Holidaymakers looking for a more substantial brunch
If you want to serve a croissant with a filling, compare the net weight per piece. Also check whether you can eat it straight away or need to bake it at your holiday home.
Who is this choice important for?
Meal planners with an oven or air fryer
If you’re planning breakfast for several days, choose a product that suits the equipment and storage space in your holiday home. Check the preparation and storage instructions on the packaging you choose.
Shoppers who read labels carefully
If ingredients, allergens, salt or iodine matter to your choice, check the label of the exact option you’re buying. Ingredients can vary from one product to another.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to eat the croissants straight away or bake them at your holiday home. Then compare the portion per piece and the label.
Frozen croissants to bake at home
A good choice if: you have freezer space and a suitable oven, and want to bake the croissants later.
Bear in mind: store and defrost them according to the packaging. Jumbo says its frozen-fresh croissants must not be refrozen after defrosting.
Ready-to-bake croissants without a freezer
A good choice if: you want to bake them at your holiday home without using freezer space.
Bear in mind: the preparation instructions and portion per piece; a large pack does not necessarily mean large croissants.
Fresh croissants
A good choice if: you want to buy croissants to eat straight away, without baking them at your holiday home.
Bear in mind: the information for the specific product: a croissant sold individually may not have a stated weight or a full label on the shop’s website.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Divide the net weight by the number of pieces or stated portions. Don’t use the result as a measure of thickness or texture. | If I’m looking for a larger croissant for brunch or a filling, I want to know how much one piece weighs. For around 46% of shoppers, portion size comes first. |
| Storage and preparation | Check whether you need an oven or air fryer and, for frozen products, check the freezing and defrosting instructions. | If I’m planning several breakfasts, I want to be able to store and prepare the croissants using what’s available at the holiday home. This is the main concern for around 27% of shoppers. |
| Label | Read the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values for the exact option; compare salt levels on the same basis. | If I need to take ingredients or allergens into account, I must be able to check the right packaging before eating. For around 27% of shoppers, checking the label takes priority. |
Common mistakes
-
Mistaking a large pack for a large croissant
Having more pieces in a pack tells you nothing about the size of each one. The term ‘thick cut’ also doesn’t give you a useful measurement of its cross-section.
Divide the net weight by the number of pieces: Jumbo states that its frozen-fresh option weighs 420 g and contains 6 portions, which works out at 70 g per portion. According to the shop, Jumbo Super Croissants weigh 340 g for 6 pieces, or around 56.7 g each. Neither weight proves anything about the texture.
-
Taking frozen croissants without a storage plan
A frozen option needs to be stored properly from the moment you take it with you until you prepare it. The defrosting instructions may determine when you need to use the croissants.
Check that you have freezer space and read the label before choosing a frozen option. Jumbo says its frozen-fresh croissants must not be refrozen after defrosting, and should be prepared and eaten within 24 hours.
If you can’t follow those storage instructions, you may not be able to use the stock you’ve planned.
-
Assuming allergens or iodised salt based on the product category
The ingredients in a croissant depend on the specific product. PLUS lists wheat, egg and milk, among other ingredients, in its small butter croissant; this is not an ingredients list for other options.
Read the allergen information and ingredients on the packaging you choose. Check which type of salt is used there too, if iodine matters to your choice.
-
Using average nutritional values for every brand
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides nutritional values for a 45 g reference croissant; a larger option or one made with different ingredients won’t necessarily have the same values per piece.
Compare the nutritional information on the packaging per 100 g or per portion, using the same basis for every product.
Brands and shops to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists ready-to-bake and frozen croissants, including AH Super croissants weighing 340 g.
- You can compare different product types side by side in the range.
- The pack weight doesn’t confirm the thickness or texture of each croissant.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists Super Croissants weighing 340 g for 6 pieces and frozen-fresh croissants weighing 420 g for 6 portions.
- These figures let you compare the stated weight per piece or portion.
- The frozen-fresh option needs to be stored and prepared properly; its weight says nothing about its thickness.
Lidl
Lidl lists butter croissants to bake at home, which the product page says are available in store only.
- An option to consider if you’re shopping locally and can bake them at your holiday home.
- Check the packaging in store if weight or ingredients will influence your choice.
ALDI
ALDI lists a fresh butter croissant sold individually and includes croissants in its range of bread to bake at home.
- You can weigh up a fresh option against croissants that still need baking.
- Check the weight and label of the option you choose before comparing portions or ingredients.
PLUS
PLUS lists mini butter croissants and a small butter croissant, with preparation and allergen information specific to each product.
- PLUS provides oven and air fryer instructions for its mini option.
- A mini croissant is a different portion choice from a croissant you’re buying specifically because it’s larger.
Dirk
Dirk lists, among other options, a fresh butter croissant weighing 65 g per piece.
- The stated weight makes it possible to compare portion sizes.
- Check the preparation method and allergens separately for other Dirk options.
Croissants on Joybuy
These croissants offer two different portion sizes for breakfast or a snack at your holiday home. Use the weight per piece to compare portions, and check the packaging to see how to store and use the croissant you choose.
Image unavailable
Bakery Village Danish Croissant 85 g
An option if you’re looking for a croissant with a stated weight of 85 g per piece for brunch or a snack. That weight tells you nothing about its thickness, filling or texture; check the ingredients and instructions for use on the packaging.
Image unavailable
g'woon Butter Croissants, 4 pieces, 180 g
A pack of four croissants to enjoy at different times. At 180 g for four pieces, that works out mathematically at 45 g per croissant, so this is a different choice from the 85 g croissant above if you’re looking for a larger portion per piece. Check the preparation method and allergens on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Does a heavier croissant mean it’s thicker?
No. The weight per piece helps you compare portion sizes, but doesn’t tell you its cross-section, filling or texture. Check the product information and packaging if those features matter to your choice.
What should I choose if the holiday home has an oven but no freezer?
Look for a ready-to-bake option with storage and preparation instructions that suit the holiday home, rather than automatically choosing a frozen option. PLUS says its mini butter croissants take 3–5 minutes in an oven at 200 °C; always follow the instructions for the option you buy.
Can I refreeze frozen croissants once they’ve defrosted?
Follow the instructions for the specific product: Jumbo says its frozen-fresh croissants must not be refrozen after defrosting. The same product information says they should be prepared and eaten within 24 hours of defrosting.
Does every croissant contain iodised salt?
Don’t assume so. Read the ingredients list for the croissant you choose if the type of salt used matters to your choice; the product category alone won’t tell you what that option contains.