Who are the different options for?

For anyone who wants to choose their own flavour

Want to make porridge quickly on Sunday and add your own fruit, nuts or cinnamon? Plain oats give you a simple base. Check the ingredients and nutritional information too.

For anyone who wants to measure less

A sachet or cup can be handy when you’re making breakfast for one. Check in advance whether you’ll need milk, hot water or a microwave, and how long it takes to prepare.

For anyone keeping an eye on ingredients or allergens

If you’re comparing protein, fibre or ingredients, read the information for the option you’ve chosen. The protein option discussed here contains soya; the cup with nuts and seeds contains peanuts and nuts, among other ingredients.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with the sugar information, then choose a preparation method that suits your Sunday breakfast. Check the allergens if they’re a deciding factor for you.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Added and total sugars Read the ingredients and compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. A claim about added sugars doesn’t tell you how much total sugar the product contains. I want to choose what I add to my porridge rather than pick a pre-sweetened option. Limiting added sugar is a priority for around 50% of consumers.
Ease of preparation Check the preparation time, portion size and whether you’ll need milk, hot water or a microwave. If I want to do less measuring on Sunday, I look for a portion that suits what I can use in the kitchen. Ease of preparation is the main priority for around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the allergen information. If you have coeliac disease, check that the oats carry the official Crossed Grain trademark. I want to choose an option with ingredients that suit what I eat or need to avoid. This suitability matters most to around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘no added sugars’ means sugar-free

    EU rules for this claim exclude added sugars and ingredients used for their sweetening properties, but not all naturally occurring sugars. For example, the AH Terra Oat & go cup described by Albert Heijn lists 5.7 g of total sugars per 100 g.

    As well as checking the claim, read the ingredients list and the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information per 100 g.

  • Overlooking allergens in a protein option or nut cup

    The Quaker protein option described by Albert Heijn contains soya protein. The AH Terra cup with nuts and seeds contains peanuts and various nuts, among other ingredients.

    Check the allergen information on the packaging of the option you buy.

  • Assuming all porridge oats are suitable for coeliac disease

    According to the Voedingscentrum, oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing. So the word ‘oats’ alone doesn’t confirm that a product is suitable for coeliac disease.

    If you have coeliac disease, choose only oat products carrying the official Crossed Grain trademark.

Brands and retailers to consider

Quaker

Quaker offers instant porridge oats in sachets, including Oats Express Naturel and a separate protein option.

  • Jumbo describes Oats Express Naturel as wholegrain porridge oats with no added sugars. It takes 2 minutes to prepare in an 800 W microwave.
  • The protein option described by Albert Heijn contains soya protein. Check the allergen information for each option.

Albert Heijn / AH Terra

The AH Terra Oat & go cup with nuts and seeds is a single-serve porridge product made with hot water.

  • According to Albert Heijn, the cup is ready in 4 minutes, and its nutritional information lists 0 g of added sugars per 100 g.
  • The cup also lists 5.7 g of total sugars per 100 g and contains date flakes, peanuts and nuts, among other ingredients.

Jumbo

At Jumbo, you could consider standard wholegrain oats as an alternative preparation option to instant sachets.

  • Jumbo lists both standard wholegrain oats and Quaker Oats Express Naturel.
  • Don’t assume standard oats have the same preparation time or single-serve packaging as an instant product.

Lidl

Lidl lists a 500 g pack of standard oats as an alternative for anyone who isn’t looking for instant portions.

  • The pack mentioned offers standard oats as a base that you can portion yourself.
  • Before choosing based on sugar or preparation, check the nutritional information and instructions on the pack you buy.

Instant breakfast products at Joybuy

These two portioned products offer different choices for a quick Sunday breakfast: instant protein porridge and a porridge mix with milk and individually wrapped glucose. Don’t interpret the mix’s sugar information as meaning it has ‘no added sugars’.

Quaker Oats Express Protein, 302 g

Quaker Oats Express Protein, 302 g

A portioned option for anyone specifically looking for protein porridge as part of a quick Sunday breakfast.

This option contains soya protein. Check the latest allergen information and compare the total sugars per 100 g on the packaging before choosing.

View at Joybuy
Family Whole Reduced Sugar Oatmeal with Milk, 838 g, with individually wrapped glucose

Family Whole Reduced Sugar Oatmeal with Milk, 838 g, with individually wrapped glucose

An instant porridge mix in portions for anyone who wants to do less measuring but isn’t looking for a simple plain-oat base.

The product information lists 17 g of total sugars per 100 g; this isn’t the same as the amount of added sugars. If you’re limiting sugar, take the individually wrapped glucose into account too. Check the allergen information for milk, wheat, soya or sesame.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean instant porridge is sugar-free?

No. A product carrying that claim can still contain total sugars. The EU rules for ‘no added sugars’ refer to what has been added during production, so check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g as well.

How do I compare the sugar in sachets and cups?

Compare similar products using the nutritional information per 100 g, and check the ingredients too. According to the Voedingscentrum, using a fixed quantity makes it easier to compare the nutritional value of packs with different portion sizes.

Is standard instant porridge suitable for coeliac disease?

Not automatically: according to the Voedingscentrum, oats can be contaminated with gluten. If you have coeliac disease, choose only oat products carrying the official Crossed Grain trademark.

What can I make quickly for Sunday breakfast?

A plain sachet is a good option if you want warm porridge quickly and prefer to add your own flavour. Jumbo lists a 2-minute preparation time in an 800 W microwave for Quaker Oats Express Naturel. If you’d rather use only hot water, the AH Terra cup is ready in 4 minutes according to Albert Heijn, but check its total sugars and allergens.