Evening diners looking to avoid added sugar
If you want a warm meal that you can flavour yourself, plain oats give you control over what you add. Remember to check the toppings and other ingredients in your meal too.
Which porridge oats are right for you?
Evening diners short on preparation time
A plain single-serve pack can save you the effort of weighing out oats. Before choosing a flavoured variety, check how to prepare it, the serving size and the ingredients.
People who need to eat gluten-free
Choose porridge oats explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the allergen information on the current packaging. Standard oat products may carry warnings about wheat or rye.
What should you look for when choosing?
If you want to avoid added sugar, start with the ingredients. Then choose between loose oats and single-serve portions based on how you plan to prepare them and the evening meal you want to make.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | Read the ingredients and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Consider anything you add yourself separately. | I want to decide how my evening bowl tastes and avoid using a sugar-containing flavour mix as a base. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Quick preparation | Check the preparation instructions and serving size for plain single-serve portions and loose oats. | On a busy evening, I want to spend as little time as possible weighing and cooking. Preparation time is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Making it your own | Choose a type of oats that suits the texture you want, and consider which ingredients you’d like to add to your bowl. | I want the option of making a mild or savoury evening meal. Around 25% of consumers give this freedom top priority. |
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for an explicit gluten-free label and read the allergen information on the packaging. | If I need to eat gluten-free, that determines which porridge oats I can choose. This is the main buying requirement for around 8% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means ‘sugar-free’
Oats can contain sugars naturally. So, a claim about no added sugar does not mean the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutrition table will be 0 g.
Read both parts of the label when comparing plain and flavoured products.
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Assuming a flavoured variety is unsweetened
Ingredients vary between flavours. Quaker Oats Express Cinnamon, as described by Jumbo, lists sugar as an ingredient.
Check each flavour individually, or use plain porridge oats and choose what to add yourself.
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Confusing a convenient portion with a suitable evening serving
A pre-measured portion saves you weighing out the oats, but it may not match the amount you want to use for your evening meal.
Check the quantity per serving, and choose loose oats if you’d rather measure them out yourself.
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Assuming standard oats are automatically gluten-free
Albert Heijn states that Brinta Porridge Oats may contain traces of wheat and rye. This matters if you need to follow a strict gluten-free diet.
If so, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the label every time.
Brands to consider
Quaker
Offers loose porridge oats and convenient single-serve packs, including plain and flavoured varieties.
- Quaker Porridge Oats, as described by Jumbo, contain no added sugar. Albert Heijn states that Oats Express Original takes two minutes to prepare.
- Check each flavour individually: Oats Express Cinnamon, as described by Jumbo, contains sugar as an ingredient.
Brinta
Brinta Porridge Oats are a fine-flake option for anyone who wants to prepare a warm bowl themselves.
- Albert Heijn lists 100% oats as the only ingredient in Brinta Porridge Oats.
- According to the same product information, these oats may contain traces of wheat and rye.
Albert Heijn
Its range includes explicitly labelled gluten-free wholegrain porridge oats and a separate high-protein variety.
- Albert Heijn states that AH Gluten-Free Wholegrain Porridge Oats are produced in a completely gluten-free environment.
- According to Albert Heijn, the high-protein variety also contains soya protein isolate, linseed and sunflower seeds, so it does not have the same simple oat base.
Jumbo
Offers its own wholegrain rolled oats in fine and coarse varieties.
- Choosing between fine and coarse oats lets you match the variety to the texture you want.
- Check the ingredients and nutrition information on each pack; these varieties are not interchangeable with flavoured mixes.
GOLDEN BRIDGE
The GOLDEN BRIDGE variety described by ALDI Netherlands is fine wholegrain porridge oats in a 500 g pack.
- Fine oats are an option if that’s the texture you’re looking for in a warm bowl.
- Check the ingredients, nutrition information and allergens on the current packaging before deciding whether this variety meets your needs.
Porridge oat products on Joybuy
These two Quaker products offer a choice between a pack of Express porridge oats and loose oats for a warm bowl you can make your own. Check the current label for both if added sugar or allergens are important factors in your choice.
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Quaker Express Oatmeal, 324 g
Consider this Express variety if you want to make a warm bowl quickly. Check the preparation instructions, ingredients and quantity per serving on the packaging.
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Quaker Oatmeal, 600 g
An option if you want to choose the amount of oats and flavour your warm evening bowl yourself. Jumbo describes the 600 g pack of Quaker oats as containing no added sugar. Check the current label too, especially if you need to watch out for allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean sugar-free?
No. Porridge oats with no added sugar may still contain sugars that occur naturally in oats. So, check both the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutrition table.
Which porridge oats should I choose for a savoury evening bowl?
Plain rolled oats give you the freedom to flavour your bowl yourself. Choose the type of oats that suits the texture you want, and consider the other ingredients in your meal too.
When are quick-cook portions useful?
Quick-cook portions are a good choice if you value a set serving size and minimal preparation. Before using a particular variety for an evening meal, check its ingredients, preparation instructions and serving size.
Can I eat standard porridge oats if I need to follow a gluten-free diet?
Don’t assume that standard porridge oats are suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. Choose a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free and read the allergen information. For example, Albert Heijn states that Brinta Porridge Oats may contain traces of wheat and rye.