How Many Calories for Porridge?
2 biscuits (~37.5g) with 125ml semi-skimmed milk of porridge contains around 195 calories (362 kcal per 100g). Porridge is classified as NOVA 3 (processed).
Calories by preparation
| Method | Calories | NOVA |
|---|---|---|
| Porridge oats with water (40g oats)Plainest option — just oats and water | 148 | 1 |
| Porridge oats with whole milk (40g oats, 200ml)Milk nearly doubles the calories but adds protein | 280 | 1 |
| 2 Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk (150ml)One of the cleanest breakfast cerealsPlain Weetabix is NOVA 1 — just wholegrain wheat. Flavoured/chocolate variants are NOVA 4. | 210 | 1 |
| Instant oat sachets (1 sachet ~36g)Check the sachet — flavoured instant porridge is UPFMost instant/flavoured oat sachets add sugar, dried milk powder, flavourings — NOVA 4 | 140 | 4 |
Nutrition per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 362 kcal / 1531 kJ | 195 kcal |
| Protein | 12g | 8.6g |
| Carbohydrates | 68g | 31.6g |
| of which sugars | 4.2g | — |
| Fat | 2g | 2.5g |
| of which saturated | 0.6g | — |
| Fibre | 10g | — |
| Salt | 0.28g | — |
Serving size: 2 biscuits (~37.5g) with 125ml semi-skimmed milk · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
Glucose impact
Medium
Glucose risk
Weetabix Original has a GI of approximately 69, which is medium-high. The wholegrain wheat and fibre (10g/100g) provide some buffering, but the refined nature of the biscuit means carbohydrates are absorbed relatively quickly. A 2-biscuit serving delivers about 25.5g of carbs before milk. To reduce glucose impact, add protein (Greek yoghurt, nuts) or fat (seeds, nut butter) to slow absorption. The sugar content itself is low at 4.2g/100g — the glucose risk comes from the starchy carbohydrate, not added sugar.
Processing level
Weetabix Original contains 7 ingredients: wholegrain wheat (95%), malted barley extract, sugar, salt, niacin, iron, and folic acid. The added vitamins and minerals are fortification (standard practice), and the sugar and salt content is minimal. There are no emulsifiers, flavourings, modified starches, or other UPF markers — this is a processed food, not ultra-processed. Chocolate Weetabix (15 ingredients including soya lecithin emulsifier) and Crispy Minis (14 ingredients including soya lecithin) cross into NOVA 4 territory.
Porridge at Tesco
Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
2 UPF markers
2 UPF markers
*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.
What to watch for when shopping
Original Weetabix is one of the cleanest breakfast cereals available — NOVA 3 with zero UPF markers and only 4.2g sugar per 100g. The 48-pack (£5.50, ~£0.11 per biscuit) is the best value. Avoid assuming all Weetabix products are equal: Chocolate Weetabix and Crispy Minis are NOVA 4 with emulsifiers (soya lecithin) and more ingredients (14-15 vs 7). Weetabix Protein has 19g protein per 100g but also 13 ingredients. The main nutritional watch-out for original Weetabix is its medium-high GI of ~69 — pair it with protein-rich milk, yoghurt, or nuts to flatten the glucose curve.
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