First, check the school’s rules and the allergen information on the packaging. If digestives are allowed and gluten isn’t a concern, classic or wholemeal varieties in a 400 g pack can be a practical choice for a sales table. Choose a gluten-free variety if there’s a specific need, and check the other allergens and pack size too.
If you’re buying biscuits for a mixed group of schoolchildren, you need to know which allergens they contain and what rules the school has in place. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be available before purchase when food is sold loose or repackaged.
For a sales table expecting lots of visitors, it helps to check the pack weight and the number of biscuits. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists 400 g packs of the classic AH, Jumbo and McVitie's digestives reviewed, with around 27 portions or biscuits per pack.
If you want to compare fibre content, use the nutritional information per 100 g. If you need a gluten-free option, remember to check for other allergens too: the Schär and Jumbo gluten-free varieties reviewed also list other allergens.
Start with the school’s rules and how you plan to sell the biscuits. Then compare the pack and nutritional information for the options that fit.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and school rules | Ask which biscuits the school allows and check the latest allergen information. Keep that information available if you’re selling biscuits loose or repackaged. | If you’re selling biscuits individually, you need to know which allergens to disclose and whether the school allows these biscuits. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Pack weight and portions | Compare the weight and the stated number of biscuits or portions per pack with how many you want to offer. | If you’re buying for lots of visitors, you’ll want to work out in advance how many packs you need. Around 29% of consumers prioritise having enough portions. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Compare the fibre per 100 g on the label and check separately whether the product contains wheat or other allergens. | If you want to offer a wholemeal variety, you’ll want to compare the fibre content without overlooking wheat. This is the most important factor for around 21% of consumers. |
| Type of biscuit | Read the product name: a plain digestive, a chocolate digestive and a speculoos biscuit are different products. | If you want to serve a plain digestive, you don’t want to accidentally pick up a chocolate variety or speculoos biscuits. This familiar product choice is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Classic digestives may contain wheat, and the school may have its own rules about treats. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be available before purchase when food is sold unpackaged.
Check the school’s rules and, if you’re selling biscuits loose, keep the latest allergen information for the pack you’ve chosen to hand.
According to Jumbo’s product information, Schär Digestive Landtaler contains soya and may contain lupin and egg. Jumbo’s gluten-free chocolate digestive contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.
Check the full allergen information on the specific pack against the known needs of your group.
Lotus Biscoff Original is speculoos, not a digestive. A chocolate variety also has a different composition from a plain digestive.
Check the product name and read the ingredients and nutritional information for each variety separately.
Albert Heijn lists classic and wholemeal AH digestives in 400 g packs.
Jumbo lists classic and wholemeal digestives in 400 g packs, as well as a separate gluten-free variety with milk chocolate.
McVitie's Digestives Original is a classic wheat digestive in a 400 g pack.
Schär Digestive Landtaler is sold as a gluten-free digestive in a 3 × 50 g pack.
ALDI lists Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as wheat biscuits in a 400 g pack.
When food is sold unpackaged, information about any allergens it contains must be available before purchase. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists 14 allergens; for cereals containing gluten, the type of cereal must also be clear. So keep the information from the packaging you’re using to hand when selling biscuits individually.
No. Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from all allergens. According to Jumbo’s product information, Schär Digestive Landtaler contains soya and may contain lupin and egg; Jumbo’s gluten-free variety with milk chocolate contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts. Read all the information on the pack you choose.
Yes. According to VOO, schools can set their own rules about treats. Before buying, ask the school or fair organiser which rules apply to the sale, even if the allergens are clearly listed on the pack.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the digestive you’ve chosen and seal any opened pack securely. The product information reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo recommends storing the biscuits in a cool, dark, dry place and/or in a tightly sealed tin or pack.
