Plain wholegrain porridge oats are a good choice if you want to decide for yourself what goes into your breakfast and how much protein it contains. If you’re mainly looking for a pre-measured portion, compare protein and express varieties. Always check whether the nutritional information is for dry oats or a prepared breakfast, and read the ingredients and allergen information.
You want to start with wholegrain oats and choose what to add, such as milk, yoghurt or quark. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the nutritional value of porridge oats depends in part on how they’re prepared and what you add.
You want to see at a glance which ingredients and nutritional values apply to one portion. A protein variety or express pack can be handy, as long as the stated portion matches what you actually prepare.
You make porridge regularly and want to choose a pack size that suits your needs. Check how much product the pack contains and whether you’d rather measure it yourself or use individual portions.
First decide whether you want to make your own breakfast or prefer a pre-measured portion. Then compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis: per 100 g of dry product, per portion or per prepared breakfast.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Making your own | Check the ingredients in the oats and work out the nutritional value with the milk, yoghurt or other additions you use. | I want to decide for myself what goes into my breakfast rather than relying on the oat label alone. Around 45% of consumers prioritise making their own combination. |
| Measured protein portion | Compare the protein per stated portion, the portion size and the source of any added protein. | On a busy morning, I want a portion whose ingredients and nutritional information I can check quickly. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Pack size | Compare the pack sizes and choose between measuring portions yourself and individually packed servings. | If I make porridge often, I want a pack that suits my needs without having to open individual portions each time. This is the main consideration for around 22% of consumers. |
The protein figure for porridge made with milk includes the milk too. So it doesn’t tell you how much protein comes from the dry oat flakes alone.
Check whether the nutritional values are per 100 g of dry product, per portion or per prepared product, and only compare figures on the same basis.
A protein variety may contain different ingredients from plain porridge oats. For example, Albert Heijn lists added soya protein in Quaker Protein Naturel.
Check the protein source, allergens and amount per stated portion before comparing varieties.
Ingredients and allergen information vary from product to product. For Brinta Porridge Oats, Albert Heijn states that the product may contain traces of wheat and rye.
Check the specific pack and any warnings; don’t assume a product is suitable based on the word ‘oats’ alone.
Brinta Porridge Oats are made with fine oat flakes. Albert Heijn lists 100% oat flakes as the ingredients for this product.
Quaker offers plain porridge oats alongside Protein and Oats Express varieties.
Albert Heijn sells its own-brand wholegrain porridge oats and a protein variety.
Jumbo sells its own-brand wholegrain porridge oats in different flake sizes, as well as a protein variety.
Lidl lists CROWNFIELD organic porridge oats and Healthy Fit Protein Porridge Oats as separate products.
ALDI lists fine and coarse wholegrain porridge oats under the Golden Bridge brand.
These products suit three different preferences: an Express Protein variety, an Express variety to customise yourself and a 500 g pack from Zonnatura. For each product, check the ingredients and nutritional information if wholegrain oats or protein per portion is a deciding factor for you.
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An option if you’re looking for an Express Protein variety. Check the pack for the amount of protein per portion, ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.
Pack size: 302 g.
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An Express variety for anyone who wants to add their own toppings to their porridge. Read the preparation instructions and portion size before working out the nutritional value of your breakfast.
Pack size: 324 g.
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For this variety, check the ingredients if you’re specifically looking for wholegrain oats: don’t assume which grains it contains based on the product name alone.
Pack size: 500 g.
No. The amount of protein in your breakfast also depends on the portion and what you add to the oats. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that preparation and additions affect nutritional value, so compare your whole breakfast rather than just the dry oats.
Compare the ingredients and the amount of protein on the same nutritional basis, taking into account the portion you actually use. Check the allergens and preparation instructions too: for example, Albert Heijn lists added soya protein in Quaker Protein Naturel.
No. Check the ingredients and allergen warnings for the specific product. For Brinta Porridge Oats, Albert Heijn states that the product may contain traces of wheat and rye, so the word ‘oats’ alone doesn’t tell you whether this pack is suitable.
Follow the storage instructions and check the date on the pack. For Brinta Porridge Oats, Albert Heijn advises storing the product in a dry place and says the best-before date is on the bottom of the pack.
