For a filled lunch in a university canteen, choose toast, a cracker or crispbread to suit the way you plan to serve it. A digestive biscuit is for a different occasion; then compare the ingredients, fibre, sugars, salt, allergens and portion sizes on the label within your chosen product category.
If you’re looking for a crisp base to serve with toppings, consider toast, crackers and crispbread. A digestive biscuit is for serving with coffee or tea, so it isn’t a direct substitute for a lunch base that can be topped.
Compare products within your chosen category, checking for the ‘wholegrain’ label and the fibre content in the nutritional information. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast, crackers and biscuits can only be labelled ‘wholegrain’ if they are made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the exact pack, even if a product is labelled gluten-free. For example, Albert Heijn’s product information lists soya and possible traces of egg and lupin for Schär Digestive Landtaler.
For a university canteen lunch, first decide whether you want a base that can be topped or a biscuit to serve with coffee or tea. Then compare products that serve the same purpose, paying attention to the label and how you plan to serve them.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Product purpose | Check whether it’s toast, a cracker, crispbread or a biscuit, and whether you plan to add toppings or serve it plain. | For a filled lunch, I want a base I can serve with toppings, not a biscuit to go with coffee. This is the main consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Look for the ‘wholegrain’ label and compare fibre per 100 g and per portion. | If wholegrain is my top priority, I want to be able to identify it on the pack and compare the fibre content. This is the most important consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the allergen declaration for the exact variant, including any ‘may contain’ statements. | If the product needs to meet a gluten or allergen requirement, I want to know which ingredients and possible traces are listed before serving it. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Portions and packaging | Compare the net weight, the number of pieces or individual packs, and the storage instructions. | If I’m serving individual portions, I want to know how many portions are in a pack and how to store the rest. Around 14% of consumers prioritise these practical considerations. |
A biscuit to go with coffee or tea doesn’t automatically serve the same purpose as toast or a cracker with toppings. This could leave you with a pack that isn’t suitable for the lunch you’re planning to serve.
Before you buy, decide whether you need a base for toppings, a side or a plain biscuit. Then compare options within that product category.
The product name doesn’t mean the same as the label ‘wholegrain’. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast, crackers and biscuits can only be called wholegrain if they are made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Check the wording on the pack, then read the ingredients and fibre content per 100 g.
Fibre doesn’t tell you how much sugar or salt a product contains. For example, Jumbo lists 5.8 g of fibre, 19.3 g of sugars and 1.15 g of salt per 100 g for Digestive Volkoren; Albert Heijn lists 9.7 g of fibre and 1.9 g of salt per 100 g for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Volkoren. These are different types of product, too.
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g within the same product category, then consider what they mean for the portion you plan to serve.
A gluten-free biscuit may contain other allergens. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Schär Digestive Landtaler contains soya and may contain egg and lupin.
For every exact variant, check both the allergens it contains and any ‘may contain’ statements on the current pack.
These brands illustrate different product purposes. When making your final choice, always compare the specific variant rather than relying on the brand name alone.
Melba toast as a base for toppings; the Melba Toast Volkoren variant has its own ingredients and nutritional values.
The range includes toast and a separate Digestive Volkoren product; don’t compare them as if they served the same purpose at lunch.
An ALDI brand offering products including crackers and crispbread as possible bases for toppings.
An ALDI brand offering products including toast, Melba toast and mini crackers.
A relevant option for a separate gluten-free biscuit choice, not a substitute for toast that can be topped.
No. A digestive is a biscuit, while toast, crackers and crispbread are different types of product that you can choose as a base for toppings. Before buying, decide whether you need a lunch base or a biscuit to go with coffee or tea.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast, crackers and biscuits can only be labelled ‘wholegrain’ if they are made from 100% wholemeal flour. If the pack only says ‘made with wholemeal flour’, read the ingredients to see what that means for the variant you’ve chosen.
No, the name alone doesn’t tell you the fibre content. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 0.5 g of fibre for one 15 g digestive biscuit; check the nutritional information on the pack for the value of a specific variant.
Before serving, read the allergen declaration on the exact pack, including any ‘may contain’ statements. For example, Albert Heijn’s product information lists cereals containing gluten, sesame and soya for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Volkoren; for Schär Digestive Landtaler, it lists soya and possible traces of egg and lupin.
