Choose a digestive if you want to hand out or take along a plain biscuit during the parade. For small topped bites, Melba toast or crisp toast is a better choice. Check the topping you plan to use, and always check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for each product.
First decide whether you want to hand out something ready to eat or make small bites with toppings. For these types of product, that difference matters more than their similarly crisp texture.
You’re looking for a toast base for small savoury bites. Thin Melba toast is an option for light toppings. If keeping it crisp after adding toppings is essential, check the product description for the particular crisp toast you’re considering; don’t assume all toast behaves in the same way.
You want something you can hand out or eat without toppings or preparation, perhaps with coffee or tea. The digestives covered here are sold as biscuits, not as toast for savoury toppings.
You take ingredients or allergens into account when serving food, or want to compare sugar, salt and fibre between options. Check the label on the product you choose: ingredients and nutritional values can vary even within the same product type.
First choose between a plain biscuit and toast for toppings. Then compare options within that product type, focusing on what matters to your guests.
Choose this if: you want to take along or hand out a plain biscuit.
Bear in mind: a digestive is sold as a biscuit, so it’s not the same type of product as toast for toppings. A wholemeal option doesn’t automatically contain less sugar or salt, either.
Choose this if: you’re looking for a thin base for small bites with light toppings.
Bear in mind: check the allergens on each pack, and add toppings at a time that suits how crisp you want the toast to be.
Choose this if: keeping toast crisp once topped is important to you, and the description of the specific product makes this claim.
Bear in mind: Haust makes this claim about its own Krokant Toast; it’s not a proven feature of all crisp toast. Also check the ingredients if you’re serving guests with allergies.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Toppings and crispness | Check whether it’s Melba toast or another type of toast suitable for toppings. Treat claims about staying crisp as applying only to the product named. | If I want to serve small savoury bites, I need a base that works with my toppings. For around 36% of consumers, suitability for toppings and crispness come first. |
| Plain biscuit | Check the pack size and storage instructions if you want to take biscuits along in advance or store an opened pack. | I want to be able to hand out something plain, with no toppings or preparation, during the parade. A ready-to-eat biscuit is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Compare fibre, sugar and salt per 100 g on the packs; don’t treat the word wholemeal as an indication of the overall nutritional value. | When I’m choosing between digestives, I want to know how much fibre the option actually contains. For around 21% of consumers, this comparison is the deciding factor. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information. For a 0% sugar option, also check which sweeteners and warnings are listed on the pack. | If I’m offering food to guests, I need to be able to check whether the ingredients are suitable for them. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label is their main concern. |
The digestives covered here are biscuits; Melba toast and crisp toast are the product types described for small bites with toppings. So the same serving plan won’t necessarily work for all three.
Before you buy, decide whether you want to hand out plain biscuits or add toppings to toast. Then choose an option and flavour.
Among the Jumbo digestives covered here, the wholemeal option lists 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3.1 g per 100 g for the crisp digestive. This difference in fibre alone doesn’t tell you how the options compare on other nutritional values.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g if sugar or salt also matters to you.
AH Digestive 0% Sugar lists polyols and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. The claim on the front of the pack doesn’t replace this warning.
Read the ingredients and warning on the pack, and bear portion size in mind when handing them out.
The biscuits and toast products covered here list different allergens. You also can’t tell from the words toast or biscuit whether iodised baker’s salt was used in production: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it.
Check the current allergen information for your guests. If iodine is relevant to your choice, check the information for the specific product or ask the manufacturer.
These examples can help you compare specific product ranges; a brand name alone doesn’t tell you what every option contains.
In this comparison, the own-label range includes standard and wholemeal digestives, a 0% sugar option and Melba toast. If you already shop at this supermarket, it’s worth comparing the individual options.
The own-label range includes both a crisp and a wholemeal digestive. You can compare the nutritional information for these two biscuits on the same basis.
In this comparison, Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel is a thin toast for small bites with light toppings.
Haust Krokant Toast is worth considering if you want to add toppings to your toast before serving.
These two Melba toast options are suited to making small bites with toppings for the parade. They aren’t an alternative if you’re looking for a plain digestive biscuit.
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Melba toast to consider if you want to make small bites with light toppings.
Joybuy’s product information lists wheat and barley. If you have allergies, check the current label before serving the toast.
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Round Melba toast is an option if you want to serve small, individually topped bites.
Before serving, check the allergen information on the pack, especially if any guests have food allergies.
No. The Dutch digestives covered here are sold as biscuits, while Melba toast and crisp toast are described as bases for small bites with toppings. Choose according to how you want to serve them during the parade.
No, don’t assume that the options covered here are gluten-free: the AH and Jumbo digestives covered here list wheat, Van der Meulen Melba Toast lists wheat and barley, and Haust Krokant Toast lists wheat, rye and barley, among other allergens. If you need a gluten-free option, choose a product that is explicitly labelled as such and always check the current label.
No. This option lists polyols and carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Read the pack and bear portion sizes in mind when serving.
No, you can’t tell that from the product type. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use iodised baker’s salt. Check the information for the specific product or ask the manufacturer if iodine is relevant to your choice.
