Choose a biscuit whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and keep it separate from regular biscuits during the Easter egg hunt. Check the ingredients and allergen information for every participant, too. If a treat needs to be kept chilled, serve it afterwards rather than hiding it.
For them, both the gluten-free label on the packaging and keeping the treat separate while preparing, hiding and handing it out are important. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that even crumbs can cause cross-contact.
A gluten-free biscuit won’t automatically suit everyone. If you also need to consider ingredients such as egg, milk, nuts, soya, sesame or oats, read the information on each individual pack.
For a group, the number of biscuits, the packaging and storage instructions all matter in practice. Check the current range before the hunt, then check the pack of the product you choose.
Start with the gluten-free label and any allergens relevant to the participants. Then decide whether the biscuit can stay in its packaging during the hunt or would be better handed out afterwards.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and cross-contact | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging. Think about how you’ll keep the biscuit separate from regular biscuits. | If someone with coeliac disease is taking part, I want to stop crumbs or hands that have touched other food from coming into contact with their treat. Gluten safety is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements for the specific variety. | If participants have other allergies too, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘gluten-free’ alone. These additional allergens are the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Hiding and handing out | Compare the number of biscuits, the packaging and the storage instructions; keep chilled treats out of the hunt. | For a group, I want to be able to keep treats separate and hand them out without mixing them up. Practical use matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check the current range and have a second suitable option in mind. | If I’m shopping shortly before Easter, I don’t want to rely on a single limited-time offer. Around 14% of consumers say availability is their top priority. |
For someone with coeliac disease, avoiding wheat alone isn’t enough: gluten can also come from other grains. A general free-from section doesn’t tell you anything about a specific biscuit either.
Choose a product whose current packaging itself says ‘gluten-free’.
Crumbs and contact through hands or utensils can contaminate a gluten-free treat. The risk remains even after you’ve bought a suitable product.
Keep the treats separate, use clean hands and utensils, and leave them in their packaging for as long as possible.
Gluten-free spiced biscuits, oat biscuits or macarons may contain ingredients that aren’t suitable for another participant.
Ask in advance which allergens are relevant, and check the ‘may contain’ statements for each variety too.
A changing range isn’t a reliable basis for all the treats you need. Lidl stated that its additional gluten-free products were unavailable at the time.
Check what’s currently available before planning the hunt around one product.
A brand name doesn’t replace checking the specific packaging: products within a range can differ in type, ingredients and storage instructions.
Albert Heijn offers several types of gluten-free biscuits, including its own-brand products.
This Jumbo range includes several types of biscuits labelled ‘free from’.
Consenza’s range includes raisin and cranberry biscuits made with gluten-free oats.
ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket coconut macaroons as six gluten-free biscuits in a 360 g pack.
Lidl has a range of Sondey biscuits and also promotes additional gluten-free products separately.
Lotus Biscoff is a standard speculoos biscuit range, not a substitute for a biscuit specifically labelled gluten-free.
This selection features an oat biscuit with chocolate for anyone who wants to hand out a gluten-free treat after checking the packaging. Whether the oats and other ingredients are suitable depends on the participant.
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If you’d like to hand out an oat biscuit, Joybuy describes this variety as gluten-free. Check the current packaging to make sure the oats and listed allergens are suitable for the participant, and keep the biscuits separate from regular treats.
No. For a participant with coeliac disease, choose a biscuit whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’; ‘wheat-free’ alone doesn’t rule out gluten from other grains.
Keep it separate from regular biscuits. The Dutch Coeliac Society says crumbs and shared utensils can cause cross-contact; a sealed pack and clean hands help you hand out the treats separately.
Not automatically. Choose a biscuit that is labelled gluten-free and check whether oats are suitable for the participant in question. Also read the other allergen information on the current label.
A macaron that needs to be kept chilled is better served as a treat afterwards than hidden during the hunt. Also check the ingredients: the AH Macarons described contain several allergens.
Don’t assume so. An official Lotus Biscoff product specification for another market lists wheat flour; for someone with coeliac disease, only use a specific product whose current Dutch packaging says ‘gluten-free’.
