Parents who want to divide up portions
You may want to decide in advance how many biscuits each child gets at a special treat. A stated number of biscuits or small individual packs makes them easier to share out.
Who is this choice relevant for?
Families checking for allergens
You need to check the ingredients and allergens in the exact variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked foods must appear on the label.
Families looking for a holiday treat
You may be looking for a biscuit for an occasional snack. For everyday snacks for children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends options including vegetables and fruit.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how you want to hand out the biscuits, then check that the variety you’ve chosen is suitable for any allergies. After that, compare the flavour, type of biscuit and packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion sizes | Check how many biscuits are in each individual pack and how many you want to hand out to each child. | I want to decide in advance how many biscuits each child gets at a special treat. Around 36% of consumers say portion sizes are their top priority. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the current label for ingredients, allergens and relevant warnings; check any dietary claim against the exact variety. | If a child needs to avoid an ingredient, I want to know whether this particular biscuit is suitable. For around 29% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Flavour and type of biscuit | Compare the chocolate flavour listed and check that it’s a chocolate-covered biscuit, rather than one with chocolate pieces or just a filling. | For a special treat, I’m looking for a type of biscuit and chocolate flavour the family will enjoy. This is the most important factor for around 21% of consumers. |
| Pack size | Check the number of biscuits and how they’re arranged in the pack if you want to share them out at home or take them with you. | I want a pack that suits the number of snack occasions I have planned. That’s why around 14% of consumers put pack size first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a dietary claim gives you all the allergen information
A label such as gluten-free or lactose-free doesn’t tell you which other allergens or cross-contamination warnings may be relevant.
Read all the information on the current packaging of the exact variety you want to buy.
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Treating a holiday treat as an everyday snack
For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables and fruit as snack options; a chocolate biscuit is better treated as an occasional extra.
Plan the biscuit as a special treat, and choose everyday snack options for other snack occasions too.
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Confusing the chocolate flavour with the ingredients
A description such as dark or white chocolate doesn’t tell you which allergens the whole biscuit contains. Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists wheat, milk and soya among the ingredients of Lotus Speculoos with chocolate.
Compare the ingredients and allergen information for each variety, even when the flavour name sounds familiar.
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Relying on a product page you looked at earlier
Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change.
Use online information to compare varieties, but check the current label before making your final choice.
Brands to consider
Lotus Biscoff
Chocolate-coated speculoos for anyone looking for this particular type of biscuit.
- Lotus Bakeries Netherlands describes a variety in a pack of 7 x 3 biscuits and provides ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g.
- This variety contains wheat, milk and soya among its ingredients; check the label if you have an allergy.
LU
Includes Scholiertje chocolate biscuits for anyone looking to compare a different biscuit size.
- Jumbo lists LU Scholiertje White Chocolate Biscuits in a 150 g pack.
- Jumbo advises storing this variety in a dry place, away from heat; check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
Oreo
Chocolate-covered sandwich biscuits for anyone looking to compare milk chocolate and white chocolate flavours.
- Albert Heijn lists these flavours as separate Oreo varieties.
- A flavour name is no substitute for checking the ingredients and allergens in the variety you’ve chosen.
Cereal
A variety to consider if gluten-free or lactose-free is a condition of your purchase.
- Jumbo sells 150 g packs of Cereal chocolate biscuits labelled gluten-free and lactose-free.
- Also check the current packaging for other allergen information and any warnings.
Biscotto (ALDI)
A pack with different types of chocolate and small individual packs.
- ALDI describes 20 butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, packed in pairs.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for each product on the label; the way the pack is divided doesn’t indicate whether it’s suitable for a particular diet.
Products for a special treat
These products include a range of chocolate-covered biscuits and a Kitkat variety to consider for a planned special treat. When sharing them out, check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen; if you’re specifically looking for biscuits, make sure to check the product type too.
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Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
Worth considering if you want to hand out milk chocolate biscuits as a special treat. Check the current packaging to see how many biscuits are in each individual pack, and whether the allergen information is suitable for the children who’ll be eating them.
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Oreo Cookies Covered With Milk Chocolate, 246 g
An option if you’re looking for a chocolate-covered Oreo biscuit rather than speculoos. The pack contains 246 g; check the current individual packaging before handing them out, and look for any relevant allergens on the label.
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Nestle Kitkat Strawberry Short Cake, 9 pieces, 104,4 g
Worth considering if you’re also thinking about something other than a chocolate-covered biscuit. The product name states that it contains 9 pieces and weighs 104,4 g; check the product type, packaging and allergens before choosing this variety as a treat.
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Oreo White Chocolate Cookies, 246 g
An option if you want to compare the white chocolate flavour in a chocolate-covered Oreo biscuit. The pack contains 246 g; check how many biscuits are in each individual pack if you’re planning portions, and read the current allergen information.
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Lu Mikado Milk Chocolate Biscuit Sticks, 75 g
An option if biscuit sticks suit your planned special treat. The pack contains 75 g; check the individual packs before sharing the sticks out between children, and check the label for allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate-covered biscuits suitable as an everyday snack for children?
It’s best to treat them as an occasional extra rather than an everyday staple. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables and fruit as snack options; for younger children, it advises having biscuits, sweets or ice cream occasionally rather than every day.
What should I look for on the packaging if someone has an allergy?
Check the ingredients, listed allergens and any warnings for the exact variety. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked foods must appear on the label; don’t rely on the product name alone.
Is gluten-free or lactose-free enough if you have a food allergy?
No. Such a claim only refers to the stated property and doesn’t replace checking the whole product. Also read the other ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the current packaging.
How should I store chocolate-covered biscuits during the holidays?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve chosen. For LU Scholiertje White Chocolate Biscuits, Jumbo specifically says to store the product in a dry place, away from heat; don’t assume the same instructions apply to other varieties.