If you want to serve the traditional Dutch birth treat, use rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles as the centrepiece, and offer biscuits or crackers as extras at most. For a birth-themed biscuit, you can choose a ready-made option or decorate sponge fingers yourself. Whichever you choose, check the number of pieces and the latest allergen information.
You want to serve rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles as the main treat, and may also be looking for a biscuit to have with tea or coffee. Albert Heijn lists the sprinkles as a topping for rusks, while Jumbo describes the combination as a birth treat.
You want to have plenty of biscuits ready to serve alongside the rusks. Compare the number of pieces, portions and pack size: Lotus Biscoff, for example, lists a Mega Pack containing 20x2 pieces.
You want to know what your guests can eat before serving rusks, biscuits or decorated treats. Check the latest labels on every product, including the chocolate and sprinkles if you’re using them.
First decide whether rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles will be the main treat. Then choose which biscuits to serve alongside them and how many you’ll need for your visitors.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| The birth treat | Do you have rusks and sprinkles? Check the number of portions too: Albert Heijn lists 13 portions per pack of AH Plain Rusks. | If the traditional treat is the priority, I don’t want to end up serving only biscuits by mistake. For around 46% of consumers, this tradition would be the main priority. |
| A biscuit for a celebration | Choose between a ready-made birth-themed biscuit and sponge fingers you decorate yourself. If you’re decorating them yourself, check the labels on the chocolate and sprinkles too. | I want to offer something with a birth theme without topping a rusk for every guest. For around 36% of consumers, this kind of biscuit would be the priority. |
| Enough to share | Compare the net weight with the number of pieces or portions. A large pack doesn’t necessarily tell you how many guests it will serve. | When lots of visitors are coming, I want enough biscuits to put out alongside the rusks. Around 18% of consumers would consider having enough to share their main priority. |
A large pack of biscuits won’t give you rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles. If that’s the treat you want to serve, you’ll need to buy the rusks and sprinkles separately.
Sort out the rusks and sprinkles first, then consider adding biscuits to serve with tea or coffee.
Net weight, number of biscuits and number of portions aren’t the same thing. A pack may therefore be less suitable for the number of guests you’re expecting than its size suggests.
Where possible, compare both the weight and the stated number of pieces or portions before deciding how much to buy.
A birth theme tells you nothing about the ingredients. If you decorate biscuits yourself, you’ll need to consider the base biscuit, chocolate and sprinkles too.
Read the latest label for each product. If a relevant allergy is involved, choose only something whose allergen information is suitable for that guest.
If you serve a large pack in several batches, you may have some left over after your visitors have gone. Storage advice can vary from product to product.
Follow the label and, if needed, store any leftover dry biscuits in an airtight tin.
A speculoos biscuit to have with tea or coffee, rather than a replacement for rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles.
Offers both ready-made birth-themed biscuits and sponge fingers that you can decorate yourself.
A good option when rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles need to be the main treat.
ALDI Netherlands’ own brand includes a range of biscuit and cookie options without a specific birth theme.
Lidl’s own brand includes a range of biscuits and cookies you could consider as an extra treat.
These biscuits and crackers are options to serve alongside rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles. They’re not a replacement for the traditional combination. When choosing, consider whether you want something sweet or savoury, how much you’ll need for your visitors and what the label says.
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Consider this assortment if you’d like to serve savoury crackers alongside the rusks. Check the pack to see how many pieces you’ll get for your visitors and which allergens apply.
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A savoury option if you’d like to offer your visitors something different alongside the rusks. Work out how many biscuits you’ll need and check the latest allergen information.
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A biscuit to consider serving with tea or coffee once you’ve sorted out the rusks. Work out how many you’ll need for your visitors and read the label before serving.
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A sweet biscuit option for visitors to enjoy alongside rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles. If you want to hand out individually wrapped biscuits, check how many you’ll get and read the allergen information on the pack.
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A filled biscuit to offer as a sweet extra alongside the birth treat. Check the number of pieces for your group and read the label if you’re catering for allergies.
Not if you want to serve rusks topped with sugared aniseed sprinkles as the traditional Dutch birth treat. Albert Heijn lists the sprinkles as a topping for rusks, so it’s best to serve biscuits as an extra for your visitors.
Sponge fingers are one option: Jumbo has a recipe where you dip them in white chocolate and scatter over the sprinkles. Allow time to prepare them, and check the allergens in all the ingredients.
As well as the net weight, check the number of pieces or portions. For example, Lotus Bakeries lists 20x2 pieces for a Biscoff Mega Pack, while ALDI Netherlands states that a 300 g pack of Biscotto Tea Biscuits contains around 29 biscuits. Consider which quantity is right for the number of visitors you’re expecting.
Yes. Check the latest packaging before serving anything to guests with a relevant allergy. Albert Heijn warns that product information can change, and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that food labels must list 14 allergens.
No. That description doesn’t automatically tell you everything about the other ingredients or allergens. Check all the information on the specific biscuit’s packaging and, if needed, ask which allergens are relevant to your guest.
