Parents planning a small treat
You’re looking for a biscuit you can hand out to each child. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing a small biscuit and serving small portions when offering biscuits and sweets.
Who is this choice important for?
Organisers with allergies in the group
You want to know which ingredients the children need to avoid before you buy. You may need a clearly identifiable alternative; check its full allergen information, not just whether it’s labelled gluten-free.
Organisers buying for a group
You want to match the number of biscuits to the number of guests. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list their digestives in 400 g packs; ALDI says a 400 g pack of Biscotto contains around 27 biscuits.
What should you look for in digestives for a children’s party?
First, ask about the venue’s policy on treats and any dietary requirements in the group. Then you can work out the portion size and how many biscuits you’ll need.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Small portion | Think about how many biscuits you want to hand out and check the serving size on the pack. Albert Heijn lists a 15 g serving for AH Digestive. | If I want to give each child one small biscuit, I want to be able to plan the portion in advance. For around 42% of consumers, portion size is the top priority. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Ask which ingredients need to be avoided and read the allergen information on the pack you buy, even if it’s a gluten-free option. | If a child needs to avoid certain ingredients, I need a clearly identified alternative. This suitability is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Quantity for the group | Compare the number of guests with the number of biscuits in each pack. Albert Heijn lists 27 servings for AH Digestive; ALDI says each pack contains around 27 Biscotto biscuits. | If all the children can eat the same biscuits, I want to make sure there are enough for the group. This group planning is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming wholemeal means less sugar
Jumbo lists 5.8 g of fibre and 19.3 g of sugar per 100 g for its wholemeal digestive. The standard version contains 3.1 g of fibre and 19.2 g of sugar per 100 g. So, the difference in fibre doesn’t mean this wholemeal version contains less sugar.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g on the current packs, and keep your intended serving size in mind too.
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Looking only for the words ‘gluten-free’
The Schär Digestive Choc described by Albert Heijn is gluten-free and wheat-free, but contains milk and soya and may contain egg and lupin.
Ask which ingredients the child needs to avoid and check the full allergen information for the biscuit you’re actually buying.
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Buying biscuits before checking the venue’s policy
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, schools and after-school childcare settings may have rules about treats, or choose to celebrate without handing anything out.
Before you buy, ask the school, after-school childcare setting or party venue what’s allowed, and check whether anyone in the group has dietary requirements.
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Relying solely on an online product description
Ingredients and allergen information can change. If a child needs to avoid certain ingredients, the pack of the product you’ve chosen is more important than a product page you looked at earlier.
Just before handing them out, read the label on the exact pack you bought.
Digestive brands to consider
These examples show how differences in packaging, nutritional information and allergens may matter when choosing biscuits for a children’s party. Always compare the specific option you plan to hand out.
Albert Heijn
AH Digestive is a standard digestive biscuit in a 400 g pack. Albert Heijn lists 27 servings of 15 g, which can help you plan to give one biscuit to each child.
- Albert Heijn describes this option as vegan and lactose-free.
- The product information lists wheat and possible traces of barley, oats and rye. Check the current pack if any ingredients need to be avoided.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists both a standard Krokante Digestive and a Volkoren Digestive, each in a 400 g pack.
- According to Jumbo, the wholemeal option contains 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3.1 g per 100 g for the standard option.
- Jumbo lists 19.3 g and 19.2 g of sugar per 100 g respectively. Both options described contain wheat and gluten.
McVitie's
McVitie's Digestives Original is a plain digestive with no chocolate coating. The 400 g pack described by Jumbo contains an average of 27 biscuits, with one biscuit as a serving.
- The stated serving size makes it easy to plan how many biscuits you’ll need for a group.
- The Original described contains wheat and may contain milk; check the label for the children in your group.
Schär
The Schär Digestive Choc described by Albert Heijn is a chocolate digestive labelled gluten-free and wheat-free.
- This specific option may be suitable if a child needs to avoid gluten or wheat and the other ingredients are suitable too.
- According to the product information, it contains milk and soya and may contain egg and lupin. Gluten-free doesn’t mean all allergens have been ruled out.
Biscotto / ALDI
ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as crunchy wheat biscuits, with around 27 in a 400 g pack.
- The stated number of biscuits gives you a starting point for planning for the group.
- For specific allergen and nutritional information, read the pack of the option you buy.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus describes Biscoff as a crunchy biscuit with a caramelised flavour. It’s an alternative for anyone who’d rather hand out something other than a digestive.
- Its different flavour and biscuit style make it a distinct choice for the party.
- Don’t treat Biscoff as a standard, wholemeal or gluten-free digestive; check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
Digestives at Joybuy for a children’s party
These are McVitie's digestives: an Original without a chocolate coating and two chocolate options. For a simple biscuit to hand out, you could start with the Original. If you’d like to serve a chocolate option, check the portion size and allergens for those varieties too.
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McVitie's Digestives Original, 400 g
A plain digestive with no chocolate coating, ideal if you want to plan one biscuit per child. For this Original, the product information lists one 14.7 g biscuit as a serving and an average of 27 servings per pack. Check the current label for wheat and possible milk.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate, 266 g
A milk chocolate digestive for anyone who’d like to hand out a chocolate option rather than a plain biscuit. Check how many biscuits you’ll need for the group and read the label for allergens, including milk, soya and wheat.
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McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate, 266 g
A dark chocolate digestive if you’d like to serve this option instead of a plain biscuit. To plan for the group, work out how many biscuits you can hand out from the pack and check the label for allergens, including milk, soya and wheat.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hand out a digestive at a children’s party?
Yes, as long as a small biscuit fits the party’s rules and the children can eat it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends small portions when serving biscuits and sweets; check the group’s dietary requirements before you buy too.
When should I ask about allergies and dietary requirements?
Ask before you buy the biscuits, so you can check the pack of a suitable option or choose a separate alternative. For allergies, check the full ingredients list and allergen information.
Does a wholemeal digestive contain less sugar than a regular one?
Not necessarily: Jumbo lists 19.3 g of sugar per 100 g for its wholemeal digestive and 19.2 g per 100 g for the standard option. So compare the nutritional information for the options you’re considering, rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’.
Is a gluten-free digestive free from other allergens too?
No. The Schär Digestive Choc described by Albert Heijn is gluten-free and wheat-free, but contains milk and soya and may contain egg and lupin. Check that the full allergen information is suitable for the child the biscuit is intended for.
Should I check the school or after-school childcare setting’s policy on treats?
Yes, if you want to hand out the biscuits there. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, schools and after-school childcare settings can decide what may be handed out or choose to celebrate without treats. Ask about the policy at the venue in advance.