Putting together a classic biscuit platter
You’re looking for a familiar shortbread biscuit to serve with coffee or tea. Check whether you’re choosing a butter, plain or chocolate variety: each gives your platter a different feel.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Looking for something different alongside other festive treats
You’d also like to offer a plain biscuit alongside chocolate or dessert. Nutritional information per 100 g, as well as serving size, can help you compare specific products.
Taking allergens or dietary requirements into account
You want to know which biscuits are suitable for your guests. Pay attention to wheat, milk and soya, even when a product is labelled gluten-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check which ingredients and allergens matter to your guests. Then decide what role the biscuit should play alongside coffee, tea and other festive treats.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and presentation | Check whether it’s butter shortbread, a plain variety or a chocolate biscuit. Also check the pack weight to make sure there’s enough for your guests. | If the biscuit itself is meant to be a festive feature on your coffee or tea platter, I’d choose shortbread. An estimated 40% of consumers are thought to prioritise this kind of presentation. |
| Variety and nutritional information | Compare sugars, fat and fibre per 100 g on the same basis. Also check the serving size, and don’t assume plain and chocolate varieties are directly comparable. | If there’s already plenty of chocolate or dessert on the table, I’d also like to offer a milder biscuit. An estimated 30% of consumers are thought to prioritise this kind of variety and comparison. |
| Dietary requirements and allergens | Read the label of the variety you’ve chosen, including the ingredients and any warnings about possible traces. If you choose a gluten-free product, check for other allergens too. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in each biscuit before serving it. This is thought to be the most important consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming the name ‘digestive’ promises a health or digestive benefit
The name alone doesn’t tell you anything about its effect on digestion. For McVitie’s Digestives Pure Chocolade, Jumbo states that the biscuit’s ingredients don’t contain substances that aid digestion.
Choose based on flavour, ingredients and the nutritional information on the packaging, not on an assumed benefit.
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Assuming gluten-free means free from all allergens
According to Jumbo, the gluten-free Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts. So the gluten-free label doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Find out which ingredients matter to your guests, read the label and keep any separately offered biscuits apart from the others.
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Comparing plain and chocolate varieties as if they were the same
A chocolate coating changes the ingredients and nutritional information. Jumbo lists 26.6 g of sugars per 100 g for McVitie’s Digestives Pure Chocolade, compared with 15.1 g for McVitie’s Digestives Original.
Compare the exact varieties you plan to serve, and check for milk and soya too.
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Relying solely on online product information
If a guest has an allergy, the information must relate to the pack you’re actually serving. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked foods is shown on the label.
Check the label again when you buy the product, and keep the packaging to hand while you’re serving the biscuits.
Brands to compare
These brands offer examples of shortbread and digestive biscuits. The features and dietary information apply to the varieties mentioned, not necessarily to the whole range.
Verkade
Nobo Sprits Original and a milk chocolate variety are a good fit for a platter where shortbread takes centre stage.
- Verkade describes Nobo Sprits Original as a crisp biscuit.
- According to Verkade, Original contains wheat and milk ingredients. For the milk chocolate variety, check the label for milk and soya too.
McVitie's
Digestives Original offers a plain wheat biscuit as an alternative to shortbread.
- Jumbo lists 3.7 g of fibre and 15.1 g of sugars per 100 g for Digestives Original.
- The dark chocolate variety has different nutritional values and allergens. Don’t apply the information for Original to that variety.
Albert Heijn
AH Spritsen and AH Digestive let you compare butter shortbread with plain digestive biscuits.
- According to Albert Heijn, AH Spritsen contain 29% butter; AH Digestive is labelled vegan and lactose-free.
- AH Spritsen contain milk, lactose and wheat. AH Digestive contains wheat; check the current label for both.
Jumbo
Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade is a separate option if gluten-free is a requirement.
- Jumbo offers this milk chocolate digestive as a gluten-free product.
- According to Jumbo, this variety contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.
Biscotto
This ALDI own brand offers both digestive biscuits and butter shortbread in plain and chocolate varieties.
- ALDI describes its 400 g pack of Digestive Biscuits as containing around 27 biscuits.
- Read the ingredients, allergen and nutritional information on the packaging of the variety you choose.
Sondey
This Lidl own brand is worth considering if you’d like to compare plain digestives with other biscuits on your Christmas table.
- Lidl lists a 400 g pack of plain Digestives as a product available in store.
- Check the packaging of the product you choose for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information. A dietary claim for another Sondey product doesn’t automatically apply to these digestives.
Biscuits for your festive platter
These products offer two different ways to fill your Christmas biscuit platter: a plain digestive alongside other sweet treats, or a milk chocolate shortbread as a sweeter option. If any guests have allergies, always check the packaging of the product you’ve chosen.
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McVities Digestive Original 400 g
A plain digestive for when you’d like to serve a wheat biscuit as well as shortbread or chocolate. For Digestives Original, Jumbo lists 15.1 g of sugars and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g. If you have allergies, check the label for wheat and any warnings about milk.
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Verkade Nobo Spritzed Milk Chocolate 150 g
A milk chocolate shortbread for anyone who wants to include a chocolate variety on their biscuit platter. Before serving, check the label for milk and soya, and pay close attention to how nuts and sesame are listed on this pack.
Frequently asked questions
Do digestive biscuits help with digestion?
Don’t assume they aid digestion just because of the name. For McVitie’s Digestives Pure Chocolade, Jumbo states that the biscuit’s ingredients don’t contain substances that aid digestion. Judge the biscuit on its flavour, ingredients and nutritional information.
Which of these biscuits suits a vegan or lactose-free diet?
Albert Heijn labels AH Digestive as vegan and lactose-free, while AH Spritsen contain butter, milk and lactose. These labels apply to the varieties mentioned, so check the packaging of the product you buy.
Is a gluten-free digestive also free from other allergens?
No. A gluten-free label doesn’t mean that other allergens are absent. For Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade, Jumbo lists milk, oats and soya, along with a warning that it may contain nuts.
Where can I check the allergens in biscuits for my guests?
Read the allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re actually going to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that this information must appear on the label of prepacked foods. Keep the packaging so you can check the details during the party.
How should I store shortbread and digestive biscuits until Christmas?
Store the AH biscuits mentioned according to the product instructions: in a cool, dark, dry place. Seal an opened pack well or use an airtight tin. For other brands, check the storage instructions on their packaging.