When making crispbread nibbles, start by considering the size, number of pieces and toppings you want to serve. A description such as ‘medium sliced’ won’t tell you how large or sturdy a piece of crispbread is. Then compare the ingredients, allergens, fibre and salt content of the exact product. A thin or light variety may work well for smaller nibbles, but try it with a generous or moist topping to see if the combination holds up.
You’ll want to serve nibbles with toppings such as cheese, vegetables or a spread. Choose a size that suits how you plan to serve them, and try a generous or moist topping on one piece first. Albert Heijn Allerhande uses crispbread as a base for a topped snack; that doesn’t tell you how every variety will work with your toppings.
If you want to keep using the same crispbread after drinks, the ingredients and nutritional information matter even more. Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, then check the weight per piece for your own portion, if the packaging provides it.
If you’re serving a mixed group, you’ll want to know which grains and other allergens are in the variety you’ve chosen. Read the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warning on the pack you’re actually serving, even if you know another product from the same brand.
First, decide how you want to top the crispbread and how many nibbles you need. Then use the nutritional information and ingredients list to compare varieties with a suitable shape.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Size and toppings | Check the shape and number of pieces; if you’re using a generous or moist topping, try it on one piece first. | If I want to make nibbles that guests can easily pick up, the pieces need to suit my toppings. An estimated 33% of consumers put ease of handling first. |
| Pack size and planning | Compare the number of pieces and pack weight with the number of guests and toppings. | I want enough bases for everyone, without relying on the pack weight alone. An estimated 27% of consumers consider this the main priority. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Read the ingredients and compare fibre per 100 g; use per-piece values when checking portions of that specific product. | If I eat crispbread during the week as well, I want to know what’s in the variety I’ve chosen. An estimated 20% of consumers put this comparison first. |
| Allergens and salt | Read the allergen information for the exact variety and compare salt per 100 g, bearing your toppings in mind too. | When I’m hosting guests with different dietary requirements, I want to know what’s on the board before serving. An estimated 20% of consumers give this top priority. |
‘Medium sliced’ isn’t a measurement you can use to work out the size of each piece. Products may be described as thin, light, wholegrain or robust, but those words don’t replace checking the dimensions and number of pieces, or trying a piece with your toppings. For comparing the nutritional values of different products, the Voedingscentrum recommends looking at the figures per 100 g.
These descriptions don’t tell you which allergens a product contains. For example, Wasa High Fibre lists rye, wheat, oats and sesame, and warns that it may contain traces of milk. A similar name on another pack is no substitute for checking the label of the variety you’re serving.
If guests have dietary requirements, ask what they need to avoid and check the ingredients and allergen information for each product. Don’t promise that something is suitable based on its product category alone.
A 375 g pack doesn’t tell you how many individual pieces it contains or how you can use them with your toppings. The shape can also vary between varieties.
Check the number of pieces on the pack and work out how many you’ll need for your planned toppings. Consider the shape if you want to serve whole pieces rather than broken nibbles.
Your toppings are also part of what you’re serving. Wasa lists 1.25 g of salt per 100 g for its Wholegrain product; this product-specific figure tells you nothing about the salt content of other varieties or toppings.
Compare the salt per 100 g of the crispbread varieties you’re considering, and take your chosen toppings into account when putting the board together.
A brand name doesn’t tell you the nutritional values or size: always compare the specific variety you’re planning to buy.
Wasa offers wholegrain, thin and high-fibre crispbread varieties, among others. It’s worth comparing the product names with the labels for each individual variety.
The range includes AH own-brand crispbread and products from other brands, with a variety of shapes and ingredients.
Jumbo lists its own Wholegrain and Golden Brown Crispbread, as well as other varieties in the range.
The Goud Gebakken range includes wholegrain, sesame and robust crispbread varieties, among others.
These crispbread varieties are worth comparing as a base for drinks-party nibbles. Pack weights are included in the product names; check the packaging and consider your chosen toppings to work out how many nibbles you can make. A product name or description doesn’t prove that every piece can hold a generous topping.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a wholegrain base for topped nibbles. Check the number of pieces and their dimensions before planning your nibbles; if guests have dietary requirements, check the allergen information on the pack too.
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A wholegrain variety to consider if you’re looking for crispbread for drinks and other occasions. Check the pack to see how many individual pieces it contains, and read the ingredients before serving it to guests.
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A smaller pack to consider if you’re serving a range of toppings. Check the size and number of pieces before planning portions; read the fibre and salt figures per 100 g directly from the nutritional information table.
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Worth a look if you want to compare a different shape for savoury toppings. Try a generous or moist topping on one piece first: the name Rustic doesn’t tell you how much it can hold. Check the allergen information for guests too.
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A wholegrain variety to consider as a base for topped nibbles. Check the number of pieces and their dimensions when planning for drinks, and read the current packaging if guests need to avoid certain ingredients.
Don’t treat ‘medium sliced’ as a standard crispbread size. Check the product shape and number of pieces on the pack, and see whether the size works for your topped nibbles.
Read the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warning for each specific variety. Depending on the product, look out for cereals containing gluten and sesame, among other allergens. Wasa High Fibre lists rye, wheat, oats and sesame, and warns that it may contain traces of milk. Ask guests with dietary requirements what they need to avoid.
First compare different crispbread products per 100 g, as the Voedingscentrum recommends when comparing products. A per-piece value can then help you check your own portion, as long as it applies to the variety you’ve chosen.
Check the ingredients list of the product you’re buying rather than assuming all crispbread contains iodised baker’s salt. Brood.net describes the use of iodine-enriched baker’s salt by Dutch bakeries as an industry agreement, not a general requirement to use it in every crispbread product.
