Choose a fresh croissant if you want to eat on the journey without needing any equipment. If you’d like to serve warm croissants at your destination, choose a ready-to-bake option if there’s an oven or air fryer available. A frozen option also needs to be kept frozen until it’s time to bake. Whatever you choose, check the storage instructions and allergens on the packaging.
If you want something to eat as soon as you set off or during a stop, choose a fresh, ready-to-eat croissant that doesn’t need preparing. ALDI and Lidl list butter croissants sold individually; check availability at the shop where you plan to stop.
If you want to serve warm croissants there, choose a product to suit the equipment available. A ready-to-bake option needs an oven or air fryer, while a frozen option also needs to be stored in a freezer.
If you have an allergy or prefer to avoid certain ingredients, check the label on the exact product. The PLUS butter croissants we looked at list ingredients including wheat and milk; egg and possible traces of soya or nuts are also listed on some products.
First, decide when you want to eat the croissants and what storage and equipment you’ll have available. Then compare the quantity in each pack and the ingredients in the product you’ve chosen.
Choose this if: you want to eat during the journey or at a short stop without having to bake anything.
The trade-off: you won’t need to arrange any equipment, but you won’t be serving freshly baked croissants at your destination.
Choose this if: you have an oven or air fryer there and can set aside a little time to bake them.
The trade-off: you’ll need to fit the preparation into your plans; also check the storage instructions on the packaging.
Choose this if: you can keep the product frozen until you’re ready to bake it and have an oven at your destination.
The trade-off: the Délifrance option listed by PLUS must be stored at −18 °C and, according to the product information, needs 18 minutes in the oven at 185 °C.
| What to consider | What to check | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat | Check whether the croissant is fresh and ready to eat, or needs baking first. | If I want to eat during a short stop, I don’t want to need an oven or air fryer. For roughly 33% of consumers, that convenience is the top priority. |
| Serving warm | Check the equipment needed, preparation time and storage instructions for the exact product. | If I’m having breakfast at my destination, I want to be able to set aside time to bake the croissants. Around 25% of consumers say serving them warm is their top priority. |
| Enough for the group | Compare the number of croissants and the total weight; also check whether you need to bake the whole pack. | If I’m sharing with other travellers, I want to know whether one pack will be enough for our planned meal. For around 25% of consumers, quantity comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the exact packaging; don’t assume which type of salt is used from the product name. | If I have an allergy or a specific preference about ingredients, I need to check that the product is suitable before choosing it. This is the main concern for around 17% of consumers. |
A luxury or butter croissant may still need baking or freezer storage. That can make it an awkward choice for a stop where you don’t have access to any equipment.
First choose between fresh, ready-to-bake and frozen based on when you plan to eat; then compare the specific products.
The PLUS products we looked at differ in their ingredients and allergen information. As well as wheat and milk, some list egg or the possible presence of soya and nuts.
If this is relevant to anyone travelling with you, check the current label on the exact croissant.
The Voedingscentrum explains that baker’s salt has iodine added to it, but not every baker uses baker’s salt. So the product name doesn’t tell you which type of salt a croissant contains.
If the type of salt matters to you, check whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed in the ingredients.
Albert Heijn lists both AH butter croissants and a luxury butter croissant in its online range.
Jumbo’s croissant range includes butter, plant-based and mini options.
Lidl lists a butter croissant that, according to its product page, is made with butter.
ALDI lists a fresh butter croissant sold individually.
PLUS lists ready-to-bake croissants, as well as a frozen option from Délifrance.
Dirk lists a 65 g butter croissant sold individually.
Take a fresh, ready-to-eat croissant if you want to eat during the journey. Check the product type: the ready-to-bake croissants we looked at need an oven or air fryer, while the frozen option also needs to stay frozen until it’s time to prepare it.
Yes, as long as the number of croissants and the preparation method suit your plans. For example, Jumbo lists a pack of four 180 g butter croissants; check whether the pack you choose contains ready-to-eat croissants or ones that need baking.
Always check the allergen information on the exact packaging. The PLUS ready-to-bake option we looked at lists wheat or spelt and milk; the frozen option lists wheat, egg and milk and may contain soya and nuts. Don’t assume the same information applies to other croissants.
You can’t tell from the word croissant. The Voedingscentrum explains that baker’s salt has iodine added to it, but bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list on the product you’ve chosen if you want to know which type of salt is listed.
Not the Délifrance frozen croissants from PLUS that we looked at: the product instructions say not to refreeze them once defrosted. For other products, follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
