Travellers who want to open one pack and share
If you want to enjoy biscuits with a small group when you set off or during your journey, a pack of loose biscuits lets you share from one pack. Check the number of biscuits, not just the weight.
Which type of pack works best for you?
Groups who want to split portions in advance
If your travel companions want to eat at different times, you can hand out small, individually wrapped portions without opening the same pack each time. Check how many individual packs are actually included.
Travellers who need to check ingredients
If you’re buying for someone who avoids certain ingredients, read the label on the exact product before sharing. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the rules on declaring allergens on prepacked foods. A vegan label doesn’t replace this check.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’ll be sharing one pack or setting portions aside for later. Then compare the number of biscuits or portions and check the label on the pack you’re buying.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing on the go | Check whether the biscuits are loose in one pack or come in individual wrappers. Count the wrappers if you want to hand out portions in advance. | If my travel companions aren’t eating at the same time, I want to hand out biscuits without passing around an open pack. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| How much you need for the group | Compare the net weight with the stated number of biscuits or portions. Also think about what you’ll do with an opened pack. | When we’re eating together, I want to bring enough individual biscuits without travelling with an awkwardly large pack of leftovers. Around 33% of consumers give this quantity the highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information for the exact product. Don’t rely on the brand name or a vegan label alone. | If someone in my group needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the product before sharing it. Checking the label comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming vegan means allergen-free
A vegan label doesn’t tell you which allergens a biscuit contains. The 250 g Lotus Biscoff Speculoos biscuits listed by Jumbo are described as vegan and also contain wheat and soya.
When you buy, check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact product’s packaging, especially if you’re buying for someone else.
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Treating spreadable products like dry biscuits
Different rules apply to a jar of spread and dry biscuits at the hand luggage screening point. Schiphol classifies spreads as liquids, which must be in containers of no more than 100 ml each.
If you want to take a spreadable product in your hand luggage, check the rules for liquids before you travel rather than relying on the rules for dry biscuits.
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Comparing weight alone
Packs intended for a similar purpose can be put together very differently. Jumbo says the 250 g Lotus Biscoff Speculoos pack contains around 32 loose biscuits; the XL version described comes in 10 packs of 2 biscuits each.
So compare the number of biscuits and individual packs too. Choose an open pack to share at one time, or individually wrapped portions if you want to split them up in advance.
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Forgetting about your destination
Being allowed to take food through hand luggage screening at Schiphol doesn’t determine what you can bring into your destination. Schiphol points out that each country has its own import rules.
Before travelling internationally, check the official import rules for the country you’re visiting.
Brands worth considering
Lotus Biscoff
With this brand, you can compare a pack of loose speculoos biscuits with a version in two-biscuit portions.
- Jumbo lists around 32 biscuits in the 250 g pack and 10 packs of 2 biscuits each in the XL version.
- The versions described contain wheat and soya. Even if a product is labelled vegan, check the label when buying for someone else.
LU
LU Bastogne Original is worth a look if you’re after a pack of biscuits to share.
- Albert Heijn lists around 22 biscuits in the Bastogne Original pack described.
- Check the weight, ingredients and allergens for each LU product. Information for Bastogne Original doesn’t automatically apply to other LU biscuits.
Jumbo
Jumbo Chocolate Cookies with dark chocolate pieces are an own-brand option to compare for packaging and portion size.
- Jumbo lists a weight of 225 g and 12 portions for these chocolate cookies.
- The version described contains wheat and may contain other allergens. Read the allergen information on the pack before sharing it with a group.
Biscotto
ALDI’s own brand offers different types and pack weights of biscuits, making it a useful option if you mainly want to work out how much you need.
- ALDI lists Biscotto baker’s speculoos biscuits in a 600 g pack, among other products.
- A larger pack doesn’t tell you how many individual wrappers it contains or which allergens are in another Biscotto product. Check the specific pack you choose.
Sondey
Sondey is Lidl’s own brand, with biscuits and other baked snacks. It’s worth considering if you want to compare different packs while shopping.
- Lidl also lists vegan options in the Sondey range.
- That label doesn’t automatically apply to every Sondey product. Check the ingredients, allergens and portion format of the product you choose.
Biscuits for different sharing occasions
These Joybuy products are worth considering if you want to take biscuits to share or hand out during your journey. Check how many biscuits or portions are in each pack, and read the ingredients if you’re buying for a group.
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Lotus Biscoff Speculoos biscuits 250 g
This pack is a good fit for a group who want to share individual biscuits all at once. Jumbo lists around 32 biscuits in the 250 g version.
Before sharing, check the ingredients and allergens on the label of the pack you’ve bought. The version described contains wheat and soya.
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Hellema Smoeltjes speculoos biscuits, 8 pieces, 200 g
The stated quantity of 8 pieces can help you work out how many to hand out in advance. The pack weighs 200 g.
Check how the biscuits are wrapped and read the allergen information before sharing them with your travel companions.
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Garden coconut wafers 200 g
These wafers are another type of biscuit to consider for sharing. The stated net weight is 200 g.
If you want to hand out set portions in advance, check the number of pieces and whether there are individual wrappers in the pack. Also read the allergen information.
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LU Scholiertje biscuits with milk chocolate 150 g
These biscuits are an option if you want to take milk chocolate biscuits to share. The pack weighs 150 g.
If everyone is eating at a different time, check the number of biscuits and how they’re portioned in the pack. Read the allergen information before handing them out.
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LU Bastogne Mini biscuits 160 g
These mini biscuits are a good choice if you want to share smaller biscuits. The pack weighs 160 g.
Check the number of biscuits and the packaging format if you want to plan portions. If you’re sharing with travel companions, check the allergens on the label too.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take dry biscuits in my hand luggage from Schiphol?
Yes. Schiphol says you can take food in your hand luggage. If you’re travelling abroad, also check your destination’s import rules. Passing through hand luggage screening doesn’t determine what you’re allowed to bring into the country.
Do the liquid rules apply to biscuits too?
Not to dry biscuits, but they do apply to products classed as liquids. Schiphol includes spreads in this category and states that liquids in hand luggage must be in containers of no more than 100 ml each.
Are vegan biscuits suitable for someone with a food allergy?
Not necessarily: vegan doesn’t mean a biscuit is free from allergens. The 250 g Lotus Biscoff Speculoos biscuits described by Jumbo are labelled vegan and contain wheat and soya. So always read the label on the exact pack.
How should I store biscuits if not everyone is eating at the same time?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack and reseal it securely once opened. If you want to hand out biscuits at different times without opening the same pack each time, also compare options in individual portions.