If you want to offer a savoury break with toppings, choose crackers and compare the nutritional information and ingredients of the exact varieties. A digestive biscuit is suited to a sweet coffee or tea break, but it isn’t a substitute for a cracker that can be topped. If you’re serving products without their packaging, allergen information must be available to guests.
When crackers are served on a platter or already topped, guests may not be able to see the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires information about allergens present in unpackaged foods to be available to customers.
If you want crackers to top and are comparing wholegrain or high-fibre varieties, the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g are more useful than the product name alone.
A digestive biscuit can be a considered choice for a sweet option alongside coffee or tea. Keep this choice separate from the question of which cracker to use as a base for toppings.
First decide whether your break calls for a cracker that can be topped or a sweet biscuit. Then compare the exact products and plan how you’ll serve them to guests.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens when serving unpackaged products | Record the allergens in both the cracker or biscuit and the topping, and make sure guests can access this information when the food is served. | If I’m serving loose or topped products, I want to be able to tell guests which allergens they contain before they choose. Around 31% of consumers put this information first. |
| Wholegrains and fibre | Compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g, including fibre, sugars, fat and salt. | For a savoury break, I want to compare cracker options on the same basis rather than relying only on terms such as ‘light’ or ‘wholegrain’. This is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Sweet treats with coffee | Decide whether a biscuit suits the occasion and compare its nutritional information per 100 g with that of the crackers you’re considering. | With coffee or tea, I’m looking for a sweet biscuit, not a base for toppings. Around 25% of consumers say this choice is their priority. |
| Portions and serving style | Check the number of pieces per pack and whether the size works with your planned toppings and serving style. | For several breaks, I want to be able to plan how many pieces I need and choose a suitable way to serve them. This matters most to around 19% of consumers. |
A digestive biscuit and a cracker that can be topped serve different purposes during a break. Albert Heijn describes AH Digestive as a biscuit; for this product, the retailer lists 16 g of sugars, 21 g of fat and 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
First choose between a sweet biscuit and a base for toppings. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g of the products you’re considering for that occasion.
When serving loose or topped products, guests may not have the original packaging to hand. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present in unpackaged foods must be available.
Record the allergens present in each product and topping, and make sure the information is available beside the relevant platter or serving station.
These words don’t automatically tell you how much fibre, sugar, fat or salt an exact variety contains, or which ingredients it includes.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the varieties you’re considering, and check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging too.
Pack sizes can vary in the number and size of crackers or biscuits they contain. Net weight alone therefore doesn’t tell you how many pieces you can serve.
Plan the number of pieces you need per guest and break, then check how many pieces are in each pack of the variety you’ve chosen.
These brands offer examples of different product types. Always check the information for the variety you’ve chosen before placing an order.
Bolletje Lichte Crackers Volkoren is an example of a wholegrain cracker for a break with toppings.
Melba Volkoren is a light wholegrain cracker with sesame.
The organic wholegrain cracker with seeds is a separate option for anyone looking for a cracker to use as a base for toppings.
AH Digestive belongs in the sweet biscuit category for coffee or tea, not with crackers for toppings.
This ALDI own brand includes various types of crackers and crispbread, including thin rye crackers.
The crackers below are worth comparing for a savoury break; the digestive biscuits are for a sweet coffee or tea break. Before serving any products without their packaging, always check the current allergen information and the number of pieces per pack.
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A rye cracker to consider for a savoury break. Check the number of pieces per pack when planning portions, and check the current packaging for allergen information if you’re serving the crackers without their packaging.
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A wholemeal crispbread to consider as a base for a savoury break. Match your chosen toppings to its size, and check the current allergen information before serving.
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A cracker for anyone comparing varieties by their nutritional information. Check the nutritional values per 100 g on the exact pack, and separately make sure its size suits your planned toppings.
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A digestive biscuit for a sweet coffee or tea break, not as a base for savoury toppings. Check the number of biscuits per pack when planning portions, and check the allergens if serving without the packaging.
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A digestive biscuit with dark chocolate for a sweet break. Keep this variety separate from crackers for toppings, and check the allergens and number of biscuits on the pack you choose.
When serving unpackaged products, information about allergens present must be available to guests. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists 14 allergens; for cereals containing gluten and nuts, you must also name the specific cereal or nut. Record the information for both the cracker and its toppings, and make it easy to access where the food is served.
No. A digestive biscuit is a different type of product from a cracker that can be topped, and the name alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre it contains. For AH Digestive, Albert Heijn lists 3.2 g of fibre, 16 g of sugars and 21 g of fat per 100 g. If these values matter to your choice, compare the nutritional information for the exact products per 100 g.
First compare crackers suited to the same occasion, then look at their nutritional information per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends this basis for comparison because portion sizes can vary. Also check the ingredients, allergens and number of pieces per pack for the way you plan to serve them.
No. ‘Wholegrain’ doesn’t mean ‘gluten-free’. The product information for Bolletje Lichte Crackers Volkoren lists wheat and barley, while Jumbo lists wheat, barley and rye, among other ingredients, for Melba Volkoren. Always check that the exact variety you’ve chosen is labelled gluten-free before serving it as such.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the crackers you’ve chosen. If keeping them crisp matters, you can add the toppings just before serving. Make sure you also have allergen information available for every combination.
