Who is this useful for?

Anyone who wants a quick lunch at home

You want to avoid weighing ingredients and make something warm. Check that you have the liquid and suitable cooking equipment you need where you’ll be having lunch.

Anyone who wants a set portion

A sachet saves you weighing the oats. Compare the dry weight per sachet with the amount you want for lunch; with loose porridge oats, you can measure out the amount yourself.

Anyone who needs to check ingredients or allergens

Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant you’re buying. The Original version and a version with added soya protein do not have the same ingredients.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check whether you can prepare porridge where you’ll be having lunch. Then choose between a pre-measured sachet and loose oats, and check the pack you actually intend to use.

What to consider What to check before buying Who should consider this?
Preparation Check what liquid and preparation method the variant requires, and whether you can use a microwave or saucepan. If I want a quick, hot lunch, the preparation method needs to suit the equipment I have at home. Around 40% of consumers put ease of preparation first.
Portion size Compare the dry weight per sachet and the number of sachets. With loose oats, you can measure out as much as you like. I want to make one portion without measuring out too many oats, but I’ll also check that it’s the right amount for my lunch. A set portion matters most to around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant, including any warnings about possible traces. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the contents of the pack I buy are what matter. Around 20% of consumers put these checks first.
Packaging format Decide whether you want to store and use individual sachets, or measure out portions yourself from a larger pack. For several lunches, I don’t mind measuring out portions myself and would rather not open a separate sachet each time. Packaging format comes first for around 10% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a portion sachet is ready to eat

    A sachet saves you weighing the oats, but according to the product information, Quaker Express porridge oats still need to be prepared in a microwave or saucepan.

    Read the instructions for the variant you’re considering before buying, and check that you have the liquid and equipment you need.

  • Assuming porridge oats are automatically gluten-free

    Ingredients and information about possible traces vary from product to product. Quaker Netherlands lists possible traces of barley and wheat for Oats Express Naturel.

    If gluten-free is essential for you, check the explicit gluten-free claim and allergen information on the exact pack. Don’t rely on the word ‘oats’ alone.

  • Choosing a Protein variant based on the front of the pack

    Quaker Oats Express Protein contains soya protein and soya lecithin, so its ingredients differ from those of the Naturel version.

    Compare the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per portion before choosing a variant.

Brands to consider

Quaker

Quaker Netherlands lists Oats Express Naturel as a pack of twelve portion sachets. The Express product information says it takes around two minutes to prepare.

  • Individual sachets save you weighing out the oats.
  • According to Quaker Netherlands, Naturel may contain soya, barley and wheat; the Protein variant contains soya protein. Check each variant separately.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists Havermout Porties Original as five 27 g sachets and also sells loose porridge oats.

  • The sachets contain a pre-measured dry weight.
  • Check the ingredients and preparation instructions on the pack you choose.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists products including Havermout Porties Gezoet and Havermout Porties Banaan Smaak.

  • These variants give you a choice of different flavours.
  • Check the portion weight, ingredients and preparation instructions on each pack.

Brinta

Brinta Havermout is a loose-oats option. Albert Heijn’s product information gives a reference portion of 40 g and eleven portions per pack.

  • You can measure out the amount of dry oats you want for your lunch.
  • These are not individual portion sachets. Also check the warning about possible traces of wheat and rye.

Lidl / Healthy Fit

Lidl lists a product called Healthy Fit Proteïne havermout.

  • Before using it as an alternative to portion sachets, check the portion size, ingredients and preparation method on the pack you choose.

ALDI / Golden Bridge

ALDI lists Golden Bridge fijne volkoren havermout in a 500 g pack.

  • With loose oats, you can choose how much to use for each lunch.
  • This is not a confirmed instant product in individual portions, so check the preparation instructions if speed matters to you.

Porridge oats for a quick lunch on Joybuy

The Naturel pack below contains pre-measured portions. The Protein variant is also an option for a quick lunch, but first check whether that pack contains individual sachets.

Quaker Express porridge oats, 324 g pack

Quaker Express porridge oats 324 g

For a hot lunch for one when you don’t want to weigh the oats yourself: this pack contains twelve portion sachets.

The product information says they take around two minutes to prepare in a microwave or saucepan. Check the dry weight per sachet and, if you have allergies, read the pack for information about possible traces of soya, barley and wheat.

View on Joybuy
Quaker Oats Express Protein, 302 g pack

Quaker Oats Express Protein 302 g

For anyone specifically looking for a porridge variant with added soya protein for a quick lunch.

The ingredients include wholegrain oats, soya protein and soya lecithin. Before buying, check the portion size and follow the preparation instructions on the exact pack. If you have allergies, also check for possible traces of barley and wheat.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a sachet of instant porridge ready to eat?

No, a pre-measured sachet may still need to be prepared. The product information for Quaker Express porridge oats specifies a microwave or saucepan and around two minutes of preparation. Also check what liquid the variant you choose needs.

Is one sachet enough for a solo lunch?

You can’t tell from the words ‘portion sachet’ alone. Jumbo lists 27 g of dry oats per sachet for Havermout Porties Original. Compare the weight of the variant you choose with the amount you want for lunch.

Are porridge oats automatically gluten-free?

No, the name ‘porridge oats’ does not confirm that a product is gluten-free. Check the gluten-free claim and allergen information on the exact pack. Quaker Netherlands lists possible traces of barley and wheat for Oats Express Naturel.

Where can I find allergen information for a pre-packed product?

Read the allergen information on the label of the pack you buy. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must appear on the label of pre-packed food. Check the exact variant even if you’ve already looked at the product name online.