Households with coeliac disease
If ordinary biscuits aren’t an option, a useful stock-up starts with checking the label on every pack. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that a new-look pack may contain a different recipe.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shoppers buying several packs at once
You want to have enough biscuits at home, but you also want to know whether you can buy the same variety again later. Check the pack size, best-before date and current availability before relying on a single product.
Shoppers with other allergy or taste requirements
A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a biscuit is free from other allergens too. Compare the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety, as well as the type of biscuit you like to keep in stock.
What should you look for when stocking up?
When choosing biscuits for someone with coeliac disease, the gluten-free label on the pack comes before opting for a larger pack or a favourite flavour.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Label and coeliac disease | Check every pack for the current ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the ingredients again if the packaging has changed. | If I’m stocking up on several packs for someone with coeliac disease, I want to see that each one is gluten-free. For around 36% of consumers, confidence in the label comes first. |
| Pack size and availability | Check how many biscuits are in a pack, the best-before date and whether the same variety will be available again later. | If I regularly need the same biscuits, I don’t want to depend on an item that’s only available for a limited time. For around 29% of consumers, being able to stock up on the same product is the main concern. |
| Flavour and other allergens | Compare the type of biscuit and, if you have other dietary requirements, read the claims and allergen information for the exact variety. | I want a biscuit everyone at home enjoys and, where necessary, one that also meets other allergy requirements. For around 21% of consumers, this combination is the main priority. |
| Storage after purchase | Follow the storage instructions on the pack and keep opened gluten-free biscuits sealed and separate from products containing gluten. | If we share a biscuit tin, I want to stop ordinary biscuit crumbs getting into my gluten-free supply. Around 14% of consumers give storage the highest priority. |
Common mistakes when stocking up
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Assuming ‘wheat-free’ means ‘gluten-free’
You can’t judge a biscuit by one ingredient alone. For someone with coeliac disease, this is no substitute for a gluten-free label on the pack.
Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol. If the pack has been updated, read the ingredients again too, as the Dutch Coeliac Society advises.
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Relying on a limited-time find as your regular supply
A suitable biscuit may not be available next time you shop. Lidl, for example, said that additional gluten-free products in its range were not available at the time.
Check current availability before relying on a single variety, and keep another suitable product in mind as a back-up.
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Keeping opened gluten-free biscuits with ordinary biscuits
Crumbs and shared serving utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free biscuits. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns about cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging. Once opened, use a separate, airtight container and clean serving utensils.
Brands and own-label ranges to consider
Albert Heijn / AH Glutenvrij
Albert Heijn sells gluten-free almond biscuits and hazelnut oat biscuits, among other products.
- Albert Heijn states that these two varieties are made in a completely gluten-free environment.
- Check the current packaging and other allergens for your chosen variety every time you buy it.
Jumbo / Lekker Vrij van Gluten
Jumbo’s own-label range includes gluten-free stroopwafels.
- Stroopwafels offer a different type of biscuit from AH’s almond and oat biscuits.
- Check the label, pack size and current availability for each variety.
Schär
Schär makes Choco Chip Cookies, which Jumbo sells as gluten-free.
- An option if you’re specifically looking for chocolate biscuits.
- Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens, so check the allergen information on the pack you choose.
ALDI / Heerlijck Banket en Trader Joe's
ALDI lists gluten-free coconut macaroons from Heerlijck Banket and gluten-free rice biscuits from Trader Joe's.
- These products offer two different types of biscuit to compare on the label.
- Check availability before basing a regular stock-up on a specific variety.
Lotus Biscoff
Regular Lotus Biscoff biscuits aren’t suitable for a gluten-free stock-up.
- Lotus lists wheat flour as an ingredient in its regular Biscoff biscuits. Don’t choose this variety for someone who needs to eat gluten-free because of coeliac disease.
Lidl / Sondey
Lidl can be another place to shop if you find a suitable biscuit with a current label.
- Lidl stated that additional gluten-free products on its range page were not available at the time. Check what’s currently on offer before relying on them.
Gluten-free biscuits at Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Are regular Lotus Biscoff biscuits suitable for a gluten-free stock-up?
No, not for someone who needs to eat gluten-free because of coeliac disease. Lotus lists wheat flour as an ingredient in its regular Biscoff biscuits.
Should I read the label again when I buy a new pack?
Yes, check the current packaging on every new pack. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that if a pack is marked ‘new recipe’, its ingredients may have changed too.
Are oat biscuits automatically suitable for people with coeliac disease?
No, don’t rely on the word ‘oat’ alone. Choose a biscuit whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the ingredients for that exact variety.
How should I store an opened pack of gluten-free biscuits?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack and keep opened biscuits sealed and separate from products containing gluten. Use clean serving utensils to avoid contact with ordinary biscuit crumbs.