Those looking for wholegrain breakfast cereal
You want to see how much of the cereal is genuinely wholegrain for your Sunday breakfast, rather than relying on the look of the packaging.
Who is this for?
Fans of crunchy breakfast cereal
You’re looking for crunchy granola or muesli and want to compare the ingredients, fibre and sugars in different varieties too.
Shoppers checking for allergens
You need to look out for ingredients such as cereals containing gluten or nuts when choosing. Warnings about the possible presence of allergens on the packaging matter too.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the proportion of wholegrains, then compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the ingredients and allergens for the exact variety.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrains and fibre | Check which cereals are wholegrain and what proportion is stated. Compare fibre per 100 g within the same product type. | If wholegrains are my starting point, I want to know how much is in my breakfast cereal. Around 33% of consumers put this, along with fibre, first. |
| Added sugar and total sugars | Check the ingredients list for added sweeteners and compare sugars per 100 g; these are two different types of information. | I want crunchy breakfast cereal without basing my choice on a single sugar claim. For around 27% of consumers, understanding added and total sugars is the first priority. |
| Allergens | Check the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning on the pack you’re buying. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, checking this comes before choosing a flavour or texture. Around 20% of consumers put allergen information first. |
| Practical considerations | Check the exact variety, pack size and availability just before buying; read the storage advice too. | For a planned Sunday breakfast, I want to be able to buy a suitable pack and store it after opening. Around 20% of consumers give these practical considerations top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming that oats in the name mean the whole product is wholegrain
A wholegrain ingredient doesn’t automatically make the whole product wholegrain. For example, the Granola Oats, Seeds & Berries described by Jumbo lists 76.7 g of wholegrain oat flakes per 100 g of finished product; Albert Heijn explicitly describes its Organic Wholegrain Crunchy Muesli Four Nuts as 100% wholegrain.
Check the wholegrain statement and ingredients for the exact variety, and compare granola with granola or muesli with muesli.
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
The nutrition table also includes sugars that occur naturally in ingredients. Muesli with fruit can therefore contain sugars even if no sugar has been added.
Read both the ingredients list and sugars per 100 g before comparing two products.
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Overlooking allergens because a product is labelled wholegrain
A wholegrain claim says nothing about whether a product is suitable for someone with an allergy. The breakfast cereals discussed here may contain cereals containing gluten or nuts, among other ingredients.
If you have an allergy, always check the allergens and warnings on the packaging of the product you’re actually buying.
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Counting on a specific variety without checking availability
The online range can change. Jumbo marked the Granola Oats, Seeds & Berries discussed here as no longer part of its online range, and a separate protein variety as temporarily unavailable.
Check whether the exact variety is available shortly before doing your Sunday food shop. If necessary, choose another variety using the same label information.
Brands and product ranges compared
Cruesli / Quaker
Crunchy breakfast cereal for anyone looking for the texture of Cruesli; the proportion of wholegrains varies by variety.
- The Quaker Cruesli Granola Original described by Albert Heijn lists 57% wholegrain oats and 5.4% wholegrain wheat.
- This variety also contains glucose syrup, sugar and honey. Check the ingredients and allergens again for each variety.
Albert Heijn Biologisch
A crunchy wholegrain muesli with nuts for anyone looking for an explicit wholegrain statement.
- Albert Heijn describes its Organic Wholegrain Crunchy Muesli Four Nuts as 100% wholegrain, with 6.6 g of fibre per 100 g.
- The same variety contains nuts and cereals containing gluten, and lists 8.4 g of added sugars per 100 g.
Jumbo
A granola range where you need to check the ingredients and nutritional values for each variety.
- For Granola Oats, Seeds & Berries, Jumbo lists 76.7 g of wholegrain oat flakes and 8.2 g of fibre per 100 g of finished product.
- This variety also lists 14.0 g of sugars per 100 g. Check current availability if you’re looking for this particular pack.
Zonnatura
A muesli to compare with crunchy granola if added sugar is a key consideration for you.
- The product information for Muesli Rijkgevuld lists 73% wholegrain cereals, 0% added sugar and 10 g of fibre per 100 g.
- It’s muesli, not typical crunchy granola. The variety lists 12 g of total sugars per 100 g and contains cereals containing gluten and cashews, among other ingredients.
Eat Natural
A granola with wholegrain oats, coconut and seeds to assess using the information for the exact variety.
- For Super Granola Wholegrain Oats, Coconut & Seeds, Jumbo lists 36% wholegrain oats, 12.8 g of fibre and 4.4 g of sugars per 100 g.
- The variety contains almonds and cereals containing gluten. Check availability before adding this specific granola to your shopping list.
Crunchy muesli on Joybuy
These are crunchy muesli varieties for anyone looking for a granola-like texture. They aren’t ranked against one another by wholegrain content or nutritional value: check the nutrition information per 100 g and the allergens on the pack for your chosen variety.
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Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry & Peach, 400 g
An option if you’re looking for crunchy muesli with strawberry and peach. Compare fibre and sugars only after checking the values per 100 g on the pack; check the allergen information too.
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Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Apple, Pecan and Cinnamon, 400 g
For anyone looking to compare crunchy muesli with apple, pecan and cinnamon. Check sugars and fibre per 100 g on the pack; if you have a nut allergy, pay particular attention to the allergen information.
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Quaker Cruesli Choco Zero Sugar, 400 g
A crunchy muesli variety with a chocolate flavour. To compare it with other flavours, check the nutrition information per 100 g and look for milk, cereals and possible traces of nuts in the allergen information.
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Quaker Cruesli Nuts Zero Sugar, 400 g
For anyone looking for crunchy muesli with nuts. Compare nutritional values per 100 g and, if you have an allergy, check the current packaging for nuts and cereals containing gluten.
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Holie's Crunchy Muesli Protein Chocolate, 6 x 400 g
A pack of six bags of crunchy chocolate muesli for anyone planning several breakfasts. Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the allergens on each pack before choosing this variety.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare granola when serving sizes differ?
Compare the nutrition information per 100 g, not just per serving. The Voedingscentrum recommends using this basis because manufacturers may use different serving sizes; for example, compare the fibre and sugars in similar breakfast cereals.
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean that a muesli contains no sugars?
No. The nutrition table also includes naturally occurring sugars. According to the product information, Zonnatura Muesli Rijkgevuld contains 0% added sugar but 12 g of sugars per 100 g, so check both the claim and the table.
How do I check granola if I have a nut or gluten allergy?
Read the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning on the pack for the exact variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the mandatory allergen information on food labels; a wholegrain claim is no substitute for checking.
How should I store granola or muesli after opening?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging for your product and seal it securely after use. The product varieties described recommend storing in a dry place, among other advice; check the instructions again if you’re buying enough for several Sundays.