Add porridge oats to your barbecue shop as a store-cupboard staple if you can keep the pack dry and well sealed after opening, and use the oats in other dishes too. Choose a pack size that suits how much you use, and decide whether you want fine or coarse flakes. If you have coeliac disease, ordinary porridge oats are not automatically suitable, so check the pack for a gluten-free label.
You want to add a dry store-cupboard staple to your barbecue shop alongside the fresh ingredients, and use it in baking or as a topping too. The space you have in your cupboard and how much you’ll actually use will help you choose a suitable pack.
You’re looking for porridge oats that work in more than one dish. If you’re baking or making a topping, the texture you want may help you decide between fine and coarse flakes.
Check the current pack for an explicit gluten-free label and allergen information. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ordinary processed oats are not automatically free from gluten contamination.
First, work out how much porridge oats you can store and use. Then choose the flake texture that suits your recipes and check the label for any features you need.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and storage | Check the pack size and best-before date. Make sure you can store the oats somewhere cool, dry and dark, and seal the pack securely after opening. | If I’m buying porridge oats to keep in the cupboard, I want to be able to use the whole pack without the quality deteriorating. For around 40% of consumers, having a store-cupboard supply is the top priority. |
| Use and texture | Choose fine or coarse flakes to get the texture you want, and check the ingredients for the specific variety. | I want one staple I can use for breakfast, baking and toppings, with a texture that suits my dishes. Around 40% of consumers prioritise this versatility. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the allergen information. If you have coeliac disease, check that the pack is explicitly labelled gluten-free. | If I need to avoid gluten, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘oats’ when choosing a product. For around 20% of consumers, this check comes first. |
Even dry porridge oats need to be protected from moisture and unwanted odours after opening. A pack that you can’t seal properly is less suitable for storing in the cupboard.
Choose a pack size that suits how much you use, and find a cool, dry, dark place where you can seal the pack securely.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oats are naturally gluten-free, but processed oats can be contaminated with gluten. So the product name alone isn’t enough to tell you.
If you have coeliac disease, check the current pack for an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol before buying.
Ingredients and allergen information can vary or change between varieties. This is especially important if you need a specific product composition.
When your order arrives, check the ingredients, allergens, best-before date and storage instructions on the pack itself.
Quaker sells porridge oats and other oat products. Check the exact variety if you’re looking for a neutral base.
The supermarket’s own brand includes organic porridge oats, as well as fine and coarse wholegrain varieties.
The supermarket’s own brand offers different flake textures and pack sizes, so you can choose one to suit how you use it and the space you have in your cupboard.
This Lidl own brand includes organic porridge oats.
This ALDI own brand offers fine and coarse wholegrain porridge oats to suit different texture preferences.
These packs offer different quantities of porridge oats for your store cupboard. Choose one to suit how you use them, and check the current pack for storage instructions, the best-before date and allergen information before buying.
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The 500 g pack is a good option if you want to keep porridge oats in the cupboard for use in several dishes. Check the pack for the exact ingredients, allergens and best-before date.
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The 600 g pack suits regular use, as long as you can store it properly after opening. Check the best-before date and allergen information for this specific variety.
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The 375 g pack is worth considering if you have less cupboard space or use porridge oats less often. Check the label for the best-before date, allergens and storage instructions.
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This Express variety is a good option if you want to prepare porridge one serving at a time, rather than choosing flakes for a range of recipes. Check the pack size, preparation instructions, allergens and best-before date for this variety.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide gives a shelf life of one year for opened porridge oats kept in a kitchen cupboard. Store them somewhere cool, dry and dark, and keep the pack well sealed. Always follow the instructions on the pack too.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a best-before date relates to quality and doesn’t mean porridge oats are unusable straight afterwards. If the pack is intact and the oats have been stored as directed, check their appearance and smell, and follow the instructions on the pack.
Not automatically. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, processed oats can be contaminated with gluten. If you have coeliac disease, check the pack of the product you choose for an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol.
Check the ingredients, allergens, pack size, best-before date, storage instructions and nutritional information for the variety you choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority notes that the information on labels of pre-packed foods must be clearly legible. Check the current pack before you buy.
