Choose mini currant and raisin buns if guests are likely to take small portions from the buffet. If you want to serve a whole bun to each guest, regular or giant buns are a better fit. Work out how many portions you need before choosing your packs, and check the storage instructions for the exact pack you’ve selected if you’re shopping in advance.
If guests will be sampling other dishes too, individually portioned mini buns are a good option. PLUS lists a pack of nine mini currant and raisin buns. Jumbo and ALDI also list packs of nine mini buns, but these are mini butter raisin buns rather than an equivalent type of currant bun.
Start with the number of guests who want a whole bun. Jumbo, PLUS and ALDI list packs of six currant buns. PLUS also offers a pack of eight longer-lasting currant buns and a pack of four giant currant and raisin buns. A giant bun and a regular bun are not the same-sized portion.
If you’re shopping before the buffet, the storage instructions on the pack you choose are especially important. PLUS says its pack of eight longer-lasting currant buns can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month.
First decide whether you want to serve small bites or whole buns. Then you can work out how many packs you’ll need for your buffet.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Number of portions | Count how many whole buns you want to serve and compare this with the number in each pack. | If I want to give every guest their own bun, the number of individual buns matters more than the size of the pack. This would be the main consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Small size | Check that they’re mini currant and raisin buns, and that the pack size suits your portion plan. | If guests are sampling several buffet dishes, I’d rather offer small buns than give everyone a whole regular bun. This would be the main priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Storing in advance | Read the storage instructions, including any guidance on freezing, for the variety you’ve chosen. | I want to shop before the buffet without overlooking the storage instructions for my pack. Being able to shop in advance would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and check the pack itself for any mention of baker’s salt. | If guests ask about ingredients or allergens, I want to be able to rely on the packaging of the product I’m actually serving. Checking the label would matter most to around 20% of consumers. |
A pack of six regular currant buns, nine mini currant and raisin buns or four giant buns will give you different portion sizes.
First decide what you want to serve each guest, then work out how many packs you need. Don’t automatically count one mini bun as a substitute for one regular bun.
Information about iodine being added through baker’s salt doesn’t confirm which salt is used in a specific currant bun.
If the presence of baker’s salt or iodine affects your choice, check the ingredients list on the pack you buy.
The advice to freeze on the day of purchase and use within one month applies to PLUS’s pack of eight longer-lasting currant buns. It doesn’t automatically apply to other varieties.
Plan when to shop around the storage and freezing instructions for the product you choose.
Albert Heijn lists, among other products, a pack of nine AH Extra long-lasting raisin and currant buns.
Jumbo lists a pack of six raisin and currant buns, as well as a pack of nine mini butter raisin buns.
PLUS lists packs of six regular, eight longer-lasting, nine mini and four giant currant and raisin buns.
ALDI lists raisin and currant buns in packs of six, alongside giant raisin buns in packs of four and mini butter raisin buns in packs of nine.
Lidl lists currant buns, mini raisin and currant buns, and giant raisin and currant buns as separate products.
Divide the number of portions you want to serve by the number of buns in the pack you’ve chosen, then round up to the nearest whole pack. Don’t automatically count mini buns as a full regular portion, and remember to allow for the other dishes on the buffet.
Yes, as long as the storage instructions for the pack you choose suit when you’re shopping. PLUS says its pack of eight longer-lasting currant buns can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month. For other products, follow the instructions on their own packaging.
Don’t assume so without checking the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists baker’s salt as a possible source of added iodine, but only the ingredients information for the currant buns you’ve chosen can confirm which salt they contain.
The packaging for the product you’re serving is the relevant source of information about its ingredients, nutritional information and allergens. Albert Heijn says this product information can change, so don’t use an older product listing instead of checking the current label.
