Marathon runner with long-distance training runs
Wants to fit a snack around planned eating and drinking times during longer training sessions. The carbohydrates per portion, how easy it is to carry and personal tolerance are all relevant.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Family sharing a biscuit tin
Looking for biscuits to enjoy at home over several occasions and comparing pack weight and biscuit count. For example, ALDI lists 48 biscuits in a 600 g pack of Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas and around 71 in approximately 500 g of Koekkie Speculoos Biscuits.
Planning portions to take on the go
Wants to decide in advance how many biscuits to take. Jumbo lists Lotus Biscoff XL as ten individual bags, each containing two biscuits.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the pack is mainly for sharing at home or whether you want a measured snack to take with you. Then consider how the portion fits into your eating and drinking plan around a training session.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Eating occasion and carbohydrates | Check the carbohydrates per biscuit or planned portion, and plan your drinks separately. | On a long-distance run, I want to know how my snack fits into my eating and drinking plan. For around 33% of consumers, this planning is the top priority. |
| Taking portions with you | Check the number of biscuits per portion and whether the pack contains individual bags. | If I take biscuits with me, I want to choose an amount in advance rather than eat from a large pack. Around 27% of consumers prioritise a countable portion. |
| Stocking up for home | Compare pack weight and biscuit count; the same weight in grams doesn’t mean the same number of biscuits. | For a shared biscuit tin, I want to know how many biscuits are in the pack. Stocking up is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients list and allergen information on the specific pack. | When ingredients matter to my household, I can’t rely on a product photo or a previous purchase alone. For around 20% of consumers, label information comes first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a family pack is a complete plan for a long-distance run
Pack size doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates you’ll get at each planned eating time or what you’ll drink while running. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights carbohydrates and fluids as separate considerations during prolonged exercise.
Check the nutritional information for the amount you actually plan to eat, and plan your drinks separately. Try your chosen snack during training, not for the first time on an important race day.
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Having a large portion just before running
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, foods high in fat, protein or fibre can stay in your stomach for longer. A large portion of biscuits just before exercise may therefore feel uncomfortable.
Have a regular meal earlier and keep any snack shortly before running small, if that works for you. The nutritional value of the specific biscuit and your own tolerance still matter.
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Relying on an online product photo for up-to-date allergen information
Ingredients can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes mandatory labelling for 14 allergens, so the information on the product you buy is important.
Check the specific pack before eating if allergens matter to you or someone in your household. Lidl also refers customers to the packaging for ingredients in its food products.
Brands and shops to consider
Lotus Biscoff
The speculoos range is available in different pack formats. Albert Heijn lists a regular 250 g pack and a 375 g multipack; Jumbo lists an XL pack with ten bags of two biscuits each.
- Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits in the 250 g pack. The XL pack at Jumbo offers a countable amount in individual packaging.
- The pack format alone doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is suitable for a particular eating occasion during training. Compare the nutritional information for your chosen variety and check the current label.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists both 250 g packs of Lotus Biscoff Speculoos and a 375 g multipack.
- The two listed pack sizes make it possible to compare options within the same product range.
- Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information may change. So be sure to check the pack you buy too.
Jumbo
Jumbo has a range of biscuits from different brands and in different pack formats, including Lotus Biscoff XL.
- For Lotus Biscoff XL, Jumbo lists ten bags containing two biscuits each, which can be useful if you want to choose an amount in advance.
- An individual bag doesn’t automatically make biscuits suitable as your only food during a long-distance run. Check the nutritional values for the portion you plan to eat.
ALDI
ALDI lists products including Koekkie Speculoos Biscuits at around 500 g and Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas at 600 g.
- The product information gives counts of around 71 and 48 biscuits respectively, which can help when choosing how much to stock up on for a shared biscuit tin.
- A larger pack doesn’t determine the size of an individual portion. Check the packaging if you want to plan one in advance.
Lidl
Lidl is an option for buying biscuits and speculaas; the information on the specific pack is what matters when choosing a particular product.
- In store, you can read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging of your chosen product.
- Lidl says it doesn’t provide an online list of ingredients, allergens or nutritional values for its food products.
Biscuits on Joybuy
These biscuit formats may suit you if you’re looking for a pack to enjoy at home or want to choose a number of biscuits in advance. If you’re planning a training portion, use the nutritional information on the specific pack; the format alone doesn’t tell you its carbohydrate content.
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Hellema Smoeltjes Speculaas, 8 biscuits, 200 g
A pack for sharing at home and choosing a number of biscuits in advance. The product name lists 8 biscuits and a pack weight of 200 g; check the packaging for the nutritional value of your planned portion.
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Oreo Original, 10 × 66 g
The listed 10 × 66 g format may suit you if you’re looking for biscuits to enjoy on several occasions. If individual portions to take with you matter, check the inner packaging. For a training portion, read the nutritional information on the pack.
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LU Bastogne Mini, 160 g
This 160 g pack of mini biscuits is ideal for sharing from the biscuit tin. If you want to plan an amount around a training session, check the biscuit weight and nutritional information on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take biscuits from a family pack on a long-distance run?
You can, if you decide on the amount in advance and can tolerate the biscuits while running, but a family pack isn’t a substitute for an eating and drinking plan. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights carbohydrates during prolonged exercise and stresses the importance of drinking too, so check the carbohydrates per planned portion.
When is it suitable to have a biscuit before training?
If you have a biscuit shortly before running, choose a portion and timing that you can tolerate. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a regular meal around two to three hours before exercise and points out that large portions, or foods high in fat, protein or fibre, can stay in your stomach for longer if eaten just beforehand.
Should I check the biscuit label again if I have an allergy?
Yes. Check the allergen information on the specific pack you intend to eat, even if you’ve bought the product before. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, labelling is mandatory for 14 allergens; a product photo is no substitute for the current label.
What does a large pack tell me about the number of useful portions?
Pack weight alone doesn’t tell you how many biscuits you’ll want to eat at a time. Compare the stated biscuit count and any inner packaging: for example, ALDI lists 48 biscuits in 600 g of Biscotto Bakkersspeculaas and around 71 in approximately 500 g of Koekkie Speculoos Biscuits.