If a child with coeliac disease needs to be able to eat the treat, choose a packaged biscuit with a clear gluten-free label and check the label on the pack you’ll be handing out, including for any other relevant allergens. Then check the size and number of biscuits per pack, and ask about the school’s and parents’ arrangements before filling the bags.
If a child with coeliac disease needs to be able to have the same biscuit as the rest of the class, start by checking the gluten-free label and the current packaging. The Dutch Coeliac Association stresses the importance of a strict gluten-free diet and of making arrangements for school settings.
The biscuit needs to fit in the bag and there needs to be enough to share with the class. So, as well as checking the ingredients and allergens, look at the number of biscuits and portions in the pack you choose.
Gluten-free speculaas and chocolate chip cookies offer different flavours to compare. Don’t rely on a familiar name or biscuit shape: according to Albert Heijn’s product information, regular Lotus Biscoff Speculoos contains wheat flour.
First decide who the biscuit needs to be suitable for. Then compare the size and flavour for the party bags.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for a clear gluten-free label on the exact pack and check the ingredients and allergens too. | If a child with coeliac disease is eating with the class, I want to choose a biscuit whose suitability I can assess from the packaging. For an estimated 50% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Sharing and making arrangements | Check the number of biscuits and portions per pack; ask about the school’s and parents’ arrangements before packing the bags. | For a class, I want to know whether there’s a suitable biscuit for every bag and how it will be handed out. For around 30% of consumers, sorting out these practical details comes first. |
| Flavour and choice | Only compare flavours and sizes once you’ve found biscuits suitable for the children concerned; check the label again when you buy them another time. | Once I know the biscuit is suitable, I want to choose a flavour that works for the treat. For an estimated 20% of consumers, this choice is the deciding factor. |
Size tells you nothing about the ingredients. Albert Heijn lists wheat flour in regular Lotus Biscoff Speculoos and names wheat and cereals containing gluten in its allergen information.
Don’t use this regular version as a gluten-free treat. Check the label on the biscuit you do choose.
Albert Heijn warns in its product information that ingredients and allergen information can change.
Read the label on the pack you’re actually buying and handing out, even if you’ve used the same biscuit before.
A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is also suitable for someone with an allergy to, for example, milk, eggs, soya or nuts.
Ask which allergies are relevant and check the ingredients and allergen information for the version you’ve chosen.
Choosing a suitable biscuit doesn’t automatically answer questions about storage, handing them out or providing an alternative for a pupil. The Dutch Coeliac Association recommends making arrangements in advance for school settings.
Before filling the bags, speak to the teacher and, where appropriate, the parents about the arrangements for this treat.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free biscuit range includes products such as AH Gluten-Free Speculaas. It’s a good place to start if you’re looking for a familiar biscuit flavour.
Albert Heijn’s online gluten-free biscuit range includes Schär madeleines and chocolate chip cookies.
ALDI Netherlands describes both Heerlijck Banket Coconut Macaroons and Coconut Rings as packs of six gluten-free coconut biscuits.
Regular Lotus Biscoff Speculoos might look like an obvious choice for a treat because of its familiar shape, but it isn’t gluten-free.
This milk chocolate biscuit is one option to consider when putting together party bags. Before giving it to a child with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label on the exact pack and make sure it’s suitable for any other allergies too.
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If you’re looking for a chocolate biscuit for your party bags, this is one option to consider, provided the pack is suitable for the children who’ll be eating them.
The product name specifies milk chocolate and a 150 g pack. Before filling the bags, check the gluten-free label, other allergens, the number of biscuits and how they’re packaged.
Not necessarily. The Dutch Coeliac Association recommends looking for a clear gluten-free label first; simply checking that there’s no wheat isn’t enough for this treat. Read the full, current label on the pack you’ve chosen.
Yes. A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is suitable for other allergies, such as allergies to milk, eggs, soya or nuts. Ask which allergies are relevant in the class and check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact version you’re considering.
No. Albert Heijn’s product information lists wheat flour in regular Lotus Biscoff Speculoos and names wheat and cereals containing gluten as allergens. Choose a suitably labelled gluten-free biscuit for a child with coeliac disease.
Do this before filling the bags. The Dutch Coeliac Association says it’s important to make arrangements with parents in advance for school settings. Ask the teacher and, where appropriate, the parents what the arrangements are for the class and handing out the treats.
