Who is this choice relevant to?

Anyone making a calendar for someone with coeliac disease

You want to check the gluten-free label and current allergen information for every biscuit before adding it to the calendar.

Anyone filling the compartments themselves

You’re looking for biscuits that are easy to divide between the days of the calendar. Small or festive packaging doesn’t, in itself, tell you whether the contents are gluten-free.

Anyone looking to mix up the flavours

You might want to combine chocolate, petit-beurre, digestive and oat biscuits, for example, but check the gluten-free label and allergen information for every variety you choose.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking the gluten-free label on every product. Only then compare how many biscuits you can divide between the calendar compartments, which flavours are suitable and what else you can find to fill them.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free label Check the specific packaging for the words ‘gluten-free’ and the latest ingredients and allergen information. When I’m making a calendar for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to rely on the brand name or appearance. For around 42% of consumers, that reassurance comes first.
Dividing biscuits between the compartments Count how many suitable portions the pack contains, and keep the labels if you’re dividing the biscuits individually. I want to fill the compartments without losing track of which biscuit came from which pack. For around 25% of consumers, practical portioning is the main concern.
Variety of flavours Only compare flavours once you’ve checked that they’re gluten-free. For chocolate, nut and oat varieties, check the other allergens, too. I like the idea of a varied calendar, as long as every flavour is suitable for the recipient. Around 17% of consumers prioritise variety above all else.
Finding extras Use a retailer’s range to compare options, but check the packaging of the specific variety you actually buy. If I still have compartments to fill, I want to be able to add suitable biscuits without relying on out-of-date product information. That’s the main concern for around 16% of consumers.

Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, ‘gluten-free’ may be stated when the food sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. This label doesn’t replace the need to check for any other allergens that may be relevant to the recipient.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming an individually wrapped biscuit is gluten-free

    A wrapper makes a biscuit handy for an advent calendar compartment, but it says nothing about its gluten content.

    First, choose biscuits whose packaging says ‘gluten-free’. Then look at which sizes are practical.

  • Adding regular oat biscuits

    Oats aren’t automatically suitable for a gluten-free product: they may come into contact with wheat, rye or barley during production and processing.

    Only choose an oat biscuit that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and keep the packaging with the calendar.

  • Relying on a previous purchase or a product page

    Ingredients and allergen information can change. There may also be different varieties within the same brand.

    Read the label on the exact variety you’re putting in the calendar. Keep the label or take a photo of it so the recipient can refer to the information.

  • Overlooking other allergens

    Even a gluten-free biscuit may contain ingredients that aren’t suitable for the recipient, for example in a chocolate or nut variety.

    Ask which allergens the recipient needs to avoid, and check this information separately for every flavour.

Brands to compare

These brands can help you find options, but a brand name is no substitute for checking the gluten-free label on the specific biscuit.

Schär

Schär’s Dutch range includes a variety of gluten-free biscuits, including chocolate chip and petit-beurre biscuits.

  • The different biscuit styles give you plenty of scope to mix up the flavours.
  • Check the ingredients and allergen information on every pack you choose.

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn has a dedicated gluten-free biscuit category, including an almond variety and an oat biscuit with hazelnut.

  • You can look for different flavours within the range.
  • Albert Heijn warns that product information can change, so check the packaging of the variety you choose.

Nairn's

Nairn's offers products labelled gluten-free in oat-inspired flavours.

  • An option for adding a different style of biscuit to the calendar.
  • Don’t assume a product is suitable just because it contains oats: check the gluten-free label on the specific product.

Damhert

Damhert’s range includes digestive and oat biscuits labelled gluten-free.

  • Offers different flavours and biscuit styles to compare.
  • A range aimed at people with dietary requirements doesn’t mean every Damhert product is gluten-free; check the variety you choose.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff is a reference for speculoos flavour, not for a gluten-free option.

  • It can help you decide whether to look for this flavour in an explicitly gluten-free alternative.
  • A Lotus Biscoff product specification for an original biscuit variety lists wheat flour. Don’t use a regular variety for someone with coeliac disease unless the specific packaging explicitly says it’s gluten-free.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘wheat-free’ mean the same as ‘gluten-free’?

No. For someone with coeliac disease, choose a product explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, this label may only be used if the finished product contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.

Can oat biscuits go in a gluten-free advent calendar?

Yes, if the specific oat biscuit is explicitly labelled gluten-free and its other ingredients and allergens are suitable for the recipient. Oats used in products labelled gluten-free must be produced, prepared or processed under specific conditions to avoid contamination with wheat, rye or barley, so don’t assume that regular oat biscuits are suitable.

Should I check the label again on a biscuit I know and trust?

Yes. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. Read the packaging of the biscuits you’re putting in the calendar this time.

Can regular Lotus Biscoff go in a calendar for someone with coeliac disease?

Don’t use a regular Lotus Biscoff variety unless the specific packaging explicitly says it’s gluten-free. A Lotus Biscoff product specification for an original biscuit variety lists wheat flour, so check the packaging of the product you want to use.