Choose individually wrapped portions if you’re serving biscuits to a small or changing group and want to keep unopened portions separate. For several guests at once, a larger pack of individual biscuits gives you more flexibility when serving. When serving coffee to older guests, also check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information. If anyone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, choosing a suitable biscuit matters more than the packaging.
If the number of guests varies, you’ll want to serve biscuits without opening more packs than necessary. Individually wrapped portions and a larger pack of individual biscuits each call for a different approach to serving.
As well as pack size, ingredients, allergens and nutritional information can influence your choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking, among other things, added sugars, salt and saturated fat in snacks.
A multipack won’t solve difficulties with chewing or swallowing. Thuisarts explains that modified food and drink may be an option for people with swallowing difficulties, and advises contacting a GP if swallowing is difficult.
First decide whether you want to serve set portions or fill a plate yourself. Then check the label, and if you know someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, don’t rely on pack size alone.
Best for: a small or changing group, as you can portion biscuits in advance and keep unopened packs separate. Jumbo lists a Lotus Biscoff XL pack as containing 10 bags, each with 2 biscuits.
Consider: a sealed twin portion gives you less flexibility if you only want to serve one biscuit.
Best for: several guests at once, as you can decide how many biscuits to put out. Albert Heijn lists approximately 32 biscuits for a specific Lotus Biscoff 2-pack.
Consider: once opened, you’ll need to store the rest properly and decide how many to serve.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and unopened packs | Count the packs and the biscuits in each one; a 2-pack bundle isn’t automatically divided into twin portions. | If I’m only having a few people over, I want to be able to put the rest away unopened. For around 33% of consumers, portioning is the main consideration. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the exact variety; compare values per 100 g or per portion on the same basis. | If I have a known food allergy or am choosing snacks carefully, I don’t want to rely on a claim on the front of the pack alone. Around 25% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
| Flexible serving | Compare the total number of biscuits with the number of guests, and think about how you’ll store an opened pack. | For a full coffee table, I’d rather fill the plate myself than open a set of two for everyone. This flexibility is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Chewing and swallowing | Check whether anyone has known difficulties with chewing or swallowing; if they have swallowing difficulties, follow individual advice on suitable foods. | If someone has difficulty swallowing, I want to know what food is suitable for them first. For around 17% of consumers, this comes before pack size. |
Two packs sold together don’t tell you how many biscuits are individually wrapped. That makes a difference if you want to serve sealed portions.
Check the product description for the number of bags and biscuits in each bag, rather than relying on ‘2-pack’ alone.
A claim about one nutritional feature doesn’t tell you everything else in a biscuit. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also recommends checking added sugars, salt and saturated fat in snacks.
Check the ingredients list and nutritional information for the exact variety before comparing products.
If someone has difficulty swallowing, a smaller pack won’t solve the problem. Thuisarts explains that modified food and drink may be needed.
If someone has swallowing difficulties, ask for appropriate professional advice before serving a crunchy biscuit.
For someone with a food allergy, it’s the ingredients in the pack you’re actually serving that matter. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses the importance of clear allergen information on labels.
Check the label on the exact variety before serving, even if you’re familiar with the brand.
The examples below show the types of packaging you may come across; they’re not a comparison of brand quality.
Examples of speculoos biscuits in both twin portions and a larger 2-pack.
Retailer with product information on different Lotus Biscoff packs.
Retailer with information on Lotus Biscoff portion packs.
Lidl’s biscuit range; Lidl also lists vegan options within the range.
ALDI’s own brand, with examples of biscuits packed in pairs and a larger pack of coffee biscuits.
These products offer different pack sizes for biscuits or wafers to enjoy with coffee. A wafer isn’t the same as a regular biscuit, so first decide which type of product you want to serve, then check the portion packaging and the label.
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A speculoos option if you’re serving biscuits at a small coffee get-together. The product name lists 8 pieces and 200 g; check the pack if the number of individual portions is important to your choice.
If you have allergies, read the current label. If you have difficulty chewing or swallowing, first find out what food is suitable for the person concerned.
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Three 77 g packs may be useful if you want to spread biscuits across different coffee occasions. Before deciding how many to serve each guest, check how many biscuits and individual portions are in each pack.
If you have allergies, check the label on the exact pack. Pack size says nothing about whether the biscuits are suitable for someone with difficulty chewing or swallowing.
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A wafer option if you want to be able to serve several 27 g portions; the product name lists 12 × 27 g. If you want to serve sealed portions, check how the wafers are divided within the pack.
A wafer isn’t a regular biscuit. If you have allergies, read the current label, and if you have difficulty chewing or swallowing, ask for appropriate advice first.
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Two separate packs may suit a coffee occasion where you want to spread the biscuits across two sittings. The product name lists 97 g in total; if you want to serve set portions, check how many biscuits are in each pack.
If you have allergies, read the current label. As with any biscuits, check what’s suitable for the person concerned if they have difficulty chewing or swallowing.
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A wafer option if you’re considering serving something different from biscuits with coffee. The product name lists 180 g; check the number of individual packs and the quantity in each before planning portions.
Compare the ingredients and allergens on the current label. If someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, don’t choose based on pack size alone.
No. Individually wrapped portions are handy if you’re serving only a few biscuits at a time or want to keep unopened portions separate. If you have several guests, you can fill the plate yourself with loose biscuits. Check how many biscuits are actually in each pack.
No. A claim like that doesn’t describe the biscuit’s full composition. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also advises checking added sugars, salt and saturated fat in snacks, so compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variety.
Check the label on the pack you’re going to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods. If you have a food allergy, don’t rely on the brand name or a previous pack alone.
Don’t assume they are without individual advice. Thuisarts says that modified food and drink can help with swallowing difficulties and advises contacting a GP if swallowing is difficult. Don’t try to solve swallowing difficulties by choosing a different biscuit size on your own.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack and seal it well once opened. For one biscuit product, Jumbo recommends storing it in a dry place away from heat; check the label of the product you buy for its specific instructions.
