Wholegrain instant oats for a sweet breakfast: how to choose

Who are these options for?

Those who like to build their own sweet breakfast

You’d rather start with plain wholegrain oats and choose your own fruit, cinnamon, yoghurt or nuts for flavour. That also means you decide whether to use a pre-sweetened mix.

Breakfast lovers short on time

You don’t want to measure out oats every morning. A pre-measured portion can be handy, but check the ingredients too if you’re looking for a plain base.

Breakfast lovers looking for extra protein

Extra protein is a deliberate product choice for you. Check where it comes from: the Quaker Protein option mentioned here contains soya protein.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether you mainly want to control the sweetness yourself, save time or choose an option with added protein. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the products that fit your needs.

What to consider	What should you check?	Who is it important to?
Sweetening it yourself	Check the ingredients list for sugar and other added sweeteners. For flavoured options, compare the sugars per 100 g and per portion too.	If you want to add fruit or cinnamon, you may not want the oats sweetened for you already. Around 45% of consumers prioritise being able to control the sweetness themselves.
Speed and portions	Check the preparation instructions, preparation time and size of the portion sachets; even quick options can vary in their ingredients.	On a busy morning, you may want a pre-measured portion without having to weigh out the oats first. Around 33% of consumers give this convenience their top priority.
Added protein	Compare the protein per 100 g and per portion, and check which ingredients and allergens the product contains.	If extra protein is your main reason for choosing a different type of oats, its source matters too. Around 22% of consumers prioritise this when choosing their protein.

Common mistakes

Assuming wholegrain means unsweetened

A product can contain wholegrain oats and still have sugar in the ingredients. Quaker Netherlands lists both wholegrain oats and sugar in Oats Express Cinnamon.

If you want to control the sweetness yourself, compare the ingredients list of a flavoured option with that of plain oats, then add your own fruit or cinnamon if you like.
Looking only at the protein claim

Extra protein may come from an added ingredient. Albert Heijn lists soya protein and soya lecithin in Quaker Oats Express Plain Protein.

Compare the protein per portion and check the current ingredients and allergen information before choosing this option.

Brands to consider

Quaker

Alongside classic oats, Quaker offers Oats Express portions, including plain, cinnamon and Protein options.

According to Quaker Netherlands, Oats Express Plain is made from wholegrain oats.
The cinnamon option contains sugar, while the Protein option contains soya protein. Check the ingredients for each option.

AH

AH Wholegrain Fine Oat Flakes are a plain base that you can add your own sweet ingredients to.

Albert Heijn lists wholegrain oat flakes as the ingredient in this option.
These are loose flakes, not pre-measured instant portions; follow the preparation instructions on the pack.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers fine wholegrain oat flakes as a loose base for a breakfast with your own toppings.

Jumbo lists wholegrain oat flakes as an ingredient in its fine flakes.
If portion convenience matters to you, compare the pack and preparation instructions with those for instant portions.

Golden Bridge

ALDI’s own-brand Golden Bridge offers fine and coarse wholegrain oats.

Choosing between fine and coarse oats makes the texture of the flakes a practical factor to consider.
Check the current product label for nutritional and allergen information.

Instant oats on Joybuy

These products show two options for a sweet breakfast: one with added protein and one with a cinnamon flavour. If you mainly want to control the sweetness yourself, compare their ingredients with those of plain oats.

Quaker Oats Express Protein 302 g

An option if you’re specifically looking for oats with added protein for your sweet breakfast. According to the product information, this 302 g option contains soya protein; check the current label for allergens and follow the preparation instructions on the pack.

View on Joybuy

Quaker Cinnamon Oatmeal 330 g

An option if you’d like oats with a cinnamon flavour rather than a plain base that you flavour yourself. The pack contains 330 g; check the ingredients and nutritional information to find out how much sweetness is already in the product.