Choose croissants that are ready to eat if you don’t want to bake them during the BBQ. Bake-at-home or frozen croissants are suitable if you can plan the preparation in advance and follow the product instructions. To cater for guests with different preferences, you can serve croissants alongside bread explicitly labelled as wholemeal. Check the ingredients and allergen information for both options.
If you want to focus on the grill and your guests, a croissant that’s ready to eat means there’s no need to bake it first. Albert Heijn, ALDI and PLUS list butter croissants in their ranges; check how each product should be served.
If you want to bake croissants, make sure you have enough time and a suitable oven before serving. Jumbo lists frozen, unbaked croissants, while PLUS provides thawing and baking instructions for one of its croissants. Always follow the instructions for the product you choose.
For guests who prefer wholemeal bread, you can serve a separate wholemeal option alongside the croissants. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as bread made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check the bread’s label rather than judging by its appearance.
First decide whether you want to serve the croissants as they are or bake them in advance. Then consider whether a separate wholemeal loaf would suit your guests, and check any product information that’s important to them.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to serve | Check that the croissants are ready to eat, and look at the use-by date and storage instructions. | When the grill already needs my attention, I don’t want to organise an extra baking slot. Being able to serve them straight away is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Baking at home | Check whether the croissants need thawing and which oven setting and baking time apply to this product. | If I’ve planned a time to serve them warm, I want to be able to prepare the croissants beforehand. Around 27% of consumers say that baking them at home is their top priority. |
| Different bread preferences | Choose bread explicitly labelled as wholemeal to serve alongside the croissants; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. | When not all my guests want the same type of bread, I’d rather offer two clear choices. This combination matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label on packaged products and ask for allergen information for loose croissants; check separately whether the salt is iodised if that’s relevant. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what I’m serving before I buy it. Checking product information is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
A brown colour, seeds or an artisanal name doesn’t automatically mean bread is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
For an additional bread option, choose a product explicitly labelled as wholemeal rather than expecting the croissants to meet that preference too.
Thawing requirements, temperature and baking time vary from product to product. Oven instructions on the packaging aren’t automatically instructions for cooking on a BBQ.
Before buying, check that you can follow all the product instructions. If not, choose croissants that are ready to eat.
For guests with an allergy, the ingredient information may determine whether a croissant is suitable. Information for loose products from an in-store bakery may not be shown on individual packaging.
Read the label on packaged croissants and ask for allergen information for unpackaged products before you buy them.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baker’s salt is iodised, but bakers aren’t required to use it. So the word ‘croissant’ doesn’t tell you which salt has been used.
If this information matters to your choice, check the ingredients list or ask the retailer.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH butter croissants in its online range.
Jumbo lists several types of croissant, including frozen, unbaked ones.
ALDI lists a fresh butter croissant sold individually and says its bakery range includes both ready-to-eat products and products to bake at home.
PLUS lists a small butter croissant sold individually and mini croissants in a 200 g bag.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste butter croissants in packs of four and Délifrance butter croissants in packs of six.
These products include croissants for different serving plans, plus a separate wholemeal loaf to serve alongside them. Check each pack to see whether you’ll need to bake anything before the BBQ, and look at the ingredients if you’re catering for a guest with specific requirements.
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For anyone who wants to serve croissants without planning a baking slot. Before serving, check the use-by date and the latest ingredient and allergen information. Also look out for any colourings listed if they’re relevant to your group.
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This bread is a separate accompaniment to the croissants, not a substitute for them. Plan thawing and baking according to the packaging, and check the latest ingredient and allergen information if any guests need to avoid certain ingredients.
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For a BBQ where you can plan a baking slot in advance. Check the packaging for thawing instructions, oven temperature and baking time. Don’t assume that oven instructions also apply to cooking on a BBQ. If anyone has allergies, check the latest product information.
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A pack of four croissants for anyone who wants to plan how many to serve at the BBQ. Before buying, check the packaging to see whether they’re ready to serve or need to be prepared first, and read the latest ingredient and allergen information.
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A mini option for anyone who wants to serve smaller croissants. Check the pack to see how many it contains so you can plan portions, and read the preparation instructions and latest allergen information.
Only if the specific product is actually labelled as wholemeal; the word ‘croissant’ doesn’t tell you that. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as bread made from 100% wholemeal flour. If you want to cater for both preferences, check the label on a separate bread product.
Check it before buying if allergens are relevant to you or one of your guests. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be listed on the labels of packaged foods. Read the information on the pack you’re actually buying.
If the information isn’t displayed, ask the retailer about allergens before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says consumers must also be given information about allergens in unpackaged foods.
You can’t assume that based on the type of product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that baker’s salt is iodised, but its use isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list or ask the retailer which salt has been used in that particular product.
