Night-shift workers looking for a sweet treat to take with them
You want a biscuit for a planned treat, without it quietly taking the place of a meal.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shoppers who need to avoid gluten
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and you also check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
Colleagues looking to share or give chocolate as a gift
You’re looking for something to share at work or a small gift. A chocolate assortment may be better suited to that than a pack of biscuits for yourself.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a treat for yourself, something to eat at mealtime or chocolate to share. Then compare products of the same type: a box of chocolates isn’t the same as a pack of chocolate biscuits.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Planned sweet treat | Check the number of biscuits or portions, and compare sugars and saturated fat per 100 g. Also think about how many you’ll actually take with you. | If I want to plan one sweet treat during my shift, I want to know in advance how many biscuits I’ll take. Around 31% of consumers make this specific treat their priority. |
| Something to eat at mealtime | Decide whether you’re looking for a treat or food to last you through a longer part of your shift. Don’t compare a biscuit only on its chocolate flavour with what else you’d take for that mealtime. | If I still need to plan a meal, I don’t want to rely on biscuits alone; Albert Heijn Leefstijl warns that biscuits or sweets can lead to an energy dip. This need comes first for around 38% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and warnings about possible traces. Check a gluten-free label separately from information about other allergens. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the label must suit my own requirements, even if it says gluten-free. This is the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Sharing or giving as a gift | First choose between biscuits and a chocolate assortment. Then check the quantity, allergens and shelf life of the pack you’ve chosen. | For sharing or giving as a gift, I’m more likely to look for chocolates to hand around than biscuits for one shift. Around 8% of consumers give this goal top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Buying biscuits to replace a meal
A chocolate biscuit can be a treat, but it isn’t the same as food to keep you going through a longer part of your shift. Albert Heijn Leefstijl warns that biscuits or sweets can lead to an energy dip during night shifts.
Plan a biscuit break separately from your meals and decide in advance how many you want to take with you.
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Assuming gluten-free means free from all allergens
Verkade Oaties Milk Chocolate is described as gluten-free, but it also lists milk, oats and soya; the product information also mentions possible traces of nuts.
Read the full ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging, not just the gluten-free label.
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Treating a box of chocolates and biscuits as the same thing
Bonbons, chocolate assortments and chocolate biscuits are made for different occasions. The pack you want to put out for colleagues may not be right for a planned biscuit break for yourself.
First decide whether you want an individual treat, something to share or a gift; then compare products within that category.
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Relying only on the online ingredients list
Albert Heijn points out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change. This is especially important if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
Before eating, check the label on the pack you’ve actually received.
Brands to consider
Verkade
Oaties Milk Chocolate is a chocolate biscuit to consider if you’re specifically looking for a gluten-free label.
- Verkade describes these Oaties as gluten-free and lists gluten-free oat flakes and 25% milk chocolate.
- The product information also lists milk, oats and soya, and possible traces of nuts. Check that the current packaging suits your requirements.
Lotus Biscoff
The range includes speculoos biscuits with chocolate; the variant described combines speculoos with dark chocolate in a pack of 7 × 3 biscuits.
- The product type and packaging make it clear what you’re choosing if you’re specifically looking for speculoos with chocolate.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for the variant you choose, including wheat, milk and soya.
Jumbo
The range includes chocolate biscuits and, as a separate product category, chocolates to share or give as a gift.
- According to the product information, Jumbo Dark Chocolate Biscuits contains nine portions per pack.
- This biscuit product lists gluten, milk and soya, and possible traces of nuts. Check the label of the product you choose.
Products for a treat or sharing
For a planned sweet treat, this selection includes chocolate biscuits and a chocolate wafer; the chocolate assortments are suited to sharing or giving as a gift. They’re different types of product, so decide how you’ll use them first, then check the packaging.
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Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
A pack of chocolate biscuits for a planned treat during your shift.
Contents: 150 g. Check the pack to see how many biscuits you want to take, and check the ingredients if you need to avoid allergens.
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Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g
A chocolate biscuit to consider if you need an explicit gluten-free label.
Contents: 150 g. Verkade lists gluten-free oat flakes and 25% milk chocolate. The product information lists milk, oats and soya, and possible traces of nuts; check the current label.
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Celebrations Chocolate Assorted, 385 g
A chocolate assortment for sharing or giving as a gift, rather than a pack of chocolate biscuits for one shift.
Contents: 385 g. Check the ingredients in the assortment and use the packaging to work out how much you want to hand around.
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KitKat Gold Wafer Chocolate Salted Caramel Flavor, 9 pieces
A chocolate wafer for anyone who wants to choose individual pieces as a sweet treat; this isn’t a classic chocolate biscuit.
The pack contains 9 pieces. Compare nutritional values with other snacks on the same basis, and check the label if you have allergies.
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Merci Petits Chocolate Collection, 125 g
A chocolate collection for a small gift or sharing, rather than a pack of chocolate biscuits.
Contents: 125 g. Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before sharing the chocolates.
Frequently asked questions
Can chocolate biscuits replace a meal during a night shift?
No. Choose chocolate biscuits as a treat and plan a meal separately. In its night-shift advice, Albert Heijn Leefstijl warns that biscuits or sweets can lead to an energy dip.
How do I compare packs with different numbers of biscuits?
First compare the nutritional values per 100 g on the label, then consider how much you actually want to eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the per-100 g figures to compare pre-packed products.
Is a gluten-free chocolate biscuit also free from other allergens?
No. A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a product is free from all other allergens. Verkade Oaties Milk Chocolate lists milk, oats and soya, and the product information mentions possible traces of nuts, so check the current label.
Can I rely on online product information if I have allergies?
Use it to help you decide, but also check the packaging you receive. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients and allergy information can change.