If you want to add your own flavourings
You’re looking for a neutral oat base and want to decide for yourself whether to add milk, fruit or other ingredients. Read the ingredients list first, then compare the sugars per 100 g.
Who is this choice relevant to?
If you want to prepare a portion quickly
You want convenience without automatically opting for a flavoured variety. For portion packs, check both the ingredients and the preparation instructions, and compare them with loose oats.
If you’re also considering fibre or organic origin
As well as a suitable sugar level, you’re looking for a particular composition. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and don’t rely on the front of the pack alone.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, compare dry porridge oat products on the same basis. Then decide whether ingredients, ease of preparation or another feature matters most to you; assess anything you add to the bowl separately.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and check whether the ingredients list mentions sugar, syrup or a flavouring mix. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the nutrition table doesn’t distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars. | If I’m choosing the flavour of my porridge oats myself, I want to know what’s already in the dry oats. Around 46% of consumers say that understanding sugars and ingredients is their top priority. |
| Ease of preparation | Check the preparation instructions and how much water or milk is needed; compare portion packs with loose oats on an equal-quantity basis. | On a busy morning, I want a set portion without accidentally picking up a flavoured variety. For around 27% of consumers, quick and easy preparation matters most. |
| Composition | Compare fibre, sugars and ingredients per 100 g, and check whether the product is labelled organic. If you have allergies, read the product packaging. | When I use porridge oats as the base for my own recipe, fibre or organic origin can influence my choice. Around 27% of consumers give these compositional features top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Relying only on ‘plain’ or ‘no added sugars’
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘of which sugars’ tells you how much sugar a product contains, but not whether it occurs naturally or has been added. A claim on the front of the pack doesn’t replace the ingredients list.
Read both parts of the label and compare similar dry porridge oats per 100 g.
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Confusing dry porridge oats with a prepared bowl
Milk, yoghurt and toppings all contribute to the final nutritional value. For example, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 10.2 g of sugars for a 250 g bowl of unsweetened porridge made with whole milk; this isn’t the figure for dry porridge oats.
Check the nutritional information for the porridge oats and anything you add separately.
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Choosing portion packs without weighing up the convenience
A pre-measured portion can make preparation easier, while loose oats give you more freedom to decide how much to use.
Compare the preparation instructions and the amount of porridge oats in each pack before deciding which format suits your routine.
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Treating rolled oats as the same as oat biscuits or bars
Biscuits and bars are different product categories from loose porridge oats. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that products made with oats often also contain sugar and fat.
Assess a biscuit or bar using its own ingredients list and nutritional information, not simply because it contains oats.
Brands to consider
Brinta
Brinta has a porridge oat variety with fine flakes for anyone looking for a neutral base.
- According to Brinta’s product information, the 450 g pack contains 100% rolled oats, and the dry porridge oats contain 0.8 g of sugars per 100 g.
- The figure for dry porridge oats doesn’t include milk or toppings. The product information lists oats and gluten, and notes that rye and wheat may also be present; check the current label if allergens are a concern for you.
Quaker
Quaker offers both regular porridge oats and quick-cook portion packs; the ingredients vary by product.
- For Quaker Oats Express Naturel, Jumbo’s product information lists wholegrain oats as the ingredient and 1.0 g of sugars per 100 g.
- For a portion pack, also check what the preparation instructions tell you to add. The sugar figure for the dry product isn’t the same as that for a bowl made with milk.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers several porridge oat varieties, including an organic wholegrain option.
- Jumbo lists only organic wholegrain oats as the ingredient in its organic wholegrain porridge oats, with 1.2 g of sugars and 12.0 g of fibre per 100 g.
- An organic label doesn’t replace checking the sugars, ingredients and allergens. Read the label on the pack you choose.
Porridge oat products at Joybuy
Here you’ll find a quick-cook Quaker variety and porridge oat products to consider as the base for your own recipe. Compare the ingredients and sugars per 100 g on each pack; don’t choose based on the product name alone.
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Quaker Express havermout 324 g
For anyone looking for a quick-cook porridge oat variety who wants to decide for themselves what goes into the bowl during preparation. The pack contains 324 g; check the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g for this variety.
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Quaker havermout 600 g
For anyone who wants to decide how much porridge oats to use in each bowl. This pack contains 600 g; check the ingredients and sugars per 100 g on the label before comparing it with a portion-pack variety.
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Brinta havermout 450 g
For anyone looking for a neutral base and wanting to add their own flavourings. According to Brinta, this 450 g pack contains 100% rolled oats, with 0.8 g of sugars per 100 g of dry product; any milk or toppings you add count separately.
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Zonnatura Organic Whole Wheat Oatmeal 500 g
For anyone who also wants to consider the origin and composition of an oat product. The pack contains 500 g; check the exact grain type, ingredients, sugars and allergens on the label for this variety.
Frequently asked questions
Does a low sugar figure per 100 g mean nothing has been added?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘of which sugars’ doesn’t distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars. Check the ingredients list too, to see what has been added to the porridge oats.
Why do you compare porridge oats per 100 g?
It lets you compare products with different portion sizes on the same basis. That’s why the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking the nutritional value per 100 g when comparing labels; then work out how much you’ll actually prepare.
Do the sugars in milk count towards the sugars in a bowl of porridge?
Yes. The nutritional value of dry porridge oats doesn’t include milk or toppings. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 10.2 g of sugars per 250 g bowl of unsweetened porridge made with whole milk; the amount in your bowl will depend on the ingredients and portion sizes you use.
Can I choose any porridge oats if I need to avoid gluten or other allergens?
No, check the specific pack. The product information reviewed for Brinta, Quaker and Jumbo lists oats or gluten, and some varieties may also contain other grains or allergens. If you have a dietary restriction, don’t rely on the brand name or the word ‘plain’.