For fakeaway night, choose plain oats if you want to control the sweetness and flavour of your dish. Check both the ingredients and the sugars per 100 g: no added sugars doesn’t mean the nutritional information will show zero grams of sugars. Sachets are handy for quick preparation; if you need to choose strictly gluten-free, plain oats without the appropriate label on the packaging aren’t suitable.
Your choice mainly depends on what you want to add, how much time you have to prepare your food and what information you need on the packaging.
With plain oats, you can decide whether to add fruit, spices or savoury ingredients. Check the ingredients list for additions, and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g too. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sugars can also occur naturally in foods.
Sachets can be convenient for a quick bowl of porridge or a simple dish. Albert Heijn and Joybuy state that Quaker Express Original takes two minutes to prepare; check that the method suits your recipe.
Don’t assume oats are gluten-free just because they don’t naturally contain gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing. So check the gluten-free label, certification mark and allergen information on the packaging you buy.
Start with the ingredients and how you plan to prepare the oats, then consider the type of flakes and any strict gluten-free requirements. The percentages below group consumers by their main purchase priority, rather than listing every factor they may consider.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients list and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. No added sugars is not the same as zero grams of sugars. | If I want to control the sweetness of my dish, I need to know what’s already in the oat base. Around 38% of consumers put this check first. |
| Preparation and portions | Check the preparation method, time and serving size; a sachet won’t suit every recipe. | When I’m short on time, I want to be able to measure out and prepare oats quickly. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Type of flakes and how you’ll use them | Choose fine or jumbo flakes to get the texture you want, and follow the preparation instructions for your chosen dish. | For homemade batter, baking or a savoury bowl, I mainly want to control the texture and flavour. Around 25% of consumers put this flexibility first. |
| Gluten-free options | Check for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the allergen information on the packaging you choose. | If I need to choose strictly gluten-free, the appropriate label on that specific pack is essential. Around 12% of consumers put this first. |
Even with no added sugar, the ‘of which sugars’ figure may still be non-zero. For example, Quaker lists 1.1 g of sugars per 100 g for its plain oats.
Read the ingredients list and the nutritional information per 100 g to find out what has been added to the product and how much sugar it contains in total.
A claim about fibre or the type of flakes won’t tell you which ingredients have been added. A score on the front of the pack doesn’t replace this information either.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g. Also check the ingredients and, where relevant, the allergen information.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing. This matters if you need to choose a strictly gluten-free product.
Each time you shop, check the specific pack for a gluten-free label or suitable certification mark, and read the allergen information again.
These brands offer different types of oats. Always assess the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for each product, rather than making assumptions based on the brand.
Plain wholegrain oats and Quaker Express Original offer different preparation options.
Brinta Oatmeal is an option if you’re looking for fine flakes to use as a recipe base.
The organic range includes fine and jumbo oat flakes.
The range includes plain oats and a separate gluten-free option.
Lidl offers products including jumbo oat flakes and organic oats.
Golden Bridge offers fine and jumbo wholegrain oats.
These products are suitable as a plain oat base for a dish you put together yourself: one Express portion pack and two packs of plain oats. Use the product information to compare preparation methods and types of flakes. For a strictly gluten-free dish, choose only a pack with the appropriate gluten-free label.
No image available
For anyone who wants to use a portion pack to prepare an oat base quickly. Joybuy states that this Express option takes two minutes to prepare in the microwave or a saucepan; check the ingredients and allergens on the pack.
No image available
For anyone looking for fine flakes and wanting to control the flavour of their dish. Joybuy’s product information states that it contains 100% oat flakes and 0.8 g of sugars per 100 g, so the listed sugar content isn’t zero.
No image available
For anyone who wants a larger pack of oats and plans to add their own ingredients to a dish. Check the ingredients, sugars per 100 g and allergen information on the label for this pack.
No. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally. For example, Quaker lists 1.1 g of sugars per 100 g for its plain oats. Check the ingredients list as well as the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information.
Plain oats give you the flexibility to add sweet or savoury ingredients yourself. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also lists oats as an ingredient for dishes and baking. Choose fine or jumbo flakes to get the texture you want, and follow the preparation instructions on the pack you choose.
Don’t assume they’re suitable. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing. Choose a product labelled gluten-free on the specific pack, and check the certification mark and allergen information.
