For a school lunch where you want to keep an eye on salt, plain oats are a good starting point: check the salt content of the packet you choose and of everything you add. If you need to eat gluten-free, ordinary porridge oats are not suitable unless they are explicitly labelled gluten-free. A cold lunch also needs to be prepared at home, with care taken over how the finished meal is stored.
You want to decide for yourself what goes into the lunch alongside the porridge. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists an average of 0 g of salt per 40 g of porridge oats; check the packet label for the product you choose and take any additions into account too.
Seeing the word ‘oats’ on a packet does not offer the reassurance you need. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that regular oats can be cross-contaminated, so look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the product you choose.
If there is no way to cook at school, you can prepare porridge at home as a cold meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends leaving overnight oats covered in the fridge overnight; make sure you follow suitable arrangements for taking the meal with you and storing it, depending on the ingredients used.
Start by checking the salt content of the whole lunch. Then make sure the porridge oats and any additions suit your allergen requirements, and choose a preparation method that works before the school day.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Salt and additions | Compare the salt per 100 g and, for a prepared meal, per portion. Include milk, yoghurt and any other additions in your calculations. | I want to decide for myself what goes into the lunch, so I’m looking for an oat base with little salt. For around 40% of consumers, controlling salt and additions is the most important consideration. |
| Gluten-free options | If you need a gluten-free option, check for an explicit label on the packet, the allergen information for any additions and the school’s requirements. | If I need to eat gluten-free, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘oats’ alone. For around 30% of consumers, confidence in their gluten-free choice comes first. |
| Cold preparation | Check the preparation method for your chosen product and plan how to transport and store a lunch made in advance. | Without a hob or microwave at school, I need a meal I can prepare at home. For around 30% of consumers, ease of preparation is the most important consideration. |
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but regular products can come into contact with gluten during growing or processing. For example, the product information for Brinta Porridge Oats and Quaker Porridge Oats multipack mentions that they may contain other gluten-containing cereals.
If you need to eat gluten-free, choose oats with an explicit gluten-free label and check the current label on any additions too.
The nutritional information for the oats does not automatically describe the whole lunch once you add other ingredients.
So compare the nutritional information for your chosen porridge oats with that of the ingredients you use to prepare the meal.
If the instructions say you need hot water, a pan or a microwave, you will need a different lunch plan if these are not available at school.
Check the preparation instructions before buying. For overnight oats, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes a method where the oats are left covered in the fridge overnight.
Brinta Porridge Oats are made with a base of finely cut oats.
Quaker Porridge Oats multipack is a wholegrain oat base for anyone who makes porridge regularly.
AH Wholegrain Porridge Oats, Fine Flakes is a plain own-brand option.
Jumbo offers porridge oats in a range of styles and pack sizes.
Golden Bridge Fine Wholegrain Porridge Oats are an oat-based option shown by ALDI Netherlands in a 500 g pack.
These Quaker products come in two pack formats for anyone who wants to choose their own additions. For a low-salt school lunch, check the label for the exact variety you choose. The preparation methods described also need consideration if the lunch will be eaten cold.
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The 12 individual portions can be handy for preparing a lunch portion at home.
The product description lists wholegrain oats and says to prepare with boiling water, in a pan or in the microwave. Check the preparation instructions if the lunch will be eaten cold.
The label lists gluten-containing cereals and possible traces of soya, barley and wheat. Check the allergen information and salt content on the current pack.
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This pack is a good choice for anyone who wants to decide how much to serve and what to add to their lunch.
The ingredients list 100% wholegrain oats; the preparation instructions describe cooking on the hob or in the microwave. Check the salt content and instructions on the label if you want to make a cold lunch.
The label lists gluten-containing cereals and possible traces of wheat and barley. Bear the school’s allergen requirements in mind.
Yes, plain porridge oats can be a good starting point: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists an average of 0 g of salt per 40 g of porridge oats. Compare the salt content of the packet you choose and, for a prepared lunch, take the other ingredients into account too.
No, you can’t tell from the name ‘porridge oats’ alone. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, oats are naturally gluten-free, but regular oats can come into contact with gluten. If you need a gluten-free option, check that the product is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
Yes, if you prepare them in advance using a suitable cold method. For overnight oats, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends leaving porridge oats with milk covered in the fridge overnight. Also check the ingredients you add and how you will transport the lunch.
Ask about the dietary and allergen requirements for the class. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights allergies as something to consider with school meals, so check ingredients such as milk, yoghurt and nuts as well as the porridge oats.
Store dry porridge oats in a kitchen cupboard and follow the instructions on the packet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s Storage Guide recommends using opened porridge oats within about a year; check the product’s smell and appearance before use too.
