For a child with coeliac disease, sprits made with wheat flour is not suitable: Verkade lists wheat flour in its Nobo Sprits Melk. For an after-school treat, choose an alternative whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’. Then check for other allergens and agree on arrangements with the school. A gluten-free biscuit needn’t look like sprits, and granola is a different kind of snack.
You’re looking for a snack labelled gluten-free on the packaging and want to avoid it being mixed up with other food at school. The Dutch Coeliac Society suggests using a separate lunchbox as a practical option for school snacks.
You want to be able to give your child a biscuit after school, even if it looks or tastes different from sprits. Albert Heijn and Jumbo offer a range of gluten-free biscuit types. Check the packaging first, then compare what your child likes and how many biscuits are in the pack.
As well as gluten, milk, soya, nuts or oats may be relevant to your choice. Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product: a gluten-free label doesn’t answer those other questions.
Start by checking for a gluten-free label on the packaging. Then consider whether the product is suitable for any other allergens, the occasion and your school’s arrangements for food.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and read the ingredients and warnings. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, products labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. | If my child has coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the shape or name of a biscuit. For around 50% of consumers, checking that a product is gluten-free is their top priority when buying. |
| Taking it to school | Check the pack size and packaging, and agree with the school or after-school club how your child’s own food and treats will be stored and handed out. | I want to be able to send in a snack without it being mixed up with other food. For around 30% of consumers, using a snack at school is the top priority. |
| Variety and other allergens | Compare different types of biscuits and check the ingredients and warnings for each product, including for milk, soya, nuts and oats. | If a gluten-free product also needs to meet our other dietary requirements, I want to be able to choose from suitable flavours and types. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Sprits is a type of biscuit, not a gluten-free label. Verkade lists wheat flour in its Nobo Sprits Melk.
Check the exact product. If it’s for someone with coeliac disease, choose a pack that explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
A gluten-free biscuit may still contain ingredients or carry warnings that matter to someone with another allergy.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose, even if you’ve already seen a gluten-free label.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. Albert Heijn therefore advises customers to check the packaging.
If you buy the product again, check the physical packaging of the same variety before sending it in with your child.
Even if the product is suitable, it needs to be clear which food is for your child, especially when treats or shared snacks are involved.
Ask the school or after-school club how they handle food brought in from home. The Dutch Coeliac Society suggests using a separate lunchbox as one possible approach.
A reference for traditional sprits, but not automatically a gluten-free option.
A place to compare different gluten-free biscuits.
A place to find other types of gluten-free biscuits besides sprits.
A shop to look for gluten-free biscuits, including a Consenza variety.
A place to find gluten-free biscuits outside the sprits category.
These products offer two different after-school snack options: a biscuit as an alternative to sprits, and granola as a different type of snack. For a child with coeliac disease, check that the current packaging for either product explicitly says ‘gluten-free’, and read the information about other allergens too.
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A biscuit to consider for an after-school treat instead of sprits, provided the current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
Pack size: 150 g. If your child has additional dietary requirements, check the information about milk, soya and nuts, and see whether you’ll need to pack a portion separately for school.
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Granola is a different type of snack from sprits or biscuits. Consider this peanut and chocolate variety only if the current packaging fits your child’s dietary requirements and you can pack it suitably for school.
Pack size: 330 g. Check the gluten-free label, the information about peanuts and other allergens, and whether it needs to be packed separately.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten when sold to the final consumer. Check for this label on the current packaging of the product you plan to send in with your child.
Sprits made with wheat flour is not a gluten-free option; Verkade lists wheat flour in its Nobo Sprits Melk. Don’t rely on the name of the biscuit alone. Choose a product whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
Take the warning into account when making your choice: it indicates a possible risk of cross-contamination, which matters to someone with coeliac disease. The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that such a warning may be based on a risk assessment, so read the full allergen information on the packaging you choose.
Agree with the school or after-school club how food brought in from home will be stored and handed out when treats are shared. A separate lunchbox is one practical option suggested by the Dutch Coeliac Society. Also check the packaging of anything you put in it each time.
