Choose fine oats or grind your oats for a smoother batter; choose coarse oats if you want a more noticeable oat texture. Then check that the ingredients suit your recipe. If you have coeliac disease, ordinary wholegrain oats are not a substitute for oats bearing the official Crossed Grain symbol, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains.
For pancakes or muffins, you may want the oats to blend finely into the batter; in biscuits or crackers, you might prefer a more noticeable texture. According to Nutrola, coarse oats give a firmer bite. Jumbo and Lidl also describe recipes that call for the oats to be ground first.
You want to decide what to add to your recipe. The ingredients list helps you distinguish between oats made entirely from wholegrain oats and a prepared breakfast product; you can compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
If your bake needs to be suitable for someone with coeliac disease, the label is crucial. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking the packaging of oat products for the official Crossed Grain symbol.
Start with the role the oats will play in your recipe: a smooth batter needs something different from a biscuit where you want the flakes to remain visible. Then check the ingredients and packaging. If coeliac disease is a consideration, the required symbol takes priority over choosing fine or coarse oats.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Texture in your recipe | Check whether the oats are fine or coarse, and whether your recipe calls for ground oats. | For pancake batter, I want the oats to blend in evenly, whereas in biscuits I sometimes want the flakes to show. Around 36% of consumers prioritise the texture in their recipe. |
| Simple wholegrain ingredients | Read the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If I’m adding my own flavourings to a bake, I want to know what’s already in the oat base. Around 29% of consumers prioritise its ingredients. |
| Packaging format | Check the pack size and choose between a standard pack and individual portions. | If you regularly use a larger quantity of oats in recipes, you’ll want a pack that suits your needs. Around 28% of consumers consider the packaging format first. |
| Suitable for coeliac disease | Check the actual packaging for the official Crossed Grain symbol and read the allergen information. | If my bake needs to be suitable for someone with coeliac disease, I can’t rely on the word ‘wholegrain’. For around 7% of consumers, certified gluten-free oats are a primary requirement. |
Wholegrain describes the oats used, not whether they may have been contaminated with gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that ordinary oat products are not suitable for people with coeliac disease unless they carry the official Crossed Grain symbol.
Check the symbol on the packaging every time you buy, and read the allergen information too.
Coarse oats have a more noticeable texture. This can give your batter or dough a different consistency from one made with finely ground oats.
Look for instructions such as ‘oat flour’ or ‘finely ground’, and grind the oats beforehand if the recipe calls for it.
An Express product made up of individual portions comes in a different format from a bag of standard oats. This makes a practical difference when a recipe calls for a larger quantity.
Check the pack size and ingredients before choosing an individual-portion product for a baking recipe.
Quaker offers a 600 g plain oat product as well as individual-portion Express products. Check which product you’re looking at for your recipe.
Jumbo’s own-brand range includes coarse wholegrain oats and organic oats, so you can compare the format with the ingredients.
ALDI’s own brand offers fine and coarse wholegrain oats in 500 g packs.
Zonnatura offers an organic option made with fine wholegrain oat flakes.
These Quaker products are options if you’re looking for a wholegrain oat base for home baking. Before choosing one for a particular batter or dough, compare the oat format shown on the packaging with what your recipe calls for.
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Consider this option if the pack size and oat format suit the quantity your baking recipe needs. Before using it in a smooth batter, check the packaging to see whether it contains flakes or ground oats.
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This option may suit a recipe that calls for a simple wholegrain oat base. Jumbo lists the ingredient in the 600 g Quaker pack as 100% wholegrain oats; check the flake size on the packaging to get the texture you want. If you have coeliac disease, the official Crossed Grain symbol is also required.
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If your baking recipe calls for wholegrain oats, this pack size is worth comparing with the quantity you need. Check the flake size for the result you’re after, and if you need gluten-free oats, look for the official Crossed Grain symbol on the label.
Choose fine oats or grind them if you want a smoother batter; coarse oats work better when you want the oats to remain visible. Jumbo recommends finely ground oats for pancakes, while Lidl uses ground oats in cracker dough. If you’re trying a new recipe, follow the specified format and quantity, as oat flour is not automatically a like-for-like substitute for wheat flour.
No. Don’t rely on the word ‘wholegrain’ alone. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, oat products are suitable for people with coeliac disease only if the packaging carries the official Crossed Grain symbol. Check this on the product you buy.
No. Organic farming and wholegrain ingredients are different product characteristics. Choose organic if that farming method matters to you, and check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergen information for each product separately.
Seal the pack tightly after use and store the oats in a cool, dry place. Also check the use-by or best-before date and any additional storage instructions on the packaging.
No. One ingredient doesn’t tell you the nutritional value of the whole bar. Check the other ingredients too, along with the nutritional information per serving, if you’ve calculated it or it’s provided.
