Who is this choice relevant to?

Portion-conscious evening snacker

You want a biscuit with your evening snack and are looking for packaging that shows the portion size and nutritional value per biscuit.

Choosing between milk and dark chocolate

Your taste preference is a big factor, but you also want to see how the specific varieties compare in sugars, fibre and energy.

Shopper who needs to choose gluten-free

You’re looking for an explicitly gluten-free digestive and also checking the ingredients and warnings about other allergens.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether a gluten-free label is essential. Then choose between milk and dark chocolate based on taste, and compare the portion you actually plan to eat.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Portion and energy Check the weight and energy per biscuit; also compare the nutritional value per 100 g. If you want a measured amount late in the evening, information per biscuit is more useful than the pack weight alone. For around 40% of consumers, portion size is the main priority.
Milk or dark chocolate Compare the specific varieties for sugars, fibre and energy per 100 g, as well as your taste preference. If you’re looking for a creamy or less sweet chocolate flavour, choose based on taste rather than assuming the nutritional value from the colour. Taste is the deciding factor for around 40% of consumers.
Gluten and allergens Check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the current packaging. If you need to avoid certain ingredients, the full label is more important than the chocolate flavour. For around 20% of consumers, this check comes first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘digestive’ promises digestive benefits

    The product name isn’t a reason to expect any particular effect. Jumbo says that the biscuit ingredients in McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate don’t contain substances that aid digestion.

    Assess it as a biscuit: consider the taste, portion, nutritional information and ingredients.

  • Assuming dark chocolate is automatically a lighter option

    According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the McVitie’s milk and dark chocolate varieties reviewed both list 496 kcal per 100 g, despite differences in sugars and fibre.

    Compare the nutritional information on the specific pack and decide how many biscuits you want to eat.

  • Confusing gluten-free with free from all allergens

    According to Jumbo, its gluten-free milk chocolate digestive contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.

    Always check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging, as well as the gluten-free label.

  • Eating from a large pack without choosing a portion

    The pack weight tells you little about how much you’ll eat in one sitting. For the regular milk chocolate digestive reviewed, Jumbo lists 17 g and 85 kcal per biscuit.

    Check whether the packaging gives nutritional information per biscuit, and set aside the amount you want to eat beforehand.

Brands compared

McVitie’s

Digestives in milk and dark chocolate varieties offer a useful comparison when choosing between the two flavours.

  • For the milk chocolate variety reviewed, Albert Heijn lists 29 g of sugars and 3 g of fibre per 100 g; for the dark chocolate variety, it’s 27 g of sugars and 4.3 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Both varieties reviewed list 496 kcal per 100 g. Check whether the dark chocolate variety is available: Albert Heijn marked the 400 g pack it had listed as discontinued.

Jumbo

Jumbo’s own-brand range includes regular chocolate digestives and a separate milk chocolate variety labelled gluten-free.

  • For the regular milk chocolate variety reviewed, Jumbo lists a 17 g biscuit containing 85 kcal.
  • According to Jumbo, the gluten-free variety reviewed contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts; check the packaging for these details too.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes a milk chocolate digestive with portion information on the product page.

  • For the 300 g pack reviewed, Albert Heijn lists a portion size of 17 g and 18 portions.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging, as product information can change.

Schär

Schär Digestive Choc is worth considering if you need an explicitly gluten-free chocolate digestive.

  • Albert Heijn labels the product reviewed as gluten-free and wheat-free.
  • According to the product information, it contains milk and soya, and may contain eggs and lupin.

Verkade

Verkade Verk Digestive Dark is a dark chocolate variety previously listed by Albert Heijn.

  • The Albert Heijn information consulted lists a biscuit weighing 16.7 g.
  • Albert Heijn marked the listing as discontinued; check current availability before choosing this variety.

Chocolate digestives at Joybuy

This milk chocolate digestive is a good fit if you’re looking for the regular variety. Use the nutritional information on the packaging to decide on a portion; the pack size shown isn’t a portion size.

McVitie's Digestives milk chocolate, 266 g

McVitie’s Digestives milk chocolate, 266 g

A milk chocolate digestive for anyone who prefers this flavour to dark chocolate.

The pack contains 266 g. Check the label for the portion per biscuit and any allergens relevant to you.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘digestive’ tell you anything about what the biscuit does?

Don’t assume it has an effect on digestion based on the name. Jumbo says that the biscuit ingredients in McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate don’t contain substances that aid digestion. Compare the biscuit based on taste, portion and the label.

Does a dark chocolate digestive contain less energy than a milk chocolate variety?

Not for the two McVitie’s varieties reviewed: according to Albert Heijn’s product information, both list 496 kcal per 100 g. The amounts of sugars and fibre listed do differ, so check the nutritional information on the specific pack.

Is a gluten-free digestive also free from other allergens?

No, the gluten-free label doesn’t mean that. According to its product page, the gluten-free milk chocolate digestive reviewed from Jumbo contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts. So check the current ingredients and allergen warnings before buying.

How should I store an opened pack of digestives?

Seal the pack tightly or put the biscuits in an airtight tin, then store them in a cool, dry, dark place. This is in line with the storage advice on the Albert Heijn and Jumbo product pages reviewed; also follow the instructions on your own packaging.