Brunch host who wants to sweeten things themselves
You’re making porridge oats for several guests and want to choose what fruit, nuts or spices to add. Plain porridge oats are a neutral base for a range of dishes.
Who is this choice relevant for?
Anyone preparing individual portions quickly
You want to be able to make a bowl for each guest without immediately opting for a sweetened flavour. For portion packs, check the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variety.
Anyone catering for a guest with coeliac disease
Lower sugar isn’t the only thing to consider. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ordinary oats aren’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Check that the pack bears the official Crossed Grain symbol.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you need one base for several dishes or quick individual portions. Then compare the ingredients and sugars on the same basis. If someone has coeliac disease, checking the gluten-free label comes first.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients list and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g of dry porridge oats, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | If you want to choose the sweetness yourself, you’ll want to know what’s already in the oats before adding toppings. Sugar content is the most important consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Individual portions | Check the exact flavour, portion size and preparation instructions. Don’t use the sugar values for the plain variety when checking a flavoured one. | If guests are arriving at different times, you’ll want to be able to quickly make a bowl for each person. This convenience is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Using oats in different dishes | Check whether loose porridge oats suit the dishes you’re making, and include milk, fruit and other additions when working out the nutritional value of the finished portion. | For a brunch featuring porridge, overnight oats or baked treats, you’ll want one base that can be used in different ways. Around 21% of consumers put this flexibility first. |
| Gluten-free options | If someone has coeliac disease, check the pack for the official Crossed Grain symbol, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | If a guest has coeliac disease, the oats you choose must be suitable for them too. A low sugar value doesn’t tell you that. Gluten-free suitability is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Reading only the front of the pack
Words such as ‘plain’, ‘wholegrain’ and ‘quick’ don’t tell you by themselves how much sugar a product contains or which ingredients have been added.
Read both the ingredients list and the nutrition table. Compare similar products per 100 g rather than comparing portions of different sizes.
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Treating plain and cinnamon as the same option
According to Jumbo’s product information, Quaker Oats Express Cinnamon contains sugar as an ingredient and has 19 g of sugars per 100 g. These figures don’t apply to Quaker Oats Express Plain.
Check the ingredients list and nutritional information for each flavour before deciding how much sugar to serve at brunch.
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Mistaking the sugar value for dry oats for the value in your bowl
Milk, yoghurt, fruit and other additions all contribute to the nutritional value of the prepared portion. On Albert Heijn’s Brinta product page, the figures given are for oats prepared with semi-skimmed milk.
Check which preparation method the nutrition table refers to. If the total amount of sugars matters to you, include your chosen liquid and toppings in the calculation.
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Assuming ordinary oats are gluten-free
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can come into contact with gluten-containing cereals. So a pack containing oats as its only ingredient isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
If a guest has coeliac disease, check the current label for the official Crossed Grain symbol.
Brands to consider
Quaker
Worth considering if you’re choosing between loose porridge oats and quick individual portion packs.
- According to Jumbo’s product information, Quaker Oats 600 g is made from 100% wholegrain oats; the stated total sugars are 1.1 g per 100 g.
- The varieties differ: Jumbo lists sugar as an ingredient and 19 g of sugars per 100 g for Quaker Oats Express Cinnamon. So check the exact flavour.
Brinta
Worth considering if you’re looking for fine porridge oats as a base for a brunch dish.
- Albert Heijn’s product information lists 100% porridge oats as the ingredient in Brinta Porridge Oats 450 g.
- Nutritional values for a prepared portion with semi-skimmed milk aren’t the same as those for dry porridge oats. Check the basis used when comparing products.
AH
Worth considering if you’re choosing between ordinary wholegrain porridge oats and a separate gluten-free variety.
- Albert Heijn lists 0.7 g of total sugars and 0 g of added sugars per 100 g for AH Wholegrain Fine Porridge Oats.
- The ordinary variety states that it may contain gluten-containing cereals. Consider AH Gluten-Free Wholegrain Porridge Oats as a separate product, and check the current label if someone has coeliac disease.
Jumbo
Worth considering if you want to use a pack of loose, fine wholegrain porridge oats.
- According to Jumbo, Fine Wholegrain Porridge Oats contain 0.7 g of sugars and 10 g of fibre per 100 g.
- Jumbo states that the product may contain barley, rye and wheat. If someone has coeliac disease, don’t use this ordinary variety as a substitute for a product specifically labelled gluten-free.
Crownfield
Worth considering if you’re looking at organic porridge oats at Lidl.
- Lidl Netherlands lists CROWNFIELD Organic Porridge Oats in a 500 g pack.
- If you’re choosing based on sugar content, read the ingredients list and nutrition table on the pack. Also check current availability in store.
Porridge oat products on Joybuy
These products include loose porridge oats as a base for brunch dishes you can customise, as well as an Express variety for individual bowls. If you’re looking for a lower-sugar option, always compare the nutritional information on the pack. This selection doesn’t replace checking whether a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet.
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Quaker porridge oats 600 g
Loose porridge oats for a brunch where you choose the other ingredients yourself. According to the product information for Quaker Oats 600 g, the product is made from 100% wholegrain oats and contains 1.1 g of total sugars per 100 g. If you need a gluten-free option, check the pack separately.
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Quaker porridge oats 375 g
A pack of loose porridge oats for making your own brunch portions. According to Joybuy’s product information, this variety is made from 100% wholegrain oats; the information also states that it may contain barley and wheat. Check the sugars per 100 g on the current pack.
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Quaker Express porridge oats 324 g
An Express variety for making individual brunch bowls. Before comparing it with loose porridge oats or another Express variety, check the exact flavour and sugars per 100 g on the pack.
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Zonnatura organic wholegrain porridge oats 500 g
Loose porridge oats for a brunch where you choose the liquid and toppings yourself. Before deciding whether this variety suits your sugar preferences, read the ingredients list and compare total sugars per 100 g on the current pack.
Frequently asked questions
Does a low total sugar figure mean nothing has been added?
No. The nutrition table shows all sugars combined, while the ingredients list tells you which ingredients have been added to the product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises comparing similar porridge oat products per 100 g.
Why does a prepared bowl contain more sugars than dry porridge oats?
Milk, yoghurt, fruit and other additions all contribute to the prepared bowl. Albert Heijn lists 12 g of sugars for a prepared portion of Brinta with 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk; that isn’t the sugar value of the dry porridge oats.
Can a guest with coeliac disease eat ordinary porridge oats?
Don’t assume so. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises people with coeliac disease to choose only oats bearing the official Crossed Grain symbol on the pack. Check the symbol and allergen information on the pack you’ll actually be using.
Is a flavoured variety as suitable as plain if I want to serve less sugar?
Not unless you compare the label for that flavour. According to Jumbo, Quaker Oats Express Cinnamon contains sugar as an ingredient, while the product information for Quaker Oats Express Plain lists a different composition. Choose a variety based on its own ingredients and sugars per 100 g.
How should I store an opened bag of porridge oats until Easter brunch?
Seal the bag tightly after use and follow the storage instructions on the pack. Also check the best-before date on the product you plan to use.