Hosts with a well-stocked biscuit tin
If you regularly welcome several people for afternoon coffee, you’ll want to know roughly how many biscuits are in a pack and how to store the rest once it’s opened.
Who might find this choice useful?
Older people and carers who are mindful of nutrition
A biscuit can be part of a coffee break, but sugar, saturated fat, salt or individual dietary advice may also be important when choosing one. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that older people with, for example, an illness or a reduced appetite may need additional dietary advice.
Shoppers who need to check allergens
If you’re buying for someone with a food allergy, check the ingredients and allergens on the exact, current pack. These can vary between biscuit varieties.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the biscuits will be served from a shared tin or portioned out in advance. Then compare the pack size and label of the variety you’re planning to buy.
Shared pack
A good fit if: you want to fill a biscuit tin for several guests; the examples we looked at contain 300 or 400 g.
Bear in mind: once opened, the rest should be stored according to the instructions on the pack. The weight alone doesn’t tell you how many biscuits you’ll want to serve each person.
Individually wrapped portions
A good fit if: you want to portion biscuits out in advance for guests or several coffee breaks.
Bear in mind: individual packets don’t automatically mean a larger pack; check both the number of packets and the total contents.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and portions | Compare the net weight, the stated number of biscuits or portions, and the storage instructions for once opened. Weight and number of portions aren’t interchangeable. | If I’m hosting several guests, I want to serve enough biscuits without being left with an awkward amount in an open pack. For an estimated 40% of consumers, having enough in the pack is their main concern when buying. |
| Nutritional information | Read the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g and, where stated, per portion. Look out for sugars, saturated fat and salt. | If someone needs to pay extra attention to their diet, I want to know what each portion of the biscuit I choose contains. An estimated 30% of consumers give greatest priority to nutritional suitability. |
| Allergens | Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the current pack of the exact variety. | If I’m buying for someone with a food allergy, I need to be able to check the ingredients of the right pack. Around 30% of consumers put checking allergens first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming that a ‘family pack’ always contains the same amount
The larger packs we looked at range from 300 to 400 g. So the name on the front doesn’t tell you how many coffee breaks the pack will cover.
Compare the net weight and stated number of biscuits or portions with the number of people you’re hosting.
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Relying only on a claim on the front of the pack
A reference to grains or fibre doesn’t replace the full nutritional information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also recommends checking the ingredients and nutritional values.
Read the table per 100 g and per portion, if one is listed, especially if sugars, saturated fat or salt are important to your choice.
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Using a pack you bought before to check allergens
Allergen information applies to the exact variety. Biscuit products can differ from one another, even if they’re made by the same brand.
Check the current label every time you buy, including any ‘may contain’ information if it’s relevant to the person you’re buying for.
Brands to consider
Verkade
Jumbo stocks various Verkade chocolate biscuits.
- There are several types of biscuits and pack sizes to compare.
- Not every chocolate variety comes in a large pack; one example contains 150 g. Check the weight of the pack you choose.
Lotus
Jumbo stocks Lotus Biscoff speculoos biscuits and chocolate varieties, among other products.
- The range offers different ways to package and serve biscuits.
- Speculoos isn’t the same as a chocolate biscuit. Check the product type and pack size of the variety you’re considering.
Jumbo huismerk
Jumbo Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade comes in a 300 g pack; Jumbo states that it contains around 18 portions.
- The weight and stated number of portions help you plan a shared coffee break.
- The ingredients and allergens in these digestives won’t necessarily be the same as in other Jumbo biscuits.
Biscotto (ALDI)
ALDI describes Biscotto Sprenkeltjes as a 400 g pack containing around 30 biscuits.
- The stated pack size and estimated number of biscuits help you plan how many to serve.
- Check the label on the pack you choose for ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
Sondey (Lidl)
Lidl presents Sondey as a range of different biscuits and cookies.
- It’s another range to explore when comparing types of biscuits.
- For a specific chocolate variety, check the product type, pack size and label; the brand name alone doesn’t tell you these details.
Chocolate biscuits on Joybuy
These Joybuy products are chocolate biscuits in 150 g or 266 g packs. Compare the type of chocolate and pack size when choosing biscuits for afternoon coffee. If you’re filling a biscuit tin, don’t rely on the term ‘family pack’ alone.
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LU Scholiertje Chocolate 150 g
A 150 g pack to consider if you’d like to serve a smaller amount of chocolate biscuits with your coffee. Check how many biscuits or portions you can share from this pack.
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LU Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits 150 g
A milk chocolate variety in a 150 g pack for anyone looking for a smaller amount to enjoy with afternoon coffee. If you’d like to hand out biscuits in advance, check how many packets are in the pack.
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LU Scholiertje White Chocolate Cookies 150 g
A white chocolate variety in a 150 g pack. If it’s important to hand out individual portions, check the pack to see whether they’re wrapped separately.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
A 266 g pack of milk chocolate digestives to consider for sharing over coffee. If you’re planning for a group, check the number of biscuits on the pack.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate biscuits an obvious everyday choice for older people?
No. Think of a chocolate biscuit as a treat and consider it as part of someone’s overall diet and personal circumstances. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that many snacks can be high in sugars, salt or saturated fat, and that older people with, for example, an illness or a reduced appetite may need additional dietary advice.
Which allergens should I check before buying?
Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the 14 designated allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of prepacked foods. The biscuits we looked at include, among other things, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya; don’t assume another variety has the same ingredients.
How should I store an opened pack of chocolate biscuits?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you’ve bought. For Jumbo Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade, Jumbo says to reseal the pack securely after opening and store it in a dark place; another variety may have different instructions.
Are individually wrapped biscuits always more convenient to hand out?
They can make it easier to portion biscuits out in advance, but also compare how many biscuits are in each packet and in the whole pack. Jumbo describes LiGA belVita Plain Chocolade as individually wrapped; that alone doesn’t tell you whether the portion or nutritional information is suitable for a particular guest.