Only choose taaitaai for a school fair if the school allows it and you can check the allergens in the variety you’ve chosen. Dark brown sugar in a recipe or burnt sugar on an ingredients list is no proof of cocoa content. If you’re specifically looking for a cocoa flavour, check the ingredients of the exact product.
If children are given or buy taaitaai at a school fair, the school’s and parents’ arrangements matter more than flavour preferences. Ingredients vary by product: PLUS taaitaai, for example, lists wheat, rye and milk, as well as possible traces of other allergens.
If you want to bake your own, the Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe using dark brown sugar gives you a specific starting point. However, a dark colour or flavour doesn’t mean it contains cocoa or chocolate.
When you’re catering for a group of pupils, the size of each biscuit matters, not just the contents of the packet. The Voedingscentrum recommends small portions for treats and suggests a small biscuit if you choose to serve biscuits.
First, ask what the school allows at the fair and whether anyone in the group has allergies or dietary requirements. Then decide whether you’re looking for a verifiable cocoa flavour or a darker, classic taaitaai, and choose a size you can serve appropriately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| School rules and allergens | Ask about the school’s policy and check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packet you buy. | I’ll only bring taaitaai once it’s clear that the school allows it and that the biscuits are suitable for the children they’ll be offered to. This would be the main consideration for roughly 50% of consumers. |
| Dark flavour or cocoa | If you want a cocoa flavour, look specifically for cocoa, cocoa mass or chocolate in the ingredients list. Don’t assume it’s there just because the product is described as ‘dark’. | I’m looking for something with a darker flavour for the fair, but I don’t want to promise a chocolate flavour based on colour alone. For around 30% of consumers, flavour would be the priority. |
| Portion size and serving | Compare the size of each biscuit and the number in the pack with the group size and the school’s arrangements. | If I’m handing them out to a whole group, I want a small portion I can give to each child. This would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn Allerhande uses dark brown sugar in a taaitaai recipe; Jumbo lists burnt sugar among the ingredients for Bolletje Taai Taai Poppetjes. Neither ingredient tells you how much cocoa taaitaai contains.
If you want to offer a cocoa or chocolate variety, check that those ingredients are listed on the packet of that exact variety. Otherwise, describe only the flavour you can actually verify.
The ingredients list for the PLUS taaitaai checked here includes wheat, rye and milk, and also warns of possible traces of other allergens. Baking your own doesn’t automatically avoid allergens either: Jumbo’s taaitaai recipe contains wheat flour.
Check for allergies and other dietary requirements with the school and parents in advance. If you can’t confirm that an edible treat is suitable for a child, discuss an appropriate alternative.
The weight of a bag doesn’t tell you how big each biscuit is or how many individual portions you can hand out. The Voedingscentrum recommends small portions for school treats.
Count how many children and adults you want to cater for, then check the size and number of biscuits in the packet you’ve chosen.
Albert Heijn points out that product ingredients and allergen information can change. This is particularly important when someone needs to avoid an ingredient.
Use a product page to narrow down your options, but read the packet of the taaitaai you actually buy before handing it out.
These brands offer options for packaged taaitaai or baking your own. Always compare the specific variety: a brand name alone tells you nothing about cocoa, portion size or suitability for people with allergies.
Albert Heijn lists taaitaai as a product and publishes a recipe using dark brown sugar through Allerhande.
Jumbo lists a Bakkers Taaitaai Pop and a recipe containing ingredients including wheat flour, wholemeal wheat flour, honey, spices and aniseed.
PLUS provides ingredient and allergen information for a 500 g taaitaai product.
Dirk lists 1 de Beste Mini taai taai 500 g in its search results.
ALDI describes its 500 g taai-taai as aniseed-flavoured biscuits in assorted shapes.
The ingredient information shown by Jumbo for Bolletje Taai Taai Poppetjes includes wheat, rye, a milk ingredient, aniseed and burnt sugar.
You can’t tell from the product name. The PLUS taaitaai checked here lists wheat, rye and cereals containing gluten; the ingredient information for Bolletje Taai Taai Poppetjes also mentions wheat and rye. Read the allergen information on the packet of the variety you plan to use.
Ask the school about its arrangements for the fair before choosing taaitaai. The Voedingscentrum says a school or event policy may set out what can and can’t be given as a treat; check for allergies and dietary requirements in the group too.
No. A dark colour or name doesn’t, by itself, tell you anything about the cocoa content. The Albert Heijn Allerhande recipe uses dark brown sugar, while the ingredients shown by Jumbo for Bolletje Taai Taai Poppetjes include burnt sugar. If you want a cocoa flavour, look for cocoa, cocoa mass or chocolate on the label.
Choose a portion that fits the school’s arrangements and that you can hand out to each child. The Voedingscentrum recommends small portions and suggests a small biscuit as an option. So check the size of each biscuit, rather than just the weight of the bag.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought. Jumbo says to reseal the packaging of its Bakkers Taaitaai Pop tightly after opening and store it in a dark place; check the packet for other varieties.
