Regular wholegrain rolled oats are a good choice for an Easter breakfast for several people if you want to control the portions and don’t mind preparing them. Instant oats in individual sachets are handy if a set portion and quick preparation matter more. Check the contents, preparation instructions, ingredients and allergens for each product: instant oats can be either a simple oat base or a more elaborate recipe.
With a pack of regular wholegrain rolled oats, you can choose the amount for each person and serve toppings separately. Check how many breakfast portions you want from the pack, and allow time to measure and prepare them.
An individual sachet means no weighing, as long as the stated amount suits the person eating it and you have the required liquid and facilities for preparation. Quaker Netherlands gives a preparation time of two minutes for Oats Express.
If you need to look out for a gluten-free label or particular allergens, you can’t rely on the word ‘oats’ alone. The products reviewed range from wholegrain rolled oats to recipes with added soya protein or milk ingredients. Check the label of the exact variety.
For your Easter breakfast, first decide what matters most: the quantity you need, a quick, pre-measured portion or the product’s ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and portions | Check the net weight and number of portions, and decide whether you want to measure them out yourself. | If I’m making breakfast for several people, I want to have enough oats in the house and be able to serve them myself. The quantity needed would be the main consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Preparation and convenience | Read the preparation instructions and check what liquid and equipment you’ll need. | For an early Easter outing, I want to prepare a portion quickly without weighing anything. A set portion and quick preparation would matter most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen information, and look for an explicit gluten-free label if needed. | If a guest needs a product with specific allergen information, I need to be able to check the exact variety. For around 21% of consumers, checking this would be the first requirement. |
| Flavour or added protein | Compare the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g and per portion. | I want a ready-made flavour or am specifically looking for a variety with added protein, rather than plain oats. For around 14% of consumers, this choice of recipe would be the main consideration. |
Individual sachets make portioning easy, but the number of sachets and the total weight determine how many breakfast portions you actually have.
Compare the net weight and portion size with the number of people at the table.
Regular and instant products may list different allergens or warnings about the possible presence of other cereals.
If you need to choose a gluten-free product, only select a variety with an explicit gluten-free label, and check the current packaging every time you buy it.
A recipe with added protein may contain different ingredients and allergens from regular rolled oats.
Compare the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per portion for the exact varieties you’re considering.
A product you saw online previously may no longer be available to order. For example, Jumbo says that Młyny Stoisław Instant Oatmeal is no longer part of its online range.
Check that the exact variety is available just before your Easter food shop, and check the ingredients again if you choose an alternative.
Offers regular porridge oats and Oats Express individual sachets for anyone comparing these product formats.
Albert Heijn’s own brand offers fine wholegrain rolled oats for anyone who wants to control their portions.
Its own brand offers regular and organic oats, among other options; preparation instructions vary by variety.
Natural instant oatmeal is worth considering if you need an explicit gluten-free label.
Offers flavoured instant oats with added ingredients, rather than just plain rolled oats.
These two Quaker packs are instant options if you’re looking for a quick breakfast portion. Compare the plain oat base with the variety containing added soya protein in terms of ingredients and portion size.
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An instant option if you don’t want to measure out oats from a large pack for Easter breakfast. The pack contains 324 g; check the portion size, preparation instructions and allergens on the label.
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An instant variety to consider if added soya protein suits your needs. The pack contains 302 g; check the ingredients, allergens and amount of protein per portion on the label.
Not necessarily: the ingredients and individual packaging depend on the exact product. Quaker Oats Express Original lists wholegrain oats as an ingredient, while other instant varieties may contain additional ingredients. Check the ingredients list if you’re looking for a simple oat base.
Don’t rely on the product category alone: check for an explicit gluten-free label and the current allergen information on the exact pack. AH Wholegrain Fine Rolled Oats mentions the possible presence of other cereals containing gluten, while Albert Heijn labels Elovena Natural instant oatmeal as gluten-free.
Follow the instructions on the pack you choose, as the amount of liquid varies by product. For Quaker Oats Express Original, 180 ml of milk is specified for microwave preparation; for Elovena Natural, Albert Heijn recommends 200 ml of boiling water or milk.
Choose this type if you’re specifically looking for those ingredients, rather than assuming the product name says something about the meal as a whole. Quaker Oats Express Protein contains added soya protein; compare the nutritional information per portion and check the full ingredients and allergens list.
