Regular home breakfast eater
If you eat porridge several weekdays a week, pack size matters: choose a size you’re likely to use up.
Who are these options relevant to?
Busy morning starter
If you want to spend as little time as possible measuring or preparing breakfast before you leave, fine oats or pre-portioned servings could suit your routine.
Label- and allergy-conscious shopper
When comparing ingredients and nutritional information, check the allergen declaration too. For people with coeliac disease, the Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends looking for the official Crossed Grain mark on oat products.
What should you look for in weekday porridge oats?
First, choose a pack and preparation method that suit your mornings. Then compare the ingredients and check the current label for any allergen requirements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Compare the net weight and consider whether you’ll use up a larger pack before its quality starts to deteriorate. | I eat porridge at home several times a week and want a pack size that suits how much I use; around 38% of consumers prioritise this practical approach to stocking up. |
| Ease of preparation | Read the preparation instructions and check whether the oats are loose or individually portioned. | I want to spend as little time as possible measuring before I leave. Around 31% of consumers prioritise a simple morning routine. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and, for flavoured varieties, compare the sugars per 100 g or per portion. | I want to decide for myself what goes into my breakfast alongside the porridge oats; around 23% of consumers therefore prioritise the ingredients. |
| Gluten-free mark | If you have coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain mark and the allergen information on the pack. | If I have coeliac disease, I need to be able to check whether this particular oat product is suitable. For around 8% of consumers, certified gluten-free is the first requirement. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a flavoured variety is the same as plain porridge oats
A flavour name or a mention of wholegrain oats doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients. According to Quaker, Oats Express Original contains wholegrain oats; the Cinnamon variety also contains sugar and provides 6.3 g of sugars per 45 g portion.
Check the ingredients for each variety and compare the nutritional information per 100 g or per portion.
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Assuming ordinary oats are suitable for coeliac disease
Oat products can become contaminated with gluten during processing. The Dutch Nutrition Centre says that people with coeliac disease need to look for the official Crossed Grain mark on the pack.
Check the mark and the latest allergen information on the pack you choose every time you buy.
Brands to consider
Jumbo
Jumbo’s own-brand range includes fine and coarse wholegrain porridge oats, different pack sizes and a gluten-free variety.
- You can choose between loose oats and individual portions from the range.
- For a gluten-free variety, check the mark on the pack you choose.
ALDI / Golden Bridge
Golden Bridge offers fine wholegrain porridge oats in a 500 g pack for making at home, among other products.
- The product name makes the fine texture and wholegrain nature clear.
- Always check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
Lidl
Lidl offers oats in a 500 g pack.
- This pack size gives you a specific option to compare with how much you use at home.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information on the product label.
Brinta
Brinta offers extra-fine oats for making warm porridge at home. Albert Heijn lists the ingredients for the variety reviewed as 100% oats.
- The extra-fine oats have a different texture from coarse oats.
- Albert Heijn states that this variety may contain traces of wheat and rye.
Quaker
Quaker offers plain porridge oats and Oats Express portions, including Original and Cinnamon.
- Oats Express Original is pre-portioned and, according to Quaker, contains wholegrain oats.
- The Cinnamon variety also contains sugar; compare each variety using its own label.
Porridge oats on Joybuy
These products offer packaged porridge oats for weekday breakfasts. Choose a pack size and preparation method that suit your routine, and check the ingredients and allergens for each product.
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Quaker Express Oatmeal, 324 g
An option if you’re looking for an Express variety for a busy morning. Pack size: 324 g; check the preparation instructions and allergen information on the pack.
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Quaker Oatmeal, 600 g
For anyone who regularly measures out porridge oats at home and will use up this pack size. Pack size: 600 g; check the current pack for ingredients and allergen information.
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Quaker Oatmeal, 375 g
For anyone who wants to measure out plain porridge oats from a smaller pack than the 600 g variety. Pack size: 375 g; check the label for ingredients and allergen information.
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Zonnatura organic porridge oats, 500 g
An option if you’re looking for organic porridge oats to make at home. Pack size: 500 g; check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
Frequently asked questions
What’s a simple starting point for weekday porridge?
Plain porridge oats with no added flavourings let you decide what to add to your breakfast. Check the ingredients for the variety you choose, and factor in milk, yoghurt or toppings when assessing the nutritional information for your whole breakfast.
Should I choose fine or coarse oats?
Choose according to the texture you prefer and the product’s preparation instructions. Brinta describes its extra-fine oats as quick to prepare; the terms fine and coarse don’t, on their own, tell you anything about the ingredients of other products.
Do quick porridge portions have the same ingredients as plain porridge oats?
It depends on the variety. According to Quaker, Oats Express Original contains wholegrain oats, while Oats Express Cinnamon also contains sugar. Always check the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific pack.
Are ordinary porridge oats suitable for coeliac disease?
Not necessarily: according to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, oat products can become contaminated with gluten during processing. People with coeliac disease need to look for the official Crossed Grain mark on the pack and check the latest allergen information too.