Hotels with several small buffet points
A smaller guest-facing jar can be swapped at each serving point. Make sure the product and allergen information remain easy to identify with every jar.
Who should consider this choice of jar?
Hotels with one central breakfast buffet
Here, it’s about balancing a useful quantity on the buffet with a refilling routine staff can manage. Test the jar with the actual contents and serving spoon before choosing a size.
Buffet teams with separate reserve stock
A sealable jar for dry stock behind the buffet serves a different purpose from the jar guests serve themselves from. Assess the storage jar and guest-facing jar separately.
What should you look for when choosing a jar?
First decide how much Gestampte Muisjes you want to offer at each buffet point. Then choose a jar and routine that make it practical to provide guest information, keep the product dry and clean the jar.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and refilling | Fill the jar with Gestampte Muisjes and the spoon you intend to use. Check the usable fill level and how many jars you’ll need at each buffet point; a pack weight of 270 g doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much capacity the jar needs. | With several small serving points, I want to limit the amount in each jar without running short during service. An estimated 31% of consumers give top priority to a manageable refilling routine. |
| Allergen information and food safety | Make sure each jar is clearly linked to the product information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires information about allergens present when food is served unpackaged in catering establishments, as well as a food safety plan or approved hygiene code based on HACCP. | When guests serve themselves, I want them to find the information for the right jar, and staff to follow a set procedure. An estimated 31% of consumers consider this the most important selection criterion. |
| Dry storage and closure | Check how the lid closes and whether the seal is intact and easy to clean. Jumbo’s product information says to store De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes in a dry place. | For stock kept behind the buffet, I want a jar that’s suitable for dry storage and easy for the team to seal. An estimated 23% of consumers prioritise dry storage and the closure. |
| Cleaning and identification | Check the cleaning instructions for the jar, lid and seal separately. If you have several serving points, consider whether the same jar shape and label position will work at each one. | When jars are emptied and put back out every day, I want staff to be able to clean and identify them at a glance. An estimated 15% of consumers put day-to-day use first. |
Common mistakes with buffet jars
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Choosing a jar size based on the pack weight
Jumbo’s product information lists De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes in a 270 g pack. Jar capacity is given in litres or millilitres; the weight doesn’t tell you how much space the product takes up with a serving spoon in the jar.
Before placing a larger order, test-fill a jar with the product you use and the intended spoon, up to the fill level you want on the buffet.
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Leaving the allergen information behind when decanting
Jumbo’s product information lists wheat starch as an ingredient. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, catering guests must be informed about allergens present in food served unpackaged.
Link every jar to up-to-date product and allergen information. If the information is provided verbally, make it clear to guests that they can ask for it.
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Assuming a lid solves all hygiene issues
A sealable jar doesn’t replace cleaning and checks. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires catering businesses in the Netherlands to follow a food safety plan or approved hygiene code based on HACCP.
Set out in the buffet procedure how staff should empty, clean, check and refill the jar.
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Assuming all jars have the same cleaning instructions
Instructions can vary between models and components. Kilner says its 34 oz square clip-top jar is dishwasher-safe, but also warns against using boiling water.
Before adding a jar to your daily cleaning routine, check the instructions for the exact item, including the glass, closure and seal.
Brands to compare as a reference
Bormioli Rocco
The 0.5 L Fido jar is a useful size to test as a guest-facing jar at smaller buffet points.
- KitchenShop lists a diameter of 8 cm for this version; Horecaworld also offers a 0.5 L Fido jar in a set of six.
- For the version you choose, check the opening, seal and cleaning instructions for every component before using it as part of your buffet procedure.
WECK
The WECK catalogue includes a range of capacities to compare for a central buffet point.
- WECK lists, among others, the 742 Mold Jar at 1/2 L, the 743 Mold Jar at 3/4 L and the 745 Tulip Jar at 1 L.
- For each model, assess the closure, components and suitability for your planned cleaning routine; capacity alone won’t tell you whether it’s right.
Kilner
The 34 oz square clip-top jar is primarily worth considering for dry reserve stock kept away from the guest area.
- Kilner describes the square shape as space-saving for storage and positions this jar for dry goods.
- Kilner warns against pouring boiling water into this model. Check the instructions for the jar you actually choose before deciding how to clean it.
Glass jars on Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does allergen information need to be displayed with a jar of Gestampte Muisjes on the buffet?
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, guests must be able to find out about allergens present in food served unpackaged in catering establishments. This information can be provided in writing or verbally, as long as guests know they can ask for it. Jumbo’s product information lists wheat and cereals containing gluten for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; make sure the information by the jar matches the pack actually in use.
Is a label on the jar enough to ensure food safety?
No. Allergen information doesn’t replace a food safety procedure. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, catering businesses in the Netherlands must follow a food safety plan or approved hygiene code based on HACCP. Include the cleaning and refilling of buffet jars in it, too.
Can a jar with a wire-bail closure automatically go in the dishwasher?
No. Check the cleaning instructions for the exact jar and each separate component. Horecaworld lists a specific Bormioli Rocco Fido set as dishwasher-safe, but that doesn’t confirm the right cleaning method for every lid, wire bail or sealing ring.
How should you store Gestampte Muisjes before putting them out on the buffet?
Store De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes in a dry place, as stated in Jumbo’s product information. Make sure the storage, refilling and cleaning of your chosen jar fit the hotel’s food safety procedure.