Office teams looking to share a biscuit
For a break without toppings or serving preparation, a digestive biscuit is a good fit for the biscuit tin. Jumbo and Albert Heijn offer these biscuits ready to eat; a cracker serves a different purpose.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Buyers comparing wholemeal options and fibre
If you want to keep offering biscuits, compare the nutritional information for standard and wholemeal varieties. Jumbo lists 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g for its Digestive Volkoren. A wholemeal cracker is an alternative if you also want something that can be topped.
Teams taking allergens into account
Before filling a shared tin, check the allergens for the exact product variety. For example, according to the product information, gluten-free Schär Digestive Landtaler contains soya and may contain lupin and egg. Gluten-free does not mean allergen-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the tin should hold a ready-to-eat biscuit or a base for toppings. Then compare the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for your chosen product against the current packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-share biscuit | Check that it is a biscuit you can eat without toppings, and look at the storage instructions for after opening. | When I grab something from the tin during a coffee break, I don’t want to have to prepare toppings. For around 36% of consumers, being ready to enjoy straight away is the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the exact variety. Jumbo lists 5.8 g for Digestive Volkoren and 3.1 g for Krokante Digestive. | I want to keep offering biscuits, but I look for wholemeal ingredients and fibre when choosing. Around 29% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Allergens and gluten-free options | Read the allergens and warnings about possible traces of other allergens on the current packaging. Check gluten-free varieties separately too. | If colleagues need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to know whether this particular pack is suitable for them. Around 21% of consumers put this check first. |
| A base for toppings | Consider whether you have toppings and a suitable occasion for serving them. A cracker or crispbread is not a sweet biscuit. | For a topped snack or lunch, I’d rather have something designed for the job, even if it takes some preparation. Around 14% of consumers put suitability for toppings first. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming the name ‘digestive’ means it has a particular effect
The product name does not tell you whether a biscuit affects digestion. Choose based on how you plan to use it, its ingredients and its nutritional information, rather than what the name suggests.
For the variety you’re considering, compare details such as fibre and sugars per 100 g on the label.
-
Confusing wholemeal with gluten-free
The Jumbo wholemeal digestive we looked at contains wheat. According to its product information, the gluten-free Schär biscuit contains soya and may contain lupin and egg.
Check wholemeal ingredients, gluten and other allergens as separate properties of the pack you’re buying.
-
Serving a cracker as a coffee-break biscuit
Bolletje and Melba crackers are designed to be eaten as crackers or as a base for a snack, not as the same kind of biscuit as a digestive.
Choose crackers for a topped snack or lunch. For a no-preparation break, opt for a ready-to-eat biscuit.
A snack with toppings may also require toppings, serving equipment and preparation.
-
Leaving opened biscuits exposed
For the digestives we looked at, Jumbo and Albert Heijn recommend sealing them well after opening or storing them in a sealed tin.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and close the tin securely between breaks.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
AH Digestive is a classic biscuit, sold in a 400 g pack.
- Albert Heijn lists 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety and describes it as vegan and lactose-free.
- This variety contains wheat and may contain barley, oats and rye. Albert Heijn notes that product information can change, so check the current packaging.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers both Krokante Digestive and Digestive Volkoren, in 400 g packs.
- Jumbo lists 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g for the wholemeal variety, compared with 3.1 g for the crunchy variety.
- Both varieties we looked at contain wheat and gluten. Check the warnings for other grains too.
McVitie's
Digestives Original is a wheat biscuit for anyone looking for something to enjoy with coffee or tea.
- For the 400 g Original pack we looked at, Jumbo lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
- Original contains wheat and may contain milk. The dark chocolate variety has a different recipe, so check the nutritional information and allergens for each variety.
Schär
Digestive Landtaler is a gluten-free biscuit sold in a pack of 3 × 50 g.
- The product information we looked at describes this variety as gluten-free and lists 7.4 g of fibre per 100 g.
- The biscuit contains soya and may contain lupin and egg. Check that both the allergens and pack size are suitable for your team.
Bolletje
Lichte Crackers Volkoren are a wholemeal cracker option for a snack with toppings, not digestive biscuits.
- According to Bolletje, the crackers are made from 100% whole grains.
- The variety we looked at contains wheat, barley and sesame. If you’re serving toppings with a cracker, you’ll need a different kind of break from a biscuit-tin moment.
Melba
Crackers Naturel are thin crackers for a snack, lunch or topped bites.
- The product information we looked at lists 6.4 g of fibre and 13 g of protein per 100 g.
- The variety contains wheat, barley and soya, among other ingredients, and may contain sesame. Check the allergens on the current packaging.
Lidl / Sondey
Lidl lists 400 g packs of plain Digestives as a shop product and sells Sondey as a separate biscuit range.
- The stated pack size makes these digestives worth comparing when you visit the shop.
- Before adding them to a shared tin, check the ingredients and allergens on the pack in store.
ALDI / Biscotto
Biscotto Digestive Biscuits are wheat biscuits for a classic biscuit break.
- ALDI describes the 400 g pack as containing around 27 biscuits.
- Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before adding the biscuits to a shared tin.
Products for your biscuit or cracker break
These Joybuy products suit two different kinds of break: digestives to share as ready-to-eat biscuits, or crackers and crispbread for a separate snack or a meal with toppings.
Image unavailable
McVitie's Digestives Original 400 g
A biscuit for a coffee break when colleagues want to grab something from the tin without adding toppings.
If you have allergies, check the current label for wheat and the warning about possible traces of milk.
Image unavailable
Wasa High-Fiber Crackers 300 g
A cracker for anyone planning a separate snack or meal with toppings instead of a tin of sweet biscuits.
Check the grains and other allergens on the current packaging for your team, and allow for some preparation if you’re serving toppings.
Image unavailable
Bolletje Wholemeal Light Crackers 190 g
A wholemeal cracker for a planned snack or meal with toppings, rather than as a ready-to-eat digestive.
If you have allergies, check the label for the grains and sesame listed.
Image unavailable
g'woon Wholemeal crispbread 125 g
A wholemeal base for toppings at a planned breakfast or snack, rather than for a tin of biscuits to enjoy with coffee.
If you have allergies, read the current ingredients and allergen information before sharing.
Frequently asked questions
Are digestives the same as crackers?
No. The digestives we looked at are sold as biscuits, while Bolletje and Melba describe their products as crackers. Choose a digestive for a biscuit you can eat without toppings, or a cracker for a base you can add toppings to.
How should I store digestives in the office biscuit tin?
Close the tin securely after use and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. Jumbo recommends sealing its digestives well after opening, while Albert Heijn advises storing them in a sealed tin.
Does the name ‘digestive’ tell you anything about what the biscuit does?
No. The name is not a reason to assume the biscuit has an effect on digestion. When comparing products before you buy, look at the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variety.
Should I check the allergens again for a product I know?
Yes. Read the current packaging before putting a product in a shared tin. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional and allergen information can change. Also look out for warnings about possible traces of other allergens.