A plain digestive biscuit goes well with coffee, makes a handy snack on the go or can be used as the base for a simple holiday dessert, provided you can seal the packet properly once opened. Before choosing, compare the nutritional information and allergens on the current label. If you need a gluten-free option, you’ll need one that is explicitly labelled gluten-free. Lotus Biscoff has a caramelised flavour, but it isn’t a digestive biscuit.
You’re looking for a biscuit to have with coffee, enjoy on the go or use in a simple dessert. If you’ve opened a packet, you’ll also want to be able to store the biscuits somewhere cool and dry, and seal the packet properly, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
You want to compare options for things like sugars, fats, fibre and salt, rather than relying on words such as wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing the nutritional values of products on the same basis: per 100 g.
You’re looking for a product with a clear label that meets your dietary needs. Also check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packet of the exact variant you’re buying.
First, check whether an allergen restriction limits your choice. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g and think about what size packet you can store properly during your holiday.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Supplies and storage | Check the packet size and storage instructions. Make sure you can seal the packet properly once it’s open. | If I’m taking biscuits for several days of my holiday, I want to stop an opened packet going soft. Around 31% of consumers put this need first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars, saturated fat, fibre and salt per 100 g, then consider how much you eat at a time. | When choosing between options, I want to compare the nutritional values, not just the text on the front of the packet. For around 31% of consumers, this is their main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | If needed, look for an option explicitly labelled gluten-free and read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the current packet. | If I need to avoid gluten or wheat, the label determines which biscuits I can choose. This is the main priority for around 15% of consumers. |
| Flavour and how you’ll use them | Choose between a plain digestive and a biscuit with a stronger flavour, and assess each option individually. | For coffee or dessert, I’m mainly looking for a flavour that suits the occasion. Around 23% of consumers prioritise this preference. |
Seeing wholemeal flour on the label doesn’t tell you by itself how much sugar, fat or salt the biscuits contain.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the exact options, then consider how much you eat at a time, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises when comparing products.
The plain digestives described from Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain wheat. Even with an option explicitly labelled gluten-free, you’ll still need to check for other relevant allergens.
Read the labels, ingredients and warnings on the packet you’re actually buying.
An opened packet may lose its crunch during your holiday if it isn’t stored properly.
Take an airtight container or bag and store the biscuits somewhere cool, dry and dark, in line with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice.
With a large packet, a loss of quality could affect a bigger proportion of the supplies you’ve brought with you.
Lotus Bakeries describes Biscoff as a crunchy biscuit with a caramelised flavour. It’s a different flavour choice, not automatically a like-for-like replacement for a digestive with the same ingredients.
Decide which flavour you want, and if you have other requirements, compare the label on the exact products.
AH Digestive is a plain digestive biscuit to enjoy with coffee or use as the base for a simple dessert.
Jumbo lists a Krokante Digestive in a 400 g packet.
Digestives Original is a plain wheat biscuit. Jumbo also lists a 2 × 400 g multipack.
Digestive Landtaler is an option if you’re specifically looking for a gluten-free digestive.
A biscuit for anyone looking for a caramelised flavour with coffee or in a dessert, rather than a plain digestive.
Lidl Netherlands lists Digestives naturel as a 400 g store product.
This McVitie's option is a plain digestive for anyone looking to take biscuits for coffee or as a dessert base. When choosing, check the label and consider how you’ll store the packet once it’s open.
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For anyone looking for a plain digestive to enjoy with coffee or use as the base for a simple dessert.
400 g packet. If you have an allergen restriction, check the current label for wheat, gluten and any mention of milk. Once opened, store the biscuits somewhere cool and dry, and seal the packet properly.
No. The name alone doesn’t tell you how the nutritional values of different biscuits compare. Check the packet and compare sugars, fats, fibre and salt per 100 g. This is also the basis for comparison recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Store the biscuits somewhere cool, dry and dark, and seal them properly. This follows the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice and helps stop an opened packet going soft or stale.
Don’t rely on the name ‘digestive’: the plain options described from Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain wheat. Look for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the current label for any other allergens that may be relevant to you.
