Choose a chocolate digestive if you specifically want to share a chocolate-topped wheat biscuit and can keep the pack cool and dry. If you need a gluten-free option, choose a product that is clearly labelled as such and check for other allergens too. Individually wrapped chocolate biscuits or wafers may be more practical for handing out, but they are not digestives.
You’ll want to bring enough biscuits and keep them dry after opening the pack. Don’t just look at the pack weight: consider the portions and packaging, and check the allergens if visitors will be helping themselves.
A standard digestive isn’t gluten-free. Look for a product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check the label for other allergens and possible traces too.
If you’re selling from a stall, how you store the biscuits and provide allergen information matters just as much as your choice of product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that information about allergens present in unpackaged foods must be available before purchase.
First, decide whether it has to be a digestive and whether you need a gluten-free option. Then consider which pack size and quantity will work best for handing them out.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Handing out and storing | Check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped and whether you can keep opened biscuits cool, dry and in a sealed container. | I want to bring biscuits that visitors can easily help themselves to, without leaving an open pack outside. For around 31% of consumers, ease of handing them out is the top priority. |
| Type of biscuit and chocolate | Check that the product is a digestive, then compare milk or dark chocolate and the nutritional information per 100 g. | If I want to share a familiar digestive, not every chocolate biscuit or wafer will do. Around 31% of consumers prioritise this choice of product. |
| Allergens and gluten-free options | Read the label for the exact product, including its gluten-free claim and any mention of other allergens or possible traces. | I need to be able to choose a suitable option for a visitor without relying on the product name alone. This is the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Quantity for the group | Compare the pack weight and, where stated, the number of biscuits or portions with the number of people you want to hand them out to. | For a larger group, I want to bring enough biscuits without relying solely on the size of a single pack. For around 15% of consumers, the quantity needed is the main consideration. |
The standard chocolate digestives reviewed contain wheat. Jumbo’s digestive with milk chocolate, which is labelled gluten-free, still requires you to check for other allergens; according to the product information, it contains milk, oats and soya, among other ingredients.
Read the label for the product you choose, and keep any gluten-free option separate from crumbs from standard wheat biscuits when handing them out.
Product information from retailers including Albert Heijn and Jumbo recommends storing the digestives reviewed in a cool, dry place. An open pack is also harder to protect during an outdoor event.
Bring an airtight container if you’re opening a pack, and keep the biscuits out of direct sunlight in a dry place.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must be able to get information about allergens present in unpackaged foods before purchase. This is relevant when a stall sells biscuits outside their original packaging.
Keep the product labels available and make sure customers can get allergen information before they buy.
Verkade Verk digestive dark is a classic wheat biscuit topped with dark chocolate.
AH Digestive dark chocolate is a supermarket own-brand option for anyone looking for a standard chocolate digestive.
Jumbo sells both a standard digestive with dark chocolate and a separate digestive with milk chocolate that is labelled gluten-free.
Lotus speculoos with chocolate is an alternative to hand out if you don’t need to serve digestives.
Sondey Digestives dark chocolate is a Lidl own-brand option in a 300 g pack.
At ALDI, this brand includes both standard Biscotto Digestive Biscuits and Biscotto chocolate biscuits.
Below, you’ll find a chocolate digestive to share, along with two chocolate snacks for anyone considering an alternative to digestives. When handing them out, compare the packaging and always check the current label if anyone has dietary requirements.
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A digestive with milk chocolate for anyone who wants to share this type of biscuit. The pack contains 266 g; keep the biscuits cool and dry while transporting them and after opening.
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An alternative if you’d like to hand out chocolate biscuits instead of digestives. The pack contains 150 g; check the portion sizes and allergens on the packaging.
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A chocolate wafer for anyone who isn’t specifically looking for a digestive. The pack contains 180 g; check the individual packaging and label before handing them out.
Yes, as long as you can protect them from heat and moisture while transporting and storing them. Product information from retailers including Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a cool, dry place; seal an opened pack securely or use an airtight container.
No, the standard digestives discussed here contain wheat. If you need a gluten-free option, choose one that is explicitly labelled as such and check the label for other allergens too.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present in unpackaged foods must be available to consumers before purchase. Make sure you can provide the correct product information for the biscuits you’re offering.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, anyone who prepares and sells food at markets and events several times a year must have an HACCP food safety plan. This is different from a visitor bringing along pre-packed biscuits.
