Which option is right for you?

Home bakers who want to control the sweetness

If you’re making biscuits or crumble from scratch, you can choose an oat base with no added sweeteners. Check both the ingredients list and the ‘of which sugars’ value, as they tell you different things.

Cooks who want to make an oat base quickly

Fine oats or a quick-cook variety can be handy for warm porridge or a speedy recipe. Check the preparation time, ingredients and allergens for each variety, even if the product name sounds familiar.

Recipe followers who need a particular flake type

Does your recipe call for fine oats or thick-cut flakes? Start by choosing the type specified. Albert Heijn and Jumbo both stock these varieties, but the flake type alone doesn’t tell you whether anything has been added.

What should you look for when choosing?

For a fakeaway night, your choice mainly depends on what you’re making: taking control of the sweetness, following a recipe’s flake type or preparing a porridge base quickly.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Sugar and sweeteners Check the ingredients list for sugar and sweetening ingredients, then compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g. When I make biscuits, I want to choose which sweeteners to add myself. Around 50% of consumers prioritise controlling added sugar.
Flake type Check whether your recipe calls for fine oats or thick-cut flakes, and choose the corresponding product type. For a crumble, I want to use the flakes specified in my recipe. The flake type is the first consideration for around 30% of consumers.
Preparation time Compare the preparation instructions, and check the ingredients and allergens in quick-cook varieties too. When I want to make warm porridge quickly, I look for a short preparation time. Speed is the most important factor for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a flavoured variety is low in sugar

    Quaker Cinnamon Oats, listed by Joybuy, contains sugar as an ingredient and 19 g of sugars per 100 g. For Brinta Oats, Joybuy lists 100% oat flakes and 0.8 g of sugars per 100 g. These are different products.

    Compare varieties per 100 g and read the ingredients list before deciding which flavourings to add to your recipe yourself.

  • Equating total sugars with added sugar

    Even a product with no added sugars can have a value next to ‘of which sugars’. Albert Heijn lists its organic fine oat flakes as containing 0 g of added sugars and 0.7 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Use the ingredients list to check what has been added, and the nutrition table to compare the total sugar content.

  • Swapping fine and thick-cut flakes without checking the recipe

    Fine oats and thick-cut flakes are different product types. If a baking recipe specifies one type, the other isn’t necessarily a like-for-like substitute.

    Use the flake type specified, or try a substitution with a small amount first.

  • Focusing only on speed with a quick-cook variety

    According to the product information, Quaker Express Protein contains soya protein and soya lecithin. A short preparation time doesn’t tell you which ingredients or allergens the mix contains.

    Check the packaging if soya or any other listed allergens are relevant to you, and read the recipe instructions before using the mix in baking.

Brands and own-label options to consider

Brinta

Brinta offers fine oats for warm porridge and recipes.

  • For the Brinta Oats reviewed, Joybuy lists 100% oat flakes and 0.8 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The product information mentions possible traces of rye and wheat. Check the packaging if these grains are relevant to you.

Quaker

Quaker offers plain oats, flavoured varieties and quick-cook options.

  • Quaker Express Protein is described as ready in 2 minutes, with no added sugars and 1.2 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • This quick-cook variety contains soya ingredients. The cinnamon variety lists sugar as an ingredient and contains 19 g of sugars per 100 g, so compare each variety separately.

Albert Heijn

The AH own-label range includes organic wholegrain oat flakes in fine and thick-cut varieties.

  • For both varieties reviewed, Albert Heijn lists 0 g of added sugars and 0.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • Check the packaging for the latest ingredients and allergen information when buying. The right flake type depends on your recipe.

Jumbo

Jumbo sells organic wholegrain oats, thick-cut flakes and a protein variety under its own name.

  • The thick-cut wholegrain flakes are a familiar option for recipes that call for them.
  • If sugar content is a priority, compare the ingredients and nutrition information on the specific pack.

Lidl / Crownfield

Lidl lists Crownfield Organic Oat Flakes as a store product.

  • This is an organic oat flake variety.
  • Check the packaging for the ingredients, nutrition information and allergens before choosing it for your recipe.

ALDI / Golden Bridge

ALDI lists Golden Bridge wholegrain oats in fine and thick-cut varieties, in 500 g and 1 kg packs.

  • You can match the listed flake type to your recipe.
  • Check your chosen pack for the sugar content, other ingredients and allergens.

Oats for a quick porridge base

This Joybuy pick is suited to quick-cook oats with no added sugars. If you want to use it for baking, check that the quick-cook mix is suitable for your recipe instructions.

Quaker Oats Express Protein, 302 g pack

Quaker Oats Express Protein 302 g

These quick-cook oats are a good choice if you want to make a warm porridge base in a hurry.

According to the product information, they take 2 minutes to prepare. This variety has no added sugars and contains 1.2 g of sugars per 100 g.

Contains soya protein and soya lecithin, and may contain barley and wheat. Check the packaging if these allergens are relevant to you, and read the recipe instructions before using the mix for biscuits or other baking.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean oats contain no sugars?

No. It refers to what has been added; it doesn’t mean the ‘of which sugars’ value is zero. Albert Heijn lists its organic oat flakes as containing 0 g of added sugars and 0.7 g of sugars per 100 g, so check both details on the pack you choose.

Which ingredients should I check if I want to control the sweetness myself?

Check the ingredients list for things such as sugar, treacle, syrup and honey. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists these as forms of sugar or sweetening ingredients. Also compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g across the products you’re considering.

What should I check about allergens in oats?

Check the allergen information on the specific pack. The Brinta Oats reviewed mentions possible traces of wheat and rye, while Quaker Express Protein contains soya ingredients and may also contain wheat and barley.

Can I use oats for a fakeaway snack too?

Yes, oats can be used as an ingredient in things like muffins; Jumbo suggests using them for this as well as for porridge and overnight oats. For biscuits or crumble, use the flake type specified and consider the ingredients in the whole recipe if you want to control the sweetness.