Choose a croissant that the packaging says is ready to eat if you don’t want to prepare anything during your car journey. Bake-at-home croissants, frozen croissants and croissant dough all need preparing before you set off. Check the storage instructions, portion sizes and allergens for the product you choose, too.
You want to be able to eat a croissant on the way without having to plan around an oven or freezer first. Check that the product you choose is genuinely ready to eat: PLUS says its individual small croissant still needs to be prepared.
You have time and the right equipment at home to bake croissants or shape the dough yourself. Multipacks can be a good option if you can also follow the storage and preparation instructions.
Check the allergens and ingredients listed on each pack. If you have questions about lactose, gluten or iodised salt, don’t rely on the product name alone.
Best for: taking a croissant with you to eat without any preparation.
Bear in mind: even a croissant sold individually may still need preparing, so check the packaging.
Best for: baking at home before you set off. PLUS says its butter croissants take 4–6 minutes in the oven or 4 minutes in the air fryer.
Trade-off: you’ll need the right equipment and time to prepare them. These timings apply to this particular PLUS product.
Best for: storing them in the freezer at home and baking them before you set off. PLUS says its Délifrance butter croissants can go straight into the oven without defrosting.
Trade-off: store this product at −18 °C. Once defrosted, croissants must not be frozen again.
Best for: shaping and baking the croissants yourself before you set off. Danerolles Original contains enough dough for six croissants.
Trade-off: according to Albert Heijn, you need to cut and roll the dough, then bake it for 12–15 minutes. Don’t eat it raw.
First, decide whether you can prepare the croissants before you set off. Then compare the packaging and ingredients of the option that suits your plans. If you’re looking for a medium-sized or pre-sliced version, check that the pack you choose specifically says it has those features.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat | Check whether baking or defrosting is needed and whether the packaging is convenient to take with you. | If I want to eat on the way without waiting, the croissant needs to be ready to eat. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Baking at home | Check the preparation time and whether the product needs to stay frozen until you bake it. | If you want to bake before setting off, you’ll need enough time and space. Around 31% of consumers put freshly baked results first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information. Check separately for any ‘may contain’ warnings. | If an ingredient or allergen affects my choice, I want to be able to check the exact product. Around 23% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Suitable quantity | Compare the number of croissants and the total weight with the number of people travelling. | For a small group, I don’t want to take more croissants than necessary, while a larger group needs enough portions. For around 15% of consumers, quantity is the main consideration. |
A croissant might be ready to eat, but it may also need baking or still be dough. For example, PLUS says its individual small croissant needs to be defrosted and baked.
Before buying, read the preparation and storage instructions on the specific pack.
According to Albert Heijn, Danerolles Lactose free croissants still contain wheat flour and wheat gluten. Other varieties reviewed list ingredients including milk or egg.
Check the current ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warning on each pack. Lactose-free doesn’t mean gluten-free.
The fact that one PLUS bake-at-home variety lists iodised salt tells you nothing about the ingredients in another croissant.
If iodised salt matters to you, check the label on the product you’re buying.
A single croissant and a pack of four or six suit different group sizes and preparation plans.
Count how many croissants you want to take with you and check how to store any that are left over.
According to Albert Heijn’s product page, Danerolles Original is croissant dough for shaping and baking six croissants yourself.
The butter croissants on the PLUS product page are a frozen variety in a 330 g bag.
The PLUS products reviewed include an individual small butter croissant and a bag of butter croissants for baking at home.
Dirk lists a pack of 1 de Beste butter croissants, containing four croissants with a total weight of 180 g.
ALDI lists Delicious Home croissant dough for baking six croissants yourself, in a 340 g pack.
These croissants may suit you as a snack for the journey or for baking before you set off. If the preparation instructions aren’t clear, check whether the product is ready to eat.
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A handy snack when you don’t have access to an oven: according to the product information, this individually wrapped croissant is ready to eat. The portion weighs 85 g. Store it in a cool, dry place away from heat and direct sunlight. The product information lists wheat/gluten, egg, milk and the colourings E102 and E110. Check the warning about children on the packaging, too.
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These 200 g mini butter croissants could make a handy snack to take with you, as long as the preparation instructions fit your plans. Check whether they need baking before you set off. The product information lists allergens including gluten, milk, lupin, sesame and soya. Check the current packaging for details.
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This pack of four butter croissants could suit a group travelling together. The total weight is 180 g. Check whether the croissants need baking before you set off. The product information lists allergens including gluten, milk, lupin, sesame and soya. Check the current packaging for details.
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These four croissants are a good fit if you can bake them at home before setting off: they need to be baked before eating. Follow the instructions on the packaging. According to the product information, they may contain traces of sesame, lupin, milk and soya.
If you specifically want wholemeal bread, don’t assume a croissant has the same ingredients. Check whether the variety you choose is actually wholemeal. The Voedingscentrum advises replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible.
No, you can’t tell from the name ‘croissant’ alone. Check the ingredients list on the pack you choose. PLUS lists iodised salt in its butter croissants for baking at home.
Only if you can follow the storage instructions for the product you choose. According to PLUS, Délifrance butter croissants need to be stored at −18 °C and must not be refrozen once defrosted.
No. Lactose-free doesn’t necessarily mean gluten-free. Albert Heijn lists both wheat flour and wheat gluten in Danerolles Lactose free croissants, so check the ingredients and allergens separately on the packaging.
