Working from home with a short lunch break
Want to make hot oats without measuring them? Consider a sachet or cup, and check in advance how much liquid you need and whether you can use a microwave, a pan or just hot water.
Which option is right for you?
Eating alone and comparing portions
Sachets and cups can vary considerably in weight. Compare the energy, protein and fibre per pack, and factor in anything you add yourself.
Working from home and measuring your own portion
With plain oats from a large pack, you decide how much to use and which ingredients to add. The trade-off is that you’ll need to measure and prepare your portion yourself.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide which preparation method suits your break. Then compare the full portion and the label: a single-serve pack alone tells you little about the quantity or make-up of your lunch.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation time and washing up | Check how much liquid you need, which heat source to use and whether the oats need to stand. | On a short break, I don’t want to measure ingredients or do lots of washing up. Around 31% of consumers put minimal preparation first. |
| Nutritional information per portion | Compare the weight and the energy, protein and fibre per whole sachet or cup, not just per 100 g. | If one pack is going to be the basis of my lunch, I want to know what the full portion contains. This is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list, sugars per portion and allergen information on the specific pack. | I want to be able to assess the ingredients and allergens in my lunch for myself. This matters most to around 19% of consumers. |
| Choosing your own quantity | Consider whether you want to measure out loose oats and add your own milk, yoghurt or other ingredients. | My lunch varies from day to day, so I want to choose the quantity and extras myself. For around 25% of consumers, that flexibility is the top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a single-serve pack is a standard lunch portion
The Jumbo sachet reviewed contains 27 g, while the Upfront cup reviewed contains 75 g. So ‘one portion’ doesn’t mean the same quantity for both products.
Compare the weight and nutritional information for the full pack. Also think about which ingredients you’ll add during preparation.
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Confusing ‘wholegrain’ with a simple ingredients list
According to Jumbo, Havermout Porties Original contains 90% wholegrain oat flakes as well as sugar. So the wholegrain label doesn’t tell you what other ingredients are in the sachet.
Read the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information per portion if you want to choose the flavour and ingredients yourself.
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Assuming every oat product is gluten-free
Oat products may also contain other cereals containing gluten, or come into contact with them. The product name alone isn’t enough to determine whether a product is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
For oat products and coeliac disease, the Voedingscentrum recommends looking for the official Crossed Grain symbol. Also check the current label for allergens and warnings about possible cross-contamination.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Quaker
Quaker’s range includes Oats Express Naturel in a 324 g pack containing 12 single-serve sachets, as well as plain oats in a 600 g pack.
- The individual Oats Express sachets are worth considering if you don’t want to measure out a portion.
- Check the preparation instructions and allergen information for your chosen variety; a single-serve sachet isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Jumbo
Jumbo Havermout Porties Original contains five 27 g sachets; the supermarket’s own brand also sells plain oats.
- The sachets give you a pre-measured quantity.
- According to Jumbo, the Original variety contains sugar as well as wholegrain oat flakes. If you have allergies, check the information on the pack.
Upfront
The Oats Cup reviewed is a single-serve cup; the chocolate variety contains 75 g of product.
- Albert Heijn says the chocolate variety reviewed is prepared with hot water.
- Its ingredients differ from plain oats. Check the chosen cup for ingredients such as milk and cereals containing gluten.
Golden Bridge
ALDI lists fine and coarse wholegrain oats from Golden Bridge in 500 g packs.
- Both varieties mentioned let you measure out your own quantity.
- A large pack still means measuring and preparing a separate portion for lunch.
Joybuy products for this lunch
This selection includes oats to prepare as needed and mixed oat products, including a ready-to-eat porridge. Check each product’s packaging, preparation instructions and ingredients to see whether it suits your working-from-home lunch; they aren’t all plain oats or the same kind of portion.
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Quaker Express Oatmeal, 324 g
An option if you want to prepare oats as needed without measuring them yourself. Check the pack for the amount of liquid and the heat source required, and read the current label if you have allergies.
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Yin Lu Haozhoudao Coconut Milk Oatmeal Porridge, 12 × 280 g
For anyone considering a ready-to-eat mixed porridge instead of plain oats. The pack contains 12 cans of 280 g; check the label to see whether the quantity and ingredients in one can suit your lunch.
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Family Whole oat mix with milk and glucose sachets, 838 g
A measured oat mix for anyone who wants to prepare a portion with hot water. Check the nutritional information per sachet and follow the pack instructions for using the individual glucose sachets.
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Family Whole oat flake mix with red dates and raisins, 838 g
For anyone looking for a measured oat mix with dates and raisins that can be prepared with hot water. Check the label for sugars per portion and the individual glucose sachets before deciding whether the whole pack is right for lunch.
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Family Whole Oatmeal Calcium Enriched Walnut Powder, 838 g
A mixed oat powder for anyone who wants to prepare a portion with hot water as needed. Check the pack for the ingredients, sugars per portion and information about the individual glucose sachets.
Frequently asked questions
Is an oat cup always a better lunch option than a single-serve sachet?
No. Weight and ingredients vary between products, so the packaging alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s right for your lunch. Compare the nutritional information for the full cup or sachet, and factor in anything you add yourself.
What do I need to prepare a portion of oats during my break?
It depends on the variety you choose: some single-serve sachets require a bowl and a microwave or pan, while the Upfront cup reviewed is prepared with hot water. Follow the instructions on the specific pack for the amount of liquid and any standing time.
Can I measure out plain oats instead of using a single-serve sachet?
Yes, if you want to choose your own quantity and can prepare them yourself. Quaker gives 40 g as the average portion for its large pack, but you decide how much to have for lunch and what to add.
What should I check if I have an allergy or coeliac disease?
Check the allergen information on the specific pack; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must be provided on pre-packed products. For oat products and coeliac disease, the Voedingscentrum recommends looking for the official Crossed Grain symbol. Also read any warnings about possible cross-contamination.