For a dish you can season yourself, choose oats with wholegrain oats as the only ingredient. If you want to make a warm bowl quickly, compare the cooking instructions and any added ingredients on each pack. If you have coeliac disease, the Voedingscentrum recommends choosing only oats with the official Crossed Grain logo on the packaging.
Want to use oats as the base for a dish with your own herbs, fruit or other additions? Check the ingredients list and allergen information to see what’s already in the base before putting your dish together.
If you want a quick, warm bowl, the cooking instructions for the product you choose matter more than the variety name alone. Also compare the recommended amount per serving and any added ingredients.
Standard oats aren’t automatically suitable for people with coeliac disease. In this case, the Voedingscentrum recommends choosing oats with the official Crossed Grain logo on the packaging. Check the product’s allergen information too.
First decide whether you want to choose the ingredients yourself, compare wholegrain and fibre content, keep preparation time to a minimum or find a gluten-free option. Then check the relevant information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and added ingredients | Read the ingredients list if you want oats as the only ingredient. For products with added ingredients, also compare the added sugars and salt per 100 g. | If I want to decide the flavour of my dish myself, I need to know what’s already in the oats. For around 40% of consumers, this check would be the main reason for buying. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Check the wholegrain label and compare the fibre listed per 100 g or per serving, using the same basis of measurement. | Anyone looking for a wholegrain base wants to be able to compare the nutritional information on specific packs. For around 30% of consumers, wholegrain and fibre would be the priority. |
| Preparation | Check how much liquid to use and how long the pack says to cook the oats for your dish. | If I’m making a warm bowl just before eating, the preparation time needs to fit my schedule. A short cooking time would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Gluten-free option | If you have coeliac disease, check for the official Crossed Grain logo on the oat product and read the allergen information. | If I need oats because I have coeliac disease, I can’t rely on the wholegrain label. For around 10% of consumers, the assurance that a product is gluten-free would be the first requirement. |
The wholegrain label doesn’t tell you whether oats are suitable for people with coeliac disease. According to the Voedingscentrum, standard oat products may be contaminated with gluten.
If you have coeliac disease, check that the pack displays the official Crossed Grain logo and read the allergen information too.
Plain oats, flavoured varieties and oat bars don’t necessarily have the same ingredients, serving sizes or nutritional values. Comparing them by product name alone can therefore be misleading.
Compare products in the right category and check the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g and per serving.
Milk, yoghurt, fruit, nuts and other additions change the ingredients, allergens and nutritional value of the finished dish.
Decide which liquid and additions you want to use. If allergens or nutritional values matter to your choice, check the labels on each one separately.
Brinta Oatmeal is an option with extra-fine oats for a warm bowl.
Quaker offers standard oatmeal as well as separate Oats Express varieties that are quick to prepare.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes wholegrain oats with fine flakes.
Jumbo offers fine and coarse wholegrain oats, as well as a separate organic variety.
Lidl lists a 500 g pack of oatmeal with coarse flakes.
Golden Bridge is an ALDI own-brand range with fine and coarse wholegrain oats.
These products are included to help you compare oats for a dish you’ll put together yourself or a warm bowl. The pack size is shown for each product. Before choosing, also check the ingredients, cooking instructions and allergens on the packaging. The products below are not labelled as gluten-free options for people with coeliac disease.
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Worth considering if you want to make a warm bowl quickly. Compare the cooking instructions and ingredients with standard oats, and check the allergen information too.
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A pack to compare if you want to flavour your oats yourself. Check the cooking instructions for your dish and read the allergen information, including details of the possible presence of other cereals.
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A 600 g pack to consider if you want to choose the amount of oats for your dish yourself. Check the cooking instructions and allergen information for this variety.
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A 375 g pack for anyone looking for a different size from the 600 g Quaker pack. Compare the instructions and allergen information for each variety on its own packaging.
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Worth a look if an organic grain base is important for your dish. Before choosing, check the ingredients on the packaging: the product name mentions both wheat and oatmeal, so you can’t rely on the name alone to identify the grain. Read the allergen information and cooking instructions too.
According to the Voedingscentrum, oatmeal is made from oat grains and counts as a wholegrain cereal product. If you’re looking specifically for a wholegrain oat base, check the ingredients list on products with added ingredients too.
According to the Voedingscentrum, standard oats aren’t automatically suitable for people with coeliac disease, as oat products may be contaminated with gluten. In this case, choose oats with the official Crossed Grain logo on the packaging and read the allergen information.
As a product recommendation, Albert Heijn and Jumbo suggest 40 g of oats with 250 ml of water or milk for the varieties mentioned. This isn’t a fixed amount for every dish: follow the instructions for the product you choose and allow for the number of people you’re serving.
For the products mentioned, Albert Heijn and Jumbo recommend storing them in a cool, dark, dry place and keeping the pack tightly closed. Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on your own pack.
