Host with guests who prefer white toast
You’re looking for a crisp base for the barbecue that contains both wheat flour and wholemeal flour. Check the ingredients: a cracker with this combination isn’t automatically a thin piece of melba toast.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shopper who prioritises wholemeal
You want to be able to distinguish a fully wholemeal product from a mix. To do this, check which types of flour are used and compare the fibre per 100 g, rather than relying only on the colour or the number of grains listed.
Host who checks allergens
You need to know which ingredients are relevant to your guests before serving. The toast and crackers we looked at differ in their declarations of wheat, sesame, soya and egg, among other things, so check the packaging of the variant you choose.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether you’re looking for a verifiable mix of white and wholemeal flour, or would rather serve a fully wholemeal or white base. Then choose a shape and flavour to suit your toppings, and check the ingredients before serving the toast to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| White and wholemeal mix | Check which types of flour and percentages are listed in the ingredients. Albert Heijn lists LU Mini Crackers with wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour as containing 57% wheat flour and 38% wholemeal wheat flour; they’re crackers, not melba toast. | If my guests prefer white toast, I want to be able to choose a mix without relying on its brown colour. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this kind of gentle transition. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether the flour is entirely wholemeal and compare fibre per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists 9.7 g of fibre per 100 g for Van der Meulen wholemeal melba toast and 3.9 g for AH plain melba toast. | If I mainly want a fully wholemeal piece of toast, that matters more to me than a white base. Around 29% of consumers prioritise wholemeal and fibre. |
| Shape and toppings | Choose between thin melba toast, mini crackers and seasoned toast based on size and flavour. If your toppings are moist, add them just before serving if possible. | With spreads or juicy barbecue toppings, I want the toast to be easy to serve, even if that means choosing a more pronounced flavour. Around 21% of consumers prioritise how well it goes with toppings. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients list and any warnings about possible cross-contamination. Compare salt per 100 g too, if that’s relevant to your choice. | If I need to consider which ingredients my guests can eat, I must check the variant I’ve chosen before flavour or shape comes into it. Checking the label is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming brown or multigrain means fully wholemeal
A cracker made with both wheat flour and wholemeal flour is a mix, not a fully wholemeal product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between products made exclusively with wholemeal flour and those with a mixed flour base when defining wholemeal.
Check the types of flour in the ingredients list. Choose a mix deliberately if that’s what you’re looking for, and opt for a fully wholemeal version if that base is what matters most.
-
Treating crackers and melba toast as the same type of product
The verifiable mix of white and wholemeal flour in this comparison is a mini cracker. Melba toast has a different shape, while seasoned toast can also affect the flavour of your toppings.
Think about what shape you’d like to serve and whether a plain or seasoned base will suit your toppings. You could also offer two types of product alongside each other.
-
Guessing allergens from the product name
The variants we looked at have different ingredients and allergen declarations. A general brand name doesn’t tell you enough about the recipe in the pack you’re serving.
Check the current packaging for every variant you choose, including the ingredients list and any warnings about possible cross-contamination.
-
Assuming all toast contains iodised salt
Whether iodised salt is listed can vary from product to product. The product’s origin or type of toast is no substitute for checking the ingredients list.
If the type of salt used is relevant to your choice, check the packaging to see whether it lists iodised baker’s salt or another type of iodised salt.
Brands compared
Van der Meulen
Wholemeal melba toast is an option if you’re looking for a thin wholemeal piece of toast rather than a mix of white and wholemeal flour.
- Albert Heijn lists wholemeal wheat flour and 9.7 g of fibre per 100 g for this variant.
- The product information lists wheat, sesame and soya, among other ingredients. Check the ingredients on the pack you buy.
LU
Mini Crackers with wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour are a good fit if you’re looking for a mixed flour base, provided crackers also work as a barbecue snack.
- For this specific variant, Albert Heijn lists 57% wheat flour and 38% wholemeal wheat flour.
- They’re not melba toast. The LU Mini Cracker Olive & Oregano at Joybuy is a different variant and shouldn’t be considered the same mix of white and wholemeal flour.
Albert Heijn
AH plain melba toast is a white toast base for anyone who prefers a neutral flavour to a wholemeal base.
- The product page describes a pack containing twelve packs of six pieces of toast.
- Wheat flour is listed first in the ingredients; the stated fibre content is 3.9 g per 100 g.
Haust
Krokant Toast is a seasoned option if you’d like the toast’s flavour to complement your toppings.
- According to the manufacturer, this variant is baked twice in the oven and designed to stay crisp for longer under toppings.
- The variant we looked at contains egg and cereals containing gluten, and may contain milk, sesame and oats. Its seasoning also makes it less neutral in flavour.
Toast-style crackers at Joybuy
These LU mini crackers make toast-style bases for barbecue snacks: Natural if you’re looking for a neutral flavour, or Olive & Oregano if you think that seasoning will go well with your toppings. If you’re specifically looking for a combination of wheat flour and wholemeal flour, check the ingredients of the variant you choose. These two products are not the LU Mini Crackers with the mix of white and wholemeal flour listed by Albert Heijn.
Image unavailable
LU Mini Cracker Natural 250 g
A neutral mini cracker for toppings at a barbecue, if a mix of white and wholemeal flour isn’t your main priority.
Pack size: 250 g. Check the current ingredients and allergens if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal flour or need to consider what your guests can eat.
Image unavailable
LU Mini Cracker Olive & Oregano 250 g
A mini cracker for savoury toppings when olive and oregano suit your chosen toppings; it isn’t neutral in flavour.
Pack size: 250 g. Joybuy’s product information lists wheat flour, olive oil and oregano. Check the current label if wholemeal flour or an allergen is important to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is multigrain toast automatically wholemeal?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a mixed base of wheat flour and wholemeal flour isn’t the same as a product made entirely with wholemeal flour. So check the ingredients list rather than drawing conclusions from the colour or the mention of several grains.
Which toast should I choose if my barbecue guests prefer white toast?
A verifiable mix of wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour is the clearest match if you want to serve both types of flour. The LU Mini Crackers listed by Albert Heijn as containing 57% wheat flour and 38% wholemeal wheat flour are crackers, though. Choose white melba toast if a neutral, thin piece of toast matters more to you.
When should I add toppings to toast for a barbecue?
If your toppings are moist, adding them just before serving is a practical way to avoid leaving the toast in contact with moisture for too long. Haust describes its Krokant Toast as designed to stay crisp for longer under toppings, but bear in mind that this variant is seasoned too.
Can I assume that toast contains iodised salt?
No. Don’t rely on the type of product or where it comes from. If the type of salt used is relevant to your choice, check the current ingredients list to see whether it mentions iodised baker’s salt or another type of iodised salt.
How do I check for allergens in packaged toast?
Check the current ingredients list and any warnings about possible cross-contamination for every variant. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that the 14 allergens which must be declared have to appear on the label. For the toast and crackers we looked at, check for wheat, sesame, soya and egg, among other things.