If you want chocolate to take centre stage
A plain toast base lets you decide how much chocolate, fruit or sweet spread to add. Just bear in mind that the toast itself won’t be coated in chocolate.
Which toast is right for you?
If you’re preparing a board in advance
If topped toast needs to stand for a while, your choice of topping and when you assemble it will affect how crisp it stays. Keep the toast dry until you’re ready to serve, and add moist toppings later.
If you need to check ingredients or allergens
Check the current packaging for each item separately: the toast, the chocolate and any other toppings. A gluten-free toast base says nothing about the allergens in the rest of the snack.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the toast should be a plain base for chocolate or a savoury part of the board. Then consider when you’ll serve it and the ingredients in the full combination.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Balance of flavours | Compare plain Melba toast with seasoned toast; choose herbs and spices only if you also want a savoury contrast. | If chocolate is taking centre stage, I don’t want the seasoning to overpower it. This balance of flavours is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Crispness when serving | Check the product description and keep opened toast dry and sealed until you’re ready to assemble the board. | When I prepare the board in advance, I want to stop the topped toast from going soft before we eat. This crispness is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the labels on both the toast and chocolate, and check for allergens and warnings about possible cross-contamination. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, every part of the snack needs to suit my needs. Around 20% of consumers give this check top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘chocolate toast’ is already coated in chocolate
Melba toast or rice toast can be a base for chocolate without having a chocolate coating itself. That difference determines what else you’ll need for the board.
If you’re specifically looking for ready-made toast coated in chocolate, check the product name, ingredients and image.
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Assuming gluten-free means free from other allergens
The Van der Meulen Rice Toast Original listed by Jumbo is labelled gluten-free, but may also contain sesame and soya. Chocolate and toppings have their own ingredients too.
Check the label of the exact variant you’re buying, as well as all the other items in the snack.
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Assuming all toast contains iodised baker’s salt
The word ‘toast’ doesn’t tell you what kind of salt was used in the product.
If the use of iodised baker’s salt matters to you, check the ingredients information on the packaging in question.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
AH Melba toast naturel is a plain base for toppings.
- Albert Heijn lists a 240 g pack with 20 g portions.
- This variant isn’t coated in chocolate; check the ingredients and allergens in the toast and your chosen topping separately.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s toast range includes different shapes and flavours, including Melba toast and seasoned toast.
- You can compare the product type and flavour before choosing a base for your board.
- Check each product to see whether it’s plain toast, seasoned toast or actually coated in chocolate.
Haust
Haust Krokant Toast is a seasoned option for a savoury addition to your board.
- Jumbo describes this variant as baked twice in the oven, with a coating of seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Its seasoned flavour makes it less neutral alongside chocolate; this variant contains wheat, rye, barley and egg, among other ingredients.
Van der Meulen
Rice Toast Original is a rice toast option for anyone checking the gluten-free label.
- The Rice Toast Original described by Jumbo carries a gluten-free label.
- This specific variant may contain sesame and soya. Check the label of the variant you’re buying; gluten-free doesn’t mean allergen-free.
Bolletje
Bolletje’s range includes crackers, rusks and savoury snack crackers.
- These product types offer different crunchy bases to compare by flavour and shape.
- A cracker or rusk isn’t automatically toast, and a chocolate product isn’t automatically toast coated in chocolate.
Toast bases at Joybuy
These products are toast bases for a board where you add or serve the chocolate separately. Check each product to make sure its flavour and ingredients suit the combination you have in mind.
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Delverde Classic Melba Toast, 100 g
Plain Melba toast for adding your own chocolate or sweet topping; the toast isn’t coated in chocolate.
The pack contains 100 g. Check the current label on the toast and on the separate topping before buying.
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Van Der Meulen Rice Toast Natural, 65 g
A rice toast base if you’d rather pair rice toast with chocolate served separately; this isn’t toast coated in chocolate.
The pack contains 65 g. Check the current packaging to make sure this Natural variant meets your requirements for ingredients and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Melba toast with chocolate the same as toast coated in chocolate?
No: adding chocolate to plain Melba toast doesn’t give it a chocolate coating. Check the product description if you want to buy ready-made toast coated in chocolate.
How can I keep toast crisp until the board is served?
Keep opened toast dry and sealed, and add moist toppings as late as possible. Albert Heijn recommends storing its Melba toast in a sealed tin once opened; for other products, follow the instructions on their own packaging.
Is gluten-free rice toast also free from other allergens?
Not necessarily. The Van der Meulen Rice Toast Original described by Jumbo may contain sesame and soya; check the current label of the exact rice toast variant, as well as the labels on the chocolate and other toppings.
How can I tell whether toast contains iodised baker’s salt?
Don’t rely on the product type or brand name alone; check the ingredients information for the specific toast. This will tell you what’s listed on the pack you’re buying.