Who are these options relevant to?

Organisers buying in advance

If you buy the buns before the procession, the storage instructions matter. PLUS says that its longer-life pack can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should then be used within a month.

Anyone handing them out and planning portions

When you’re catering for a group, it makes a difference whether you want to hand out regular buns or one larger bun per person. PLUS lists packs of six regular currant buns and four giant currant and raisin buns; choose the pack to suit the number of portions you need.

Shoppers comparing labels

If you’re keeping an eye on ingredients, allergens or nutritional values, you’ll need the information on the pack you choose. When comparing sugar and fibre, check whether the values are given per 100 g or per bun.

What should you look for when choosing?

Before the Sinterklaas procession, first decide when you’ll buy the currant buns and what portions you want to hand out. Then check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergen details on the pack you’re actually buying.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Buying in advance and storage Read the storage advice and check whether freezing is allowed, when to freeze the buns and how long they can be kept afterwards. If I’m shopping well before the procession, I want to know how to store the buns according to the pack. Around 40% of consumers put this first when choosing.
Dark flavour Check the ingredients list for cocoa or chocolate. Look for a stated cocoa percentage if that’s important to your choice. If I want a darker chocolate flavour, I don’t want to rely on a product name or colour alone. This flavour preference is a priority for around 30% of consumers.
Nutritional information Compare sugar and fibre per 100 g and per bun, taking differences in portion size into account. If I’m considering buns of different sizes, I want to be able to compare their nutritional values on a like-for-like basis. This is the first consideration for around 20% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings about possible traces. If someone in my group needs to avoid an allergen, the information on the pack I choose determines whether I can hand out that bun. This requirement is the deciding factor for around 10% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘dark’ or a dark colour means lots of cocoa

    A colour or search term won’t tell you whether a currant bun contains cocoa or chocolate, let alone what percentage of cocoa it contains.

    Check the ingredients of the exact product. If a particular cocoa percentage matters to you, see whether it’s stated for that product.

  • Treating every bun as the same-sized portion

    A giant currant and raisin bun isn’t necessarily interchangeable with a regular currant bun when you’re planning portions for a group.

    Decide how many buns you want to hand out per person, then compare their size and the number of buns in each pack.

  • Relying on allergen information from a previous purchase

    Ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked foods must be shown on the label.

    Check the pack again every time you buy. If the buns aren’t prepacked, ask about allergen information before buying.

  • Using an average nutritional value for every brand

    The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives values for a 50 g currant bun, but the size and recipe of the bun you buy may differ.

    To compare products, use the nutritional information on the packs you’re considering and compare values per 100 g. For the portion you’re handing out, check the value per bun too.

Brands and shops to help you compare

These examples can help you compare pack sizes, storage advice and label information. They don’t tell you what’s available on Joybuy.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn has an online category for currant and muesli buns, including raisin and currant buns.

  • The category includes several pack options, including a longer-life variety.
  • Albert Heijn notes that product information can change. Check the current ingredients, nutritional information and allergen details on the pack you choose.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes a pack of six white wheat raisin and currant buns.

  • The product page lists 2.8 g of fibre per 100 g, a useful figure to compare with another product label.
  • The stated fibre content doesn’t tell you whether the buns contain cocoa or chocolate; check the ingredients list for that.

PLUS

PLUS lists regular, longer-life and giant currant and raisin buns.

  • The packs listed give you a starting point for comparing six regular buns, eight longer-life buns or four giant buns by portion size and how far ahead you can plan.
  • For the regular and longer-life packs reviewed, PLUS advises freezing them on the day of purchase and using them within a month. Don’t apply that advice to another pack without checking its instructions.

ALDI

ALDI describes a pack of six soft wheat raisin and currant buns.

  • The pack clearly states how many buns it contains, which helps you plan portions to hand out.
  • If you’re looking for a chocolate variety, check the ingredients of the specific product; the description of these buns doesn’t confirm that they contain chocolate.

Lidl

Lidl lists currant buns among its freshly baked bread products, describing them as a bag of six soft buns with currants.

  • The description makes the number of buns per bag clear, helping you plan for a group.
  • Check the current product information in store for ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘dark’ mean a currant bun contains lots of cocoa?

No. The colour or name alone doesn’t confirm that a bun contains cocoa or chocolate. Read the ingredients of the exact currant bun and check whether a cocoa percentage is stated if that’s what you’re looking for. If you want to compare flavours with different sugar contents, check the sugar listed in the nutritional information separately.

Can I buy currant buns in advance for the procession?

Yes, as long as you can follow the storage instructions for the product you choose. PLUS says its regular currant buns and longer-life pack can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should then be used within a month. Check the instructions on your pack.

How do I check for allergens in currant buns?

Check the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings about traces every time you buy. The PLUS varieties described list ingredients including wheat, rye, milk and lactose; don’t assume other currant buns contain the same ingredients. If the buns aren’t prepacked, ask about allergen information before buying.

How do I compare the fibre content of currant buns?

First compare the fibre per 100 g shown on the labels of the products you’re considering. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 2 g of fibre as a general nutritional value for a 50 g currant bun; don’t treat this as the exact value for every brand or for a larger bun.