Choose a plain variety if you want to avoid added sugars, but also compare total sugars and fat per 100 g: no added sugars does not mean sugar-free or low-fat. Then consider your portion and how you prepare the porridge. Sachets are handy if you don’t want to weigh out a portion; with loose fine oats, you can decide the amount yourself.
You want a quick breakfast, but don’t want to rely only on a claim on the front of the pack. Compare the sugars per 100 g in similar oat products and read the ingredients list, especially if you’re choosing between a plain and a flavoured variety.
You’re watching the fat content of your breakfast. So consider not only the dry oats, but also your portion, what you prepare them with and any toppings. A variety with no added sugars isn’t automatically a low-fat choice.
For example, you may be looking for a high-protein variety or a product explicitly labelled gluten-free. Check for that feature separately from the sugar and fat content, and read the allergen information on the specific pack.
First compare the nutritional information for similar dry oat products per 100 g. Then decide which portion and preparation method suit your breakfast; if speed or an additional product requirement matters, that may affect whether you choose sachets or loose oats.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Added and total sugars | Read the ingredients list and check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Compare plain and flavoured varieties on the same basis. | If I want to avoid added sugar, I want to know what’s in the specific flavour. Around 36% of consumers put this check at the top of their list. |
| Fat in your whole breakfast | Check the fat and saturated fat per 100 g, decide on your portion, and factor in milk, yoghurt or toppings separately. | When following a low-fat diet, I want to assess the whole bowl, not just the dry oats. For around 29% of consumers, fat content is the most important consideration. |
| Preparation and portion | Check the preparation time and portion size; choose between pre-measured sachets and loose oats. | On a busy morning, I don’t want to weigh out a portion first. Quick and easy preparation comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Additional product requirement | For high-protein varieties, also compare fat, sugars and allergens. If you need a gluten-free product, check the label on the pack. | If protein content or an explicit gluten-free label determines my choice, I look beyond the sugar content alone. Around 14% of consumers put an additional product requirement like this first. |
The nutrition table also includes sugars that occur naturally. So two packs with a similar claim can still show different sugar values.
As well as the ingredients list, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. According to Jumbo, Quaker Oats Express Naturel contains no added sugars, but does contain 1 g of sugars per 100 g.
The fat content of a prepared bowl also depends on what you add. The Voedingscentrum lists 2,5 g of fat for 40 g of plain porridge oats; that’s before adding milk, yoghurt or toppings.
Work out your actual portion, then also compare the nutritional information for what you prepare the oats with and any additions.
Ingredients can differ within a product range. Jumbo lists sugar as an ingredient in Quaker Oats Express Kaneel, while the Naturel variety is described as having no added sugars.
Check the ingredients list for the flavour and pack you’re actually choosing.
According to the Voedingscentrum, oats can be contaminated with gluten. So the word ‘oats’ alone doesn’t tell you whether a product is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Check the current pack for a gluten-free label and the official Crossed Grain certification mark.
These brands illustrate different product formats and labels. Always compare the specific product; features of one variety don’t automatically apply to the whole brand.
Quaker Oats Express Naturel is an option if you’re looking for individual instant portions. Jumbo lists 12 sachets of 27 g and a preparation time of around 2 minutes.
Brinta Havermout is a base of fine oats for anyone who wants to choose their own portion and additions.
The high-protein variety and the gluten-free wholegrain variety meet different product requirements; their labels aren’t interchangeable.
The online porridge oats category includes Quaker Oats Express Naturel and several types of Jumbo own-brand porridge oats.
This Quaker Express pack is a good fit if you’re looking for a quick oat-based breakfast. For a sugar-conscious, low-fat preparation, check the nutritional information for the specific pack and consider what you add to the porridge.
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For anyone considering Quaker Express as the basis for a quick oat-based breakfast. For this variety, compare the sugars and fat per 100 g, and factor in what you prepare it with and any toppings.
No, sugars that occur naturally can still be listed in the nutrition table. For example, Jumbo says Quaker Oats Express Naturel contains no added sugars, but does contain 1 g of sugars per 100 g. So check both the ingredients list and ‘of which sugars’.
No, porridge oats contain fat, and how you prepare them changes the fat content of your breakfast. Compare the label per 100 g and consider your portion, milk or yoghurt and toppings. The Voedingscentrum suggests preparing them with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or yoghurt, without added sugar or salt, as one option.
First compare similar dry oat products per 100 g, as the Voedingscentrum advises when reading labels. Then use the portion size to work out how much you’ll actually prepare and add the nutritional information for what you prepare it with.
Don’t assume it is: according to the Voedingscentrum, oats can be contaminated with gluten. Check the current pack for a gluten-free label and the official Crossed Grain certification mark, rather than relying on the word ‘oats’ alone.
No, protein content on its own tells you nothing about the fat content. For AH Volkoren Havermout Proteïne, Albert Heijn lists 20 g of protein and 9,7 g of fat per 100 g. So compare the values that matter to you side by side.
