Choose chocolate biscuits for a Christmas party based on the number of guests, the actual pack contents and how you plan to serve them; the words ‘family pack’ alone don’t tell you much about the quantity. If you want to offer a choice, check which varieties are actually in the pack. If anyone has allergies or other dietary requirements, check the current packaging for each product before serving.
If you’re expecting several guests, check the net weight and the number of biscuits. Lotus Biscoff lists its chocolate-covered speculoos as 3 × 7 biscuits; ALDI gives the quantities for two Biscotto products as 20 biscuits and around 30 biscuits respectively. This helps you compare the amount with your guest list.
If you need more than one pack, it helps to compare the weight, number of biscuits and any individual wrappers. This will help you work out how many biscuits you can put out and whether the quantity you’ve chosen is right for the expected number of guests.
If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, the current information on each individual pack matters more than the brand name. Check the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings again before serving the biscuits.
First decide how many biscuits you want to offer, then think about how you’d like to present them, and finally check that the products you’ve chosen meet your guests’ dietary requirements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Check the net weight and number of biscuits; work out how many you’d like to offer each guest. | If I want to put out a full biscuit tin for several guests, I need to know how many biscuits are in the pack. Having enough in the pack is the top priority for around 34% of consumers. |
| Variety and serving | Check which chocolate varieties are in the pack and whether there are individual wrappers. | If guests have different tastes, I want to choose what goes on the plate. Variety and convenient packaging are the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the specific pack. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in each product before serving it. Checking this is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
That description doesn’t tell you how many biscuits you can serve. Lotus Biscoff lists its chocolate-covered speculoos as 21 biscuits, split across three packs; ALDI says its Biscotto Sprenkeltjes contains around 30 biscuits in 400 g.
Match the number of biscuits or net weight to the number of guests you expect and how many you’d like to offer each person.
Chocolate biscuits from different brands contain different ingredients. For example, a gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk or soya.
Ask which ingredients your guests need to avoid and read the allergen information on each pack before serving.
Albert Heijn says that product information for its chocolate biscuits may change. Lidl directs shoppers to the packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for its food products.
Also check the best-before date and storage instructions on the pack you buy.
Verkade Oaties Milk Chocolate is worth considering if you’re specifically looking for an oat biscuit labelled gluten-free and covered in milk chocolate.
Lotus Chocolate Speculoos offers a familiar speculoos flavour in three packs of seven biscuits.
AH Chocolate Biscuits come in a 150 g pack of mini letter biscuits with a milk chocolate coating on the back.
Jumbo’s range of chocolate biscuits includes packs in different weights to compare.
Lidl describes Sondey as a brand offering a range of cookies and biscuits.
Two Biscotto products can help you plan how many biscuits to buy for a group.
These products offer a range of quantities and flavours for your biscuit tin or to share with guests. Compare the stated pack contents with your guest list, and always check the packaging if anyone has dietary requirements.
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A milk chocolate option for your biscuit plate. The pack contains 150 g; if you’re planning for a specific number of guests, check the total number of biscuits, and read the current label if anyone has allergies.
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A relevant choice if you’re specifically looking for an oat biscuit labelled gluten-free. This pack contains 150 g. Verkade also lists milk chocolate and soya lecithin for Oaties Milk Chocolate; check the gluten-free claim, all allergens and the number of biscuits on the pack you’re serving.
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A biscuit treat with pistachio paste and milk chocolate, ideal for serving as individual portions. The title states 10 × 12.5 g; check whether that quantity will suit your guests. As it contains pistachio and may contain other allergens, check the full information on the packaging.
Use the stated number of biscuits and decide how many you’d like to offer each guest. Lotus Biscoff lists 3 × 7 biscuits for Chocolate Speculoos; ALDI lists 20 biscuits for Biscotto Chocolate Biscuits and around 30 for Biscotto Sprenkeltjes. If a pack only gives its weight, you can’t assume it contains the same number of biscuits.
Not necessarily: check the current packaging for every relevant allergy. For Oaties Milk Chocolate, Verkade lists gluten-free oats as well as milk chocolate and soya lecithin. A gluten-free claim doesn’t replace the need to check for other ingredients and allergens.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the product you choose. For AH Chocolate Biscuits, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a cool, dark and dry place and putting them in a sealed tin after opening; also check the date on your own pack.
Use the product page to explore your options, but if dietary requirements are important, check the label on the pack you’re actually serving. Albert Heijn says that ingredients and allergen information may change; the NVWA stresses the importance of accurate labelling for safe use.
