When comparing instant porridge for an older person, check the salt per 100 g and per portion actually eaten. A plain product made with oats alone is a straightforward starting point if reducing salt is the main priority. If protein or ease of preparation matters more, check the rest of the nutritional information, ingredients, allergens and the amount of liquid needed too. If someone has a prescribed diet or may be malnourished, seek personalised advice from a healthcare professional.
You want to consider how much salt breakfast contributes to your overall diet. Compare labels on the same basis. If you have been prescribed a low-sodium diet, follow the advice given by your doctor or dietitian, as the Dutch Heart Foundation also recommends.
If someone has a reduced appetite or is losing weight unintentionally, how much they eat, as well as their energy and protein intake, deserves attention. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that illness, limitations or a reduced appetite may call for additional dietary advice. If you think someone may be malnourished, contact their GP.
If measuring or preparing breakfast is difficult, portion sizes and clear instructions can help you choose. Check the ingredients and allergens too: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products is shown on the label.
First decide what matters most at breakfast: limiting salt, checking protein and energy intake, or making preparation easier. The way you prepare the porridge and anything you add will change what ends up in the bowl.
When: choose a simple oat base if you want to control what you add and limiting salt is your main priority.
Consider: anything you add to the oats will affect the nutritional value of the prepared portion, so compare more than just the dry products.
When: check the protein per portion if extra protein is a specific dietary requirement.
Consider: Quaker lists 12 g of protein and 0.12 g of salt per 45 g portion of Pots Protein Naturel. This product also contains milk and soya. It is not a substitute for an assessment of possible malnutrition.
When: a cup may be practical if measuring or cooking is a challenge.
Consider: Albert Heijn says AH Oat & go apple-cinnamon is prepared with hot water and needs four minutes to stand. Check the ingredients for milk and almonds in this flavour too.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | Compare salt per 100 g and per portion actually eaten, and consider what you add. | If I want to limit salt, I need to be able to assess how breakfast contributes to my overall daily diet. For around 36% of consumers, salt is the main priority. |
| Protein and energy | Check protein and energy per portion eaten, and take into account how much someone actually eats. | If someone has a poor appetite, I want to know what their portion adds to what they eat that day. Protein and energy are the first things around 29% of consumers look at. |
| Preparation | Check what steps are involved, how much liquid is needed and how long the product needs to stand. | If measuring or cooking is difficult, breakfast needs to be manageable for the person preparing it. Around 21% of consumers give ease of preparation the highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen list, and compare fibre on the same nutritional basis. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I also want to be able to check for warnings about possible traces. Ingredients, allergens or fibre are the deciding factors for around 14% of consumers. |
Those words don’t tell you how much salt is in a portion you actually eat. Quaker lists 0 g of salt per 45 g portion of Oats Express Naturel; Jumbo lists 0.32 g per 75 g portion of Upfront Oats Appel Kaneel. Because the portion sizes differ, you also need to compare the products per 100 g.
Check salt, protein, sugars and fibre on the label, and always use the same basis when comparing products.
A breakfast product alone cannot tell you whether someone is following a prescribed diet appropriately. For a low-sodium diet, the Dutch Heart Foundation recommends following your dietitian’s advice. It also warns people with heart failure not to change their fluid intake without medical advice.
Follow the individual treatment advice on salt and the liquid used to make the porridge.
The AH Oat & go apple-cinnamon mentioned above contains milk and almonds; Quaker Pots Protein Naturel contains milk and soya. So a familiar product name doesn’t tell you everything about a different variant.
Before buying, check the allergen information on the pack of the exact variant you’ve chosen.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that if someone may be malnourished, their GP should assess them. Choosing a different breakfast won’t address the possible reasons for eating too little or losing weight.
If someone is losing weight unintentionally or has a persistently poor appetite, contact their GP rather than simply switching to a different type of porridge.
The plain portion and Protein pot reviewed here show why it’s important to compare products individually, even within the same brand.
The Brinta Havermout reviewed here is made with oat flakes that you prepare yourself.
The AH products mentioned offer a choice between fine flakes you prepare yourself and a cup with a different nutritional composition.
Jumbo’s porridge range includes different types of products, including portion packs and instant options.
The Upfront Oats Appel Kaneel reviewed here is one option to assess per portion if protein is a factor in your purchase.
This product is an option if you’re looking for plain instant porridge and want to compare salt per portion. Check the nutritional information and preparation instructions on the pack before deciding whether it’s suitable for the person who’ll be eating it.
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An option if you’re looking for instant porridge and want to compare the salt content with the portion actually eaten.
Pack size: 324 g. Check the current packaging for salt per 100 g and per portion, allergens, and the amount of water or milk needed for preparation. If you’ve been given personalised advice about fluid intake, follow your healthcare professional’s instructions.
No. ‘No added salt’ tells you that salt hasn’t been added during production, while the nutritional information shows the salt content of the product. For example, Albert Heijn lists 0 g of added salt and 0.03 g of salt per 100 g for AH Volkoren havermout fijne vlokken. Remember to compare the portion actually eaten too.
A high-protein option isn’t a substitute for an assessment of unintentional weight loss. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises contacting a GP if someone may be malnourished. You can also discuss how much they’re actually eating.
Don’t change the amount of liquid without medical advice. The Dutch Heart Foundation warns that people with heart failure should not change how much they drink on their own. If you’ve been given a personal fluid restriction, follow your treatment advice for the liquid used in porridge too.
Read the allergen information on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must be shown on the label of prepacked products. Check for statements about the possible presence of other ingredients too.
