Choose crispbread as a base for savoury toppings such as hummus, cheese and vegetable spreads; a digestive is a sweet biscuit and is better suited to dessert. Then choose the flavour and texture you prefer, and if you have dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergens of the exact product and its toppings.
For hummus, tapenade, cheese or fish, you need a crunchy base whose flavour works with the topping. Crispbread is a different choice from the sweet digestive biscuit that Albert Heijn describes as McVitie’s Digestives Original.
Look beyond the colour or picture of grains on the packaging. The ingredients list helps you assess the wholegrain claim, while the nutritional information shows the fibre per 100 g, so you can compare products on the same basis.
A label such as ‘gluten-free’ does not tell you which other allergens a product contains. Check the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the packaging of both the crunchy base and the toppings.
First decide whether your snacks will be savoury or sweet. For a savoury spread, compare the type of crispbread or cracker by checking its ingredients, nutritional information and how well it suits your guests’ needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| A base for savoury toppings | Check whether you’re choosing crispbread or a cracker rather than a sweet digestive. Match the flavour to the toppings you plan to serve. | For a platter with hummus, cheese or vegetable spreads, I want a base that works with a range of savoury flavours. For around 40% of consumers, this versatility with savoury toppings would be the main reason for their choice. |
| Wholegrains and fibre | Check the grains in the ingredients list and compare the stated fibre per 100 g; a wholegrain claim and a fibre declaration do not tell you the same thing. | If I want to choose a crunchy base based on wholegrains or fibre, I want to be able to compare products using the label. For around 30% of consumers, this would be their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the exact packaging for, among other things, cereals containing gluten, sesame and warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. Check the toppings too. | When a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in every part of the snack. This check would be a priority for around 30% of consumers. |
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, McVitie’s Digestives Original is a biscuit that contains ingredients including sugar. It gives you a different flavour profile from crispbread served with savoury dips.
Choose a digestive when you’re deliberately adding something sweet. For a savoury spread, choose crispbread or a cracker whose flavour works with your toppings.
These terms describe different qualities. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘wholegrain’ refers to the flour used; you can find the amount of fibre in the nutritional information.
Check the ingredients and compare fibre per 100 g if both qualities matter to you.
Jumbo’s product information states that Wasa Gluten- & Lactosevrij Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. So a gluten-free label does not answer every question about allergens.
Read the label on the product you buy and check the toppings separately. When serving, take care to avoid crumbs coming into contact with other products.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between products from the same brand. Use these brand examples to help you compare specific products, not as a substitute for checking the label of the product you buy.
Jumbo lists Wasa varieties that include wholegrains, thin rye and sesame. This gives you a choice of different flavours and products for a savoury platter.
Ryvita Original Crispbread is a rye-based crispbread.
AH Volkoren knäckebröd is an own-brand option made with wholemeal wheat and rye flour.
Jumbo’s range includes own-brand crispbread, including wholegrain and pumpkin seed varieties, as well as products from other brands.
Lidl Netherlands lists crispbread in sunflower seed and pumpkin seed varieties.
ALDI Netherlands lists Goud Gebakken Volkoren knäckebröd as an own-brand product.
These products offer crispbread and crackers as a crunchy base for savoury snacks. The seasoned, thin cracker offers a different flavour from the varieties labelled as wholegrain; check whether the ingredients in each product suit your guests.
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An option if you want to pair rye and sourdough with savoury toppings. Check the allergen information for this variety before serving it to guests.
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A crispbread to compare if wholegrains are an important factor in your choice. If you’re serving it to several guests, check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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These are crackers to compare if fibre is a factor in your choice. Check the nutritional information per 100 g, then check the ingredients and allergens separately.
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A crispbread to consider as a base for cheese or vegetable spreads. If fully wholemeal is essential to you, check the ingredients on the current packaging rather than relying on the product name alone.
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This thin cracker with rosemary and salt is an option if you’d like the base itself to add flavour. Pair it with your toppings, and check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
No. A digestive is a biscuit, while crispbread is a crunchy bread product. Albert Heijn’s product information lists ingredients including sugar in McVitie’s Digestives Original, so crispbread is generally the better flavour choice for a savoury platter.
Check the ingredients to see which grains are used, then compare the stated fibre per 100 g. A brown colour or seeds on the outside alone won’t tell you how the flour is made up.
No. Gluten-free does not mean free from all allergens. According to Jumbo’s product information, Wasa Gluten- & Lactosevrij Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. Check the packaging of the variety you choose and the ingredients in the toppings.
For best results, add moist toppings to crispbread just before serving so the base doesn’t soften unnecessarily. Follow the pack instructions for storing an opened packet; Albert Heijn recommends keeping its wholegrain crispbread in a sealed container.
