For a guest with coeliac disease, choose biscuits whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food may only be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten when sold to consumers. You can offer a selection of biscuits, as long as you check the packaging for any other relevant allergens and serve the gluten-free biscuits separately from the other brunch food.
You want to offer biscuits without relying solely on an ingredients list that looks free from wheat. Check the gluten-free label on the packaging and make sure the serving utensils are free from crumbs from other brunch food.
You’re looking for a variety of flavours and shapes to serve, such as speculoos alongside chocolate chip cookies or coconut macaroons. Check the packaging of each product individually before serving it as gluten-free.
As well as gluten, you may need to take lactose or specific allergens into account. A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit contains milk, eggs or nuts, for example.
Start with the needs of your guest with coeliac disease. Then choose the types of biscuits and check each product for any additional dietary requirements.
| What to look out for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Also check that you can serve the biscuits separately with clean utensils. | When I’m hosting a guest with coeliac disease, I want to be able to rely on the label and avoid contact with regular biscuits. Around 46% of consumers put this check first. |
| Variety on the table | Choose a few different types of biscuits and compare the pack sizes with the number of guests. | For a shared brunch, I don’t want to offer everyone the same biscuit. Around 27% of consumers say that having a choice of types is their top priority. |
| Other dietary requirements | Read the ingredients and allergen information. If needed, check that the specific product is labelled lactose-free. | If a guest needs to avoid something other than gluten too, I want to know what’s in each biscuit and what traces are mentioned. This additional check matters most to around 27% of consumers. |
An ingredients list that doesn’t appear to include wheat at first glance isn’t the same as a gluten-free label. Under EU rules, ‘gluten-free’ means the food sold to consumers contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
For your guest with coeliac disease, check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol, even if you’ve bought the product before.
Crumbs from regular bread or baked goods, or shared serving utensils, can end up on the gluten-free biscuits. The Dutch Nutrition Centre highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease.
Serve the gluten-free biscuits on their own plate with clean serving utensils, and keep them away from crumbs from the other brunch food.
A gluten-free biscuit may contain other ingredients or traces that matter to a guest. Céréal describes its Cookies met Stukjes Chocolade as gluten- and lactose-free, but also warns that they may contain traces of egg, nuts, sesame, lupin and milk proteins.
Ask which allergens you need to check, then read both the ingredients and any warnings about possible traces on each pack.
A type of biscuit listed on a range page may not be available at your chosen shop when you need it for brunch. ALDI warns that its Kokosmakronen may sell out quickly.
Check what’s currently available before you shop and, if necessary, choose another type of biscuit that is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
These brands offer options to consider across different types of biscuits. Always check the labelling and allergens on the product you actually buy.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range for anyone looking to serve biscuits alongside other gluten-free brunch food.
Jumbo’s own-brand range for anyone looking for other gluten-free brunch options as well as biscuits.
A brand with a range of biscuit styles for anyone wanting to serve more than one type.
Worth considering if you want a specific biscuit that is labelled lactose-free as well as gluten-free.
A coconut option for anyone wanting to offer something different alongside traditional biscuits.
A familiar speculoos flavour to use as a comparison, but not automatically a gluten-free choice.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the label ‘gluten-free’ can only be used if the food sold to consumers contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check the label on the pack of biscuits you buy.
Don’t assume it is based on the ingredients list alone. The Dutch Nutrition Centre identifies ‘gluten-free’ and the Crossed Grain symbol on packaging as signs of gluten-free products. When serving, also prevent contact with crumbs from regular products.
Serve them on a separate plate and use clean serving utensils, so crumbs from regular bread, baked goods or other biscuits don’t get onto them. The Dutch Nutrition Centre highlights cross-contamination as something to watch out for when catering for someone with coeliac disease.
No. Check each additional dietary requirement against the specific product. Céréal describes its Cookies met Stukjes Chocolade as gluten- and lactose-free, but also warns that they may contain traces of nuts and milk proteins, among other things.
