Choose a compact pack of biscuits if you mainly want something to take with you on your journey. For a gift, a box of chocolates or individual chocolates is a better choice when presentation and sharing matter. Schiphol lists Albert Heijn and Coco & Sebas on Plaza, before security, while Chocolate House is in Lounge 1, after security. Choose according to your route, and check the label if you’re buying a gift.
If you want to give someone a gift rather than simply take a snack with you, look for a boxed selection of chocolates, individual chocolates or a gift set. Schiphol lists Coco & Sebas on Plaza and Chocolate House in Lounge 1. Their locations determine whether you can buy your gift before or after security.
A compact pack of dry biscuits is easier to choose and carry than a product with a spreadable filling. According to Schiphol, Albert Heijn on Plaza is accessible to both visitors and passengers, before security.
Individually wrapped portions are handy if you don’t want to open a whole pack at once. For example, Albert Heijn describes a Lotus Biscoff chocolate variety containing six packs of three biscuits each. If you’re sharing, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging too.
First decide whether you’re looking for a gift or a snack, and whether you want to shop before or after security. Then check the packaging, contents and label.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gift presentation | Check whether it’s a sealed gift box or a selection to share, and make sure the box is in good condition. | If I want to give someone something when I arrive, the packaging and the option to share matter more to me than a small snack-sized pack. Around 50% of consumers prioritise the gift when making this choice. |
| Quick to take with you | Check where the shop is and whether the contents are dry and solid or spreadable. | When I’m short on time before departure, I want to buy something that fits in my hand luggage without having to look for another shop. For around 30% of consumers, convenience comes first. |
| Portions and allergens | Check how the portions are packaged, and read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying. | If I want to hand out biscuits or chocolates, I want to know how the portions are packaged and whether they’re suitable for the people receiving them. This matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
A jar of spread doesn’t fall under the same hand-luggage rules as dry biscuits or solid chocolate. Schiphol includes spreads, gels and creams in its liquids rules.
If you’re taking a spreadable product through security, check the pack size and Schiphol’s current hand-luggage rules before you travel. A sealed pack of dry biscuits avoids this particular liquids restriction.
A chocolate gift you see online at a supermarket may not be available in the same version at its Schiphol branch. This can be particularly inconvenient if you’re short on time before departure.
At Schiphol, look for a gift with legible labelling and packaging that’s in good condition, or arrange a specific gift before you travel.
A box of assorted biscuits or chocolates may contain ingredients that the recipient needs to avoid. The product name or the front of the box doesn’t always tell you enough.
If necessary, ask about allergies in advance and check the allergen information on the pack you’re actually buying.
The rules for taking food in your hand luggage don’t automatically tell you what you’re allowed to bring into your destination. The European Commission also advises travellers to check the local rules in their country of departure, transit and arrival.
Before travelling internationally, check the official customs information for your destination and any transit countries.
A biscuit option if you’re after a compact snack rather than a box of chocolates.
A supermarket on Schiphol Plaza for anyone who wants to buy food before security.
An option for looking for chocolate biscuits or chocolate gifts before your journey.
A shop to consider if you want to pick up biscuits or chocolate before your trip to Schiphol.
A chocolate shop on Schiphol Plaza where you can choose a gift before security.
These products give you a few options to choose from before you travel: chocolate as a gift or to share, and chocolate biscuits as a snack. If you’d rather buy something at Schiphol, check what’s available at a shop along your route.
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A chocolate gift for anyone who wants to take a gift pack rather than biscuits. The pack contains 288 g; check the label for ingredients and allergen information before giving it to someone.
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A chocolate collection for anyone looking for a smaller token gift. The pack contains 125 g; check the label before giving it, especially if the recipient has allergies.
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An option for anyone looking for a chocolate snack with pistachio rather than a gift selection. The title states 10x12.5g; check the packaging for ingredients, allergens and how the portions are wrapped.
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A chocolate selection to share. The pack contains 143 g; check the packaging to see which chocolates it includes and which allergens are listed.
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Chocolate biscuits for anyone who’d rather take a snack than a box of chocolates. The pack contains 150 g; check the label if you’re buying them for someone else.
Yes. Dry biscuits and solid chocolate aren’t covered by the liquids rules Schiphol describes for spreadable foods. Keep the products securely packaged, and for international travel, also check the import rules for your destination and any transit countries.
No. Schiphol includes spreads and creams in its liquids rules. According to Schiphol, each container can hold a maximum of 100 ml, and all containers must fit in one transparent, resealable 1-litre bag. Check the current rules if you want to take a spreadable product with you.
Before security, you can visit Albert Heijn on Plaza or Coco & Sebas, which Schiphol says also sells gift sets. Chocolate House is in Lounge 1, after security. Choose a shop along your route and check which boxes are available when you get there.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying. This is especially important with a selection or chocolate biscuits: the outside doesn’t always show which ingredients are in each item.
