A single-serve portion is handy when the preparation suits your morning routine: choose a breakfast drink if you have a cup and liquid to hand, porridge sachets if you can use a bowl, or dry mini portions if you’ll sort out the rest of breakfast later. Before buying, check what else you need to add and compare the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the same basis.
If you need to get out of the door quickly, a pre-measured portion saves time. A breakfast drink still needs a cup and liquid; you’ll also need a bowl for porridge. Dry mini portions are easy to take with you and add to later.
You want a quick portion, but you also check the ingredients and nutritional information. Compare sugars, fibre and protein per 100 g or per portion, and check whether the figures apply to the dry or prepared product.
These products may contain ingredients such as oats, wheat, barley, milk and soya. Read the ingredients and any warnings about possible cross-contamination on the packaging of the exact variant.
First, choose a portion format that works with the cup, bowl and liquid you have available. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variant.
A good fit if: you’d rather drink from a cup than eat from a bowl.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to mix the dry blend with water or milk.
A good fit if: you want a pre-measured portion of porridge and can use a bowl.
Bear in mind: you’ll need liquid; check the preparation instructions if you want to eat the porridge hot.
A good fit if: you want to take a pre-measured portion of cereal with you.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to arrange milk or yoghurt separately if you want to have it with your cereal.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Getting out of the door quickly | Check whether you can take the portion with you straight away and what you need to prepare before leaving. | If I’m short on time, I don’t want to weigh out cereal or put a meal together first. Around 33% of consumers say getting out of the door quickly is their main priority. |
| Preparing it at your destination | Check whether you need water or milk, and whether you’ll need a bowl, a cup or somewhere to heat it. | I might be able to get water at my destination, but not heat porridge. For around 27% of consumers, having the right facilities for preparation is the biggest consideration. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the ingredients and figures for sugars, fibre and protein on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | A convenient pack doesn’t tell me what’s in the product I’m choosing. For around 27% of consumers, nutritional profile is the top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients for the exact variant and check any warnings about possible cross-contamination. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s on the current packaging before I buy. For around 13% of consumers, checking the label comes first. |
For the hot preparation described, Quaker Oats Express needs a bowl, milk and heating. Brinta Wake-up! still needs to be mixed with liquid.
Check what you have at home or at your destination. If you’re having dry cereal with milk or yoghurt, you’ll need to arrange that too.
Albert Heijn’s product information lists 14 g of sugars per prepared portion for Brinta Wake-up! and 25 g of sugars per 100 g for the Kellogg's Variety Pack. These figures are based on different measurements.
Compare the nutritional information for the exact variant and check whether figures are given per 100 g, per dry sachet or for the prepared product.
Ingredients and warnings about possible cross-contamination can vary even within the same product category. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of allergen information on the label.
Check the current packaging every time you buy, including the ingredients list and any warnings.
Brinta Wake-up! Naturel is an example of a breakfast drink in sachets which, according to Albert Heijn’s product information, can be mixed with hot or cold water or milk.
Quaker Oats Express Naturel and the Naturel Protein variant are examples of portioned porridge; the packs and portion sizes described differ.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the Kellogg's Variety Pack is an assortment of dry cereals in eight individual portions.
These products suit three ways of choosing a quick breakfast portion: a breakfast drink mix, dry mini portions or porridge. Which format is practical depends on what you can add and use on the way or at your destination.
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An option if you want to make a breakfast drink and have a cup and liquid to hand.
Check the preparation instructions and allergens on the current packaging.
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An option if you want to take dry cereal with you and can arrange any additions, such as milk or yoghurt, separately.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before choosing an assortment.
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A porridge option if you can use a bowl and liquid where you set off from or at your destination.
Read the preparation instructions if you want to eat the porridge hot, and check the ingredients for this variant.
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A porridge option to compare if the stated amount of protein matters to you and you have the facilities to prepare it.
Compare the nutritional information on the same basis with other variants. Also check the ingredients if you need to avoid soya.
Not always: a single-serve sachet sorts out the portion, but not necessarily the preparation. For the hot preparation described, Quaker Oats Express needs milk, a bowl and heating; Brinta Wake-up! still needs to be mixed with liquid. You can take dry mini portions with you and arrange milk or yoghurt separately.
Read the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variant. Albert Heijn’s product information describes Quaker Oats Express Naturel as a variant with no added sugars. Also compare the amount of sugars per 100 g or per portion, and check the difference between a dry and a prepared product.
Check the ingredients list on the current packaging and read any warnings about possible cross-contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergens must be clearly indicated on the labels of pre-packed foods. Don’t rely on the brand name alone or on a product page you viewed earlier.
