking for instant porridge oats for several breakfasts. Compare the salt content per 100 g and the ingredients on the packaging for this variety.
Frequently asked questions
Are instant porridge oats automatically low in salt?
No. Salt content varies by product: Quaker Netherlands lists 0 g of salt per 100 g for Oats Express Naturel, while Albert Heijn lists 1 g per 100 g for Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal. So compare the nutritional information for the variety you’re buying.
Should I compare salt per portion or per 100 g?
When comparing packs, start with the salt content per 100 g of dry porridge oats. Then consider your actual portion and what you add, so you don’t mistake the figure for dry oats for the salt content of a breakfast made with milk.
Are gluten-free porridge oats lower in salt too?
Not necessarily. Albert Heijn lists 1 g of salt per 100 g for gluten-free Elovena Natural Instant Oatmeal. If you need a product labelled gluten-free, check the salt content separately too.
Can I choose any porridge oats if I have coeliac disease?
No. Regular oat products aren’t necessarily suitable for people with coeliac disease. According to the Voedingscentrum, oats can come into contact with gluten during production. So check for an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol, as well as the current allergen information on the packaging.
Can porridge oats replace all my bread-based meals?
Porridge oats aren’t the same as bread in every respect. The Voedingscentrum points out that iodine is added to bread in the Netherlands, but not to porridge oats. Bear this difference in mind if you regularly replace bread-based meals.