Who is this choice relevant to?

An older coffee drinker with coeliac disease

Wants to choose a chocolate biscuit to enjoy with coffee, and checks the gluten-free label on the current packaging first. Other allergens need to be considered separately.

A coffee guest who avoids gluten and lactose

Also needs a lactose-free option. ‘Gluten-free’ and ‘lactose-free’ answer different questions, so check the ingredients and other allergens for each biscuit.

A senior keeping an eye on portion sizes

Wants to enjoy a biscuit as a treat within their overall diet, so compares portion size and nutritional information, including sugars, saturated fat and fibre.

What should you look for when choosing?

For someone with coeliac disease, ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging is the first requirement. Other allergens, the preferred portion size and what’s available will then help you choose a chocolate biscuit to serve with coffee.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free label Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and read the ingredients list. According to EUR-Lex, the EU gluten-free claim is linked to a limit of 20 mg/kg of gluten in the finished product. If I’m taking a biscuit for someone with coeliac disease, I need to see a clear gluten-free label before I even consider the flavour. Around 39% of consumers say this label is their top priority when buying.
Nutritional information and portion size Compare the portion size and nutritional information per 100 g and, where provided, per portion; check sugars, saturated fat and fibre. When serving a treat with coffee, I want to know how many biscuits make up a portion and how that fits in with the rest of the food being served. This is the main consideration for around 23% of consumers.
Other allergens and lactose Read the ingredients and allergen information; check for a lactose-free label separately from ‘gluten-free’. If my coffee guest needs to avoid another ingredient as well as gluten, a gluten-free chocolate biscuit may still not be suitable. This additional restriction is the main consideration for around 23% of consumers after the gluten-free requirement.
Availability Check the current in-store or online range and the packaging of the specific product. When I’m shopping for a planned coffee get-together, I want to know whether the biscuit I’ve chosen is available, without having to switch to a standard alternative. Around 15% of consumers give this practical consideration top priority alongside the gluten-free requirement.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a familiar coffee biscuit is gluten-free

    Serving a biscuit with coffee says nothing about its gluten content. Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists wheat flour and gluten as an allergen present in Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos.

    If you have coeliac disease, start by checking the gluten-free label on the packaging. Only then decide which chocolate biscuit you’d like to serve.

  • Not checking the allergens after seeing ‘gluten-free’

    According to product information from Albert Heijn, Verkade and Jumbo, the gluten-free chocolate biscuits mentioned contain a range of other ingredients and allergens, including milk, egg, oats, soya or hazelnut.

    Check the current ingredients and allergen information every time you buy, especially if a guest has another dietary restriction.

  • Confusing gluten-free with a nutritional claim

    The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you everything about a product’s nutritional value. The Voedingscentrum points out that snacks can contain a lot of sugar or saturated fat.

    Compare the nutritional information and consider the portion size as well as the rest of your diet.

  • Relying on a range you saw before

    A product range page doesn’t tell you which packaging will be in store on your next visit. For someone with coeliac disease, a standard chocolate biscuit isn’t an obvious alternative.

    Check the current range shortly before buying, and read the packaging of the product you actually choose.

Brands and shops to consider

Verkade

Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties melkchocolade is an oat biscuit with a milk chocolate coating, which Verkade and Albert Heijn describe as gluten-free.

  • The listed pack contains 150 g; product information states that it contains 25% milk chocolate and 4.8 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The biscuit contains oats, milk and soya, and may contain nuts. Check that these ingredients are suitable for your coffee guest.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Chocolate chip cookies and also stocks Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties melkchocolade.

  • According to Albert Heijn, AH Chocolate chip cookies are made in a completely gluten-free environment.
  • According to the product information, AH biscuits contain ingredients including egg, milk/lactose and hazelnut; check the current packaging.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade and also includes Cereal Glutenvrije & Lactosevrije Chocoladekoekjes in its range.

  • Jumbo describes the digestives as gluten-free biscuits with milk chocolate; the Cereal product may be relevant if you also need a lactose-free option.
  • According to Jumbo, the digestives contain milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts. Check the full packaging information for the Cereal biscuits separately.

Lotus

Lotus Biscoff is a familiar biscuit to enjoy with coffee, but Original Speculoos doesn’t meet the gluten-free requirement for this coffee occasion.

  • Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists wheat flour and identifies gluten as an allergen present.

Lidl

When choosing a biscuit at Lidl, check the specific chocolate biscuit rather than relying on a general label for its gluten-free range.

  • Check the current range and look for the gluten-free label on the packaging before choosing a biscuit for someone with coeliac disease.

Aldi

Aldi lists chocolate biscuits and, separately, gluten-free coconut rings. Coconut rings are not the same product as gluten-free chocolate biscuits.

  • Check any chocolate biscuit separately using its current packaging; don’t assume that the gluten-free label on another product applies to it.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone with coeliac disease eat a standard coffee biscuit if ‘wheat’ isn’t in the name?

Don’t judge by the product name. Check whether the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. For example, according to Lotus Bakeries Nederland, Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos contains wheat flour and has gluten as an allergen present.

Are gluten-free chocolate biscuits also free from milk and nuts?

No. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you anything about those other ingredients. According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Chocolate chip cookies contain ingredients including milk/lactose and hazelnut; according to Verkade, Oaties melkchocolade contains milk and may contain nuts. Check the allergen information on the current packaging.

How should I store opened chocolate biscuits until the next coffee break?

Follow the storage advice for the product you’ve chosen. Verkade recommends keeping Oaties in a cool, dry place and closing the packaging after opening; Jumbo advises storing its gluten-free chocolate digestives in a cool, dry, dark place.

Does being gluten-free make a chocolate biscuit suitable as an everyday snack?

The gluten-free label alone doesn’t answer that question: it doesn’t describe the product’s overall nutritional value. The Voedingscentrum points out that snacks can contain a lot of sugar or saturated fat. So compare the nutritional information per portion and consider the biscuit as part of your overall diet.