A digestive biscuit is a good choice if you’re looking to give your child a sweet biscuit after school; compare the nutritional information per 100 g and the amount you serve. If you’re after a grain-based option to add toppings to, look for a genuinely wholemeal crispbread or cracker, and check the salt and allergens too. For a regular snack for children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests options including vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread.
You want to know whether crispbread, crackers or biscuits fit with your aim of taking wholegrains and fibre into account. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for the wholemeal option when choosing grain products.
You’re mainly after the flavour and crunch of a digestive biscuit, but also want to consider its sugars, fat, salt and serving size.
You’ll need to check the label on the exact pack against the school or after-school club’s rules and any individual allergy arrangements. The grain products reviewed include wheat and other cereals containing gluten.
Good for: a sweet, plain biscuit when that’s what you want from snack time.
Consider: the name doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fat or fibre it contains; compare the exact variety and serving size.
Good for: a crunchy piece of toast to add toppings to.
Consider: the Van der Meulen variety reviewed also lists salt and allergens, including sesame, soya and cereals containing gluten.
Good for: a base for toppings if you’d rather not choose a sweet biscuit.
Consider: recipes vary, so check the ingredients and nutritional information on the pack you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it’s most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain base | Check whether the exact product is labelled wholemeal, and compare fibre and salt per 100 g. | I’m looking for a grain-based option rather than a biscuit for regular snack times. For around 42% of consumers, this nutritional consideration comes first. |
| Biscuit moment | Compare sugars, fat and salt per 100 g, then consider how many biscuits you’ll serve. | After school, I want to give my child a crunchy, sweet biscuit without losing sight of the portion size. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and packing | Read the current label, including any warnings about traces, and check the school or after-school club’s rules. | If I’m packing something, it needs to meet the allergy arrangements for my child and their group. Around 25% of consumers say this check is their top priority. |
A digestive is still a biscuit. Albert Heijn lists 16 g of added sugars, 21 g of fat and 0.78 g of salt per 100 g for AH Digestive, among other values. The name, or an ingredient such as wholemeal wheat flour, is no substitute for checking the full nutritional information.
Choose a digestive if you’re looking for a biscuit. If you want a grain-based option to serve more often, compare genuinely wholemeal alternatives too, along with the portions you serve.
The Van der Meulen Wholemeal Melba Toast reviewed lists 9.7 g of fibre, but also 1.9 g of salt per 100 g. These values answer different questions about the same toast.
Compare products on the same 100 g basis, then consider how many pieces of toast you’ll serve and what toppings you’ll add.
Ingredients and allergy information can change. This is especially important when a product is going to school or an after-school club.
Read the current pack when you buy it, and check for any warnings about traces of allergens too.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using iodised baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory. So you can’t tell how much iodine a product provides just from the words “toast” or “digestive”.
Base your comparison on information about the specific product, not on an assumption about the salt used.
Worth considering if you’re looking at a cracker to add toppings to as an alternative to a digestive biscuit.
The Wholemeal Melba Toast reviewed is a piece of toast for adding toppings to, and can be compared with a sweet biscuit.
AH Digestive is a specific biscuit variety to compare with toast or crackers.
Jumbo Digestive Volkoren is another biscuit variety to compare using the information on the label.
Two different types of product: Biscotto Digestive Biscuits and Sun Snacks Melba Toast Naturel.
These products include crunchy grain-based options for adding toppings to, as well as one classic digestive biscuit. First decide what you’re looking for in a snack, then compare the exact pack and, if you’re packing something, the relevant allergy arrangements.
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For anyone looking for a crunchy base to add toppings to after school, rather than a digestive biscuit. The pack contains 375 g; check the grain ingredients and allergens on the current label before packing it.
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A cracker option for anyone looking for a base to add toppings to. The pack contains 300 g; compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the allergens on the pack if it’s going to school or an after-school club.
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A crunchy grain-based option to consider alongside biscuits. The pack contains 265 g; check the label for this specific variety before drawing conclusions from information about other Bolletje crackers.
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A smaller pack of crispbreads for anyone considering a base to add toppings to; this variety contains 125 g. Check the label on this specific pack for sugars, ingredients and allergens.
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For anyone specifically looking for a classic digestive biscuit rather than a piece of toast to add toppings to. The pack contains 400 g; consider the nutritional information per 100 g as well as how many biscuits you’ll serve.
Yes, read the label on the exact pack if gluten is a factor in your choice. The digestive biscuits and Melba toast reviewed contain, or may contain, cereals with gluten; check which grains and any warnings are listed on the product you choose.
No, the name doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fat, salt or fibre a biscuit contains. Compare the specific variety: for example, Albert Heijn lists 16 g of added sugars and 21 g of fat per 100 g for AH Digestive.
No, it depends on the snack occasion: Melba toast is a base for toppings, while a digestive is a biscuit. The Van der Meulen Wholemeal Melba Toast reviewed lists 9.7 g of fibre and 1.9 g of salt per 100 g; consider allergens, toppings and portion size when comparing them too.
No, you can’t tell that from the product category. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says using iodised baker’s salt in bread isn’t compulsory; check the information for the specific product before making a claim about iodine.
