For lunchboxes or days out, choose a pack with individual portions if you want to portion out biscuits in advance. A larger pack is better for sharing at home, provided you serve out portions yourself and store the rest after opening. Whatever the pack size, check the latest label for ingredients and allergens; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that children should not have too many sweet snacks such as biscuits, or have them too often.
If you want to set something aside for each child or snack time, look for sealed twin or triple packs. Jumbo, Lotus Bakeries Netherlands and ALDI Netherlands, among others, list this type of inner packaging for specific products.
If you have several snack times at home, you can serve biscuits from a larger pack yourself. Store the rest according to the instructions on the pack; a bulk pack does not automatically give you sealed portions to take out and about.
If someone in your group needs to avoid certain ingredients, the label for the specific product matters more than the pack size. Check both the listed allergens and any warnings about possible traces.
First decide whether you need sealed portions for when you're out and about or can serve them yourself at home. Then check the contents per portion and the label for your chosen biscuits.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions for when you're out | Count the individual packs and the biscuits in each one, for example 5 × 2 or 7 × 3 biscuits. | For a lunchbox or picnic, I want to take sealed portions without having to serve them out on the spot. Having portions pre-packed is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| A supply to share at home | Check the net weight, any stated portion size and whether the pack contains individual packs. | If we eat biscuits at home at different times, I'd rather serve them myself from a larger pack. Around 25% of consumers say sharing at home comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest label for the exact product, including listed allergens and warnings about possible traces. | If someone needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what's in these biscuits before buying them. Checking this is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Planned treat | Think about when you'll take the biscuits with you, rather than packing a portion for every snack time. | During the holidays, I want to serve biscuits as an occasional treat, not at every snack time. Planning a treat like this is the top priority for around 17% of consumers. |
A stated portion size does not mean the biscuits are individually wrapped. For a day out, you may need to portion them out yourself.
Look on the pack for the number of inner packs, such as 5 × 2 biscuits, 7 × 3 biscuits or ‘packed in pairs’.
Ingredients and warnings can vary between product varieties. For example, Verkade lists possible traces of hazelnuts, pistachios and sesame seeds, among other things, for Tops; this does not automatically apply to every Verkade pack.
Read the latest label for the exact product you are buying, even if you have bought another product from the same brand before.
An inner pack makes it easier to serve portions, but it does not change the type of snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that children should not have too many sweet snacks such as biscuits, or have them too often.
Save chocolate biscuits for a planned treat and alternate snack times with options such as fruit or vegetables.
ALDI Netherlands warns that special buys can sell out quickly; Lidl Netherlands lists Sondey Choco biscuits milk as available in store.
Check the current range if you're relying on a particular pack size for a day out.
Jumbo lists Verkade Lange Nekken milk chocolate biscuits in a pack of 5 × 2.
Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists Biscoff speculoos biscuits with dark chocolate in a pack of 7 × 3.
Albert Heijn lists AH sugared biscuits with dark chocolate in a 400 g pack, with 30 portions of 13 g.
ALDI Netherlands lists Biscotto chocolate biscuits in a pack of 20, weighing 250 g, packed in pairs.
Lidl Netherlands lists Sondey Choco biscuits milk in a 125 g pack.
These Joybuy products are for anyone who wants to portion out biscuits or chocolate wafers in advance for a lunchbox or day out. Chocolate wafers are not the same as chocolate biscuits, so compare the product type and the contents per pack too.
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An option if you want to serve individually wrapped chocolate wafers rather than biscuits.
284 g bag. Check the contents and allergens on the latest packaging.
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A good choice for a day out if two biscuits per snack time is the portion you want to take with you.
Jumbo lists this pack as 5 × 2. Check the latest label for ingredients and allergens.
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For anyone who wants to share out strawberry-flavoured chocolate wafers rather than chocolate biscuits.
Pack of 9, weighing 104.4 g. Check the inner packaging and the latest ingredients label before planning portions.
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The stated twin pack could work if you want to serve two biscuits at a time.
150 g pack. If you're buying for a set number of snack times, check how many twin packs it contains, and read the latest label for allergens.
It's best not to make them an everyday choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that children should not have too many sweet snacks such as biscuits, or have them too often, and suggests vegetables and fruit as snack options.
Check how many biscuits are in each sealed inner pack and decide whether that suits your planned snack time. Jumbo lists Verkade Lange Nekken as 5 × 2, while Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists Biscoff with chocolate as 7 × 3.
Check the allergens and any warnings about possible traces on the latest label for the variety you choose. For Biscoff with chocolate, Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists wheat, milk and soya, among other ingredients; the ingredients may differ in other products.
Check the policy of the school or childcare setting first. The Association for Public Education says that schools must inform parents about their treat policy; this can vary from one school to another.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging for your chosen product. For AH sugared biscuits with dark chocolate, Albert Heijn advises storing them somewhere cool, dark and dry, and putting them in a sealed tin after opening.
