Choose a plain digestive biscuit if you want something without a chocolate coating to enjoy with your coffee or tea; choose a chocolate version if that’s the flavour you’re after. A wholemeal version is worth comparing if the grain ingredients matter to you. If you’re taking biscuits outside, check the storage advice too. If you have allergies or specific dietary requirements, read the label on the pack you buy.
If you want to serve a crunchy biscuit without a chocolate coating alongside coffee or tea, start with a plain digestive. If you’re specifically looking for wholegrain ingredients, you can also compare the ingredient lists of wholemeal versions.
You might prefer a biscuit with a little more flavour of its own. If you’re choosing a digestive with milk or dark chocolate, check the allergens and storage advice too, particularly if you’re taking the pack outside.
If you have an allergy or specific dietary requirements, the name ‘digestive’ doesn’t tell you enough. Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the pack of the exact variety you want to eat.
First decide whether you want a plain digestive or a chocolate version. Then compare the grain ingredients, nutritional information and storage instructions on the pack you plan to take with you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially useful if |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and grain ingredients | Compare plain and chocolate versions; for a wholemeal variety, check which grain ingredients it contains. | I want a crunchy biscuit without a chocolate coating to enjoy with coffee or tea. For around 40% of consumers, that classic pairing comes first. |
| Chocolate and storage | Choose between milk and dark chocolate, and check how the pack should be stored to keep it cool and dry. | I’m specifically looking for a chocolate flavour to go with my coffee, but I also want to take the biscuits outside. This flavour choice matters most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Label and nutritional information | Check for allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings; compare nutritional values per 100 g and, if listed, per biscuit. | Before choosing a biscuit, I want to be able to check the ingredients and nutritional values on the actual pack. For around 30% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
The name won’t tell you how much sugar, fat or fibre a particular variety contains. According to the Voedingscentrum, nutritional values can also vary from one brand to another.
Compare the nutrition tables on the packs you’re considering, ideally per 100 g and per biscuit too, if portion information is provided.
A plain or wholemeal digestive may contain wheat; milk and soya may also be relevant for chocolate varieties. Albert Heijn points out that product information can change.
Before eating, check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current pack. Also check the specific variety’s packaging for any gluten-free claim.
If you’re taking a pack outside, keep sunlight, heat and moisture in mind. McVitie’s storage advice for its digestive biscuits is to keep them in a cool, dry place.
Keep the pack closed while you’re travelling and, if possible, keep it out of the sun on the terrace. If you can’t store it as directed on the label, it’s better to take a variety whose storage advice you can follow.
Lotus Biscoff is a speculoos biscuit, with a different flavour and recipe from a classic digestive. So your choice depends on which kind of biscuit you want with your drink.
Choose speculoos if you’re after that caramelised flavour; stick with digestive biscuits if you specifically want a digestive with your coffee or tea.
The range includes Original and digestive biscuits with milk or dark chocolate. That makes the brand worth considering if you want to compare these varieties.
The own-brand range includes a wholemeal digestive for anyone looking to compare grain ingredients.
The range includes several types of digestive biscuits, including own-brand varieties and branded products.
Biscotto Digestive Biscuits are an option if you’re looking for a simple wheat biscuit.
Lotus Biscoff is a speculoos alternative to enjoy with coffee, not a digestive biscuit.
This plain digestive suits anyone looking for a biscuit without a chocolate coating to enjoy with coffee or tea. Before heading to the terrace, pay particular attention to the label and storage instructions.
No image available
A plain digestive for anyone looking for a biscuit without a chocolate coating to enjoy with coffee or tea.
McVitie's lists 16% wholemeal wheat flour for Digestive Original. The product contains wheat; if you have an allergy, check the other allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack too.
Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture. Bear this in mind if you’re taking the biscuits with you or serving them outside.
Not based on the product name: McVitie's Digestive Original contains wheat. Only choose a variety whose current packaging explicitly states that it’s gluten-free, and check the full allergen information too.
Check for wheat, milk and soya at the very least, but always read the full information on the exact pack. The product information for McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate lists milk, soya and wheat; another variety may have different ingredients.
Take them in a sealed pack or a tightly lidded tin and keep them dry. The storage advice for McVitie's Digestive Original also says to protect them from direct sunlight, heat and moisture.
Not if you’re specifically after a chocolate flavour with your coffee. A plain digestive is the choice if you want a biscuit without a chocolate coating; for a chocolate variety, also compare the allergens, nutritional values and storage instructions on the pack you buy.
