Parents who want to avoid handing out treats themselves
With a pre-counted portion for each child, you won’t need to divide up the biscuits yourself at the party, school or after-school club. Just check how many biscuits are in each portion.
Which type of pack works best for you?
Families who want to save leftovers for lunchboxes
If there are biscuits left after the party, you can keep the sealed portions separate and take them along another day. Check that the amount in each pack will fit in the lunchbox.
Organisers who need to consider dietary requirements
If you’re catering for a group of children, ask about allergies and other dietary requirements in advance. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also advises checking whether any children avoid certain foods for religious reasons.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the number of children and how much you’d like each child to have. Then compare the number of sealed portions, what you plan to do with any leftovers and the rules at the venue.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions for the party | Count the bags and the biscuits in each bag, then compare the number of portions with the number of children. | If I want to give every child the same amount quickly, I mainly need portions that are easy to count in advance. Around 42% of consumers prioritise convenience when handing out treats. |
| Sealed portions left over | Check whether the portions are individually wrapped and whether the amount in each one is suitable for a lunchbox. | If there are biscuits left after the party, I want to be able to keep them unopened and take them along another day. This is the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Dietary requirements and venue rules | Ask about allergies and dietary requirements, read the label and check the treat is suitable with the school or childcare setting. | When I’m handing out treats to several children, I first want to know what they can eat and what’s allowed at the venue. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming lots of biscuits means lots of portions to hand out
According to Jumbo, Lotus Biscoff XL 2P x 10 contains ten bags, each with two biscuits. A regular 250 g pack contains around 32 loose biscuits, according to Jumbo, so it needs to be handed out differently.
Work out how many children there will be and how many biscuits you want to give each one. Then compare the number of portions you can actually hand out, rather than just the weight or total number of biscuits.
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Confusing vegan with allergen-free
A label such as ‘vegan’ doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is suitable for a child with a specific food allergy.
Ask about the allergy in question and check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging before handing anything out.
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Waiting until after you’ve bought the treats to check the rules
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, schools and childcare settings may have their own rules about treats. Some choose to celebrate without edible treats.
Ask in advance whether food is allowed and whether there are any rules about portions or dietary requirements.
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Relying on online ingredient information as definitive
Albert Heijn warns that product ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change.
So, before handing out the biscuits, read the label on the pack you’ve actually bought.
Brands and shops to consider
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists several pack sizes for its speculoos biscuits, including a Mega Pack of 20 × 2 biscuits and an XL pack of 10 × 2 biscuits.
- These pack labels make it easy to see in advance how many pairs of biscuits you’ll get.
- Check the ingredients for each variety and whether two biscuits are the right amount for each child.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists a regular pack of Lotus Biscoff biscuits that you can portion out yourself.
- A sharing pack lets you decide how much to put on a plate or in each bag.
- Albert Heijn advises checking the pack you’ve bought, as product information can change.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists both Lotus Biscoff XL 2P x 10, with ten bags of two biscuits, and a regular 250 g pack containing around 32 biscuits.
- The two sizes show the difference between sealed pairs and biscuits you portion out yourself.
- With the regular pack, you’ll need to put the portions together yourself.
Lidl
Lidl lists biscuits for sharing in farmyard mix and smiley-face varieties, in 180 or 300 g packs.
- These are another type of product to consider if you’re looking for biscuits to hand out.
- Check the pack to see how many portions it contains, and which ingredients and allergens apply.
ALDI
ALDI lists six individually wrapped Goud Gebakken koekhappers and Biscotto chocolate biscuits that come in pairs.
- Both examples come in packs with countable units.
- Koekhappers and chocolate biscuits are different products, so compare the amount in each unit as well as the label.
Biscuit packs at Joybuy
These biscuit packs are worth considering if you’re planning portions for a children’s party or want to keep biscuits separate to take with you. For each product, check how many portions you can actually hand out; the weight or number of packs won’t always tell you.
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Hellema Smoeltjes Speculaas, 8 biscuits, 200 g
Consider these speculoos biscuits if you’re looking for smaller treats to hand out. Check how many biscuits you want to give each child and how the eight biscuits are divided in the pack.
If there are any allergies, check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you’ve bought before handing them out.
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LU Scholiertje milk chocolate biscuits, 150 g
If you want to hand these biscuits out individually, check the pack to see how many separate portions it contains and how many biscuits are in each one.
If there are any allergies, check the choice with the parents or carers concerned and read the current label.
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Oreo Raspberry & Blueberry Flavor sandwich biscuits, 97 g (2 packs)
The two separate packs could work well if you want to take the biscuits with you or portion them out separately. Check how many biscuits are in each pack before planning portions for several children.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack before handing them out.
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Ulker Halley Mini Biscuit, 3 × 77 g
This pack of three is worth considering if you want to spread the biscuits across several occasions. Check how many biscuits are in each pack and how they’re packaged before deciding on portions for each child.
If there are any dietary requirements or allergies, check the label on the pack you’ve bought.
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Hershey Cookie n Creme Rounds, 10 × 96 g
If you’re considering this size for a group, check how the 96 g units are packed and how many portions you can make from them. Don’t rely on the number of units alone to work out how much each child will get.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before handing out the biscuits.
Frequently asked questions
Should I ask about allergies before a children’s party?
Yes. Before you buy, ask about any allergies or other dietary requirements. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends doing this when providing treats. Then check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you’ll be handing out.
What’s better for lunchboxes: a large pack or sealed portions?
Sealed portions are better if you want to keep biscuits separate to take with you after the party. A large pack lets you decide how much to give each child, but you’ll need to store the rest once it’s opened. Either way, check how many biscuits each child will get.
Can I always hand out biscuits at school?
No. Ask the school or after-school club in advance what their rules are about treats. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, some settings choose to celebrate without edible treats.
Are vegan biscuits suitable for children with food allergies?
Not necessarily: a vegan label doesn’t tell you which allergens may be an issue for a particular child. Ask about the specific allergy and read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.