For a school fair offering a gluten-free option for someone with coeliac disease, a separately packaged biscuit labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol is a sensible choice. Check the packaging of the product you buy, keep the portion separate from regular biscuits and ask the school which products and packaging it allows before you pack anything.
You want to keep a clearly labelled gluten-free biscuit separate until it is handed out. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it is important for people with coeliac disease to prevent gluten-free food from coming into contact with crumbs from other products.
As well as gluten, eggs, milk, soya, nuts and other allergens may be a concern. A gluten-free label does not tell you whether a biscuit is also suitable for someone avoiding those other ingredients.
You want to be able to count the biscuits, keep them separate and have the ingredient information to hand. With a pre-packed product, you can use the packaging for the variety you have chosen.
For a gluten-free portion, you can compare pre-packed biscuits with homemade ones. Regular biscuits containing gluten should remain a separate school-fair option, not a substitute for that portion.
Choose this when: you want to be able to show the gluten-free label and allergen information on the packaging of the biscuits you are handing out.
Bear in mind: a gluten-free biscuit may still contain other allergens, so you will still need to store and hand it out separately.
Consider this when: the school allows homemade biscuits and you can keep the ingredients, preparation and packaging separate.
Bear in mind: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. A gluten-free recipe alone is not enough.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and kept separate | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the pack you buy; keep the portion away from crumbs from regular biscuits. | If the portion is for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the label and avoid contact with regular biscuits. For around 50% of consumers, gluten-free suitability comes first. |
| Other allergens | Read the full ingredients and allergen information for the variety you choose; check with the school about any other dietary restrictions. | If another food allergy is also a concern, I want to know what this specific biscuit contains or may contain. An estimated 30% of consumers give this check their highest priority. |
| Portions and information | Work out how many individual portions you need and keep the packaging with the product information in case anyone has questions. | When preparing to hand out the biscuits, I want to keep the portions neatly separated and be able to answer questions about the ingredients. For around 20% of consumers, this practical preparation is the first consideration. |
Gluten-free biscuits can still contain other allergens. For example, Albert Heijn lists egg, soya and almond in its gluten-free almond biscuits.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for every variety you choose, even if the front already carries a gluten-free label.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten, such as a breadcrumb, can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
If you cannot keep the ingredients, equipment, work surface and packaging separate, do not choose homemade biscuits as a gluten-free portion for someone with coeliac disease.
Ingredients and allergen information can change between viewing a product page and buying a pack.
Check the physical packaging before packing the biscuits and keep it available in case anyone has questions at the fair.
The school may have requirements for homemade products, nuts, individual packaging and how items are handed out.
Before buying ingredients or baking, ask the fair coordinator which rules apply to the event.
Albert Heijn’s range includes gluten-free almond biscuits.
This range includes speculaas, mini cakes and stroopwafels, so you can compare different types and pack sizes.
Jumbo lists gluten-free raisin and cranberry biscuits made with gluten-free oats under this brand.
Jumbo describes this range’s chocolate biscuits as gluten-free and lactose-free.
Check the pack you buy for a ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, then read the ingredients and allergen information. If the portion is for someone with coeliac disease, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre also advises preventing the biscuit from coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten.
Not necessarily: check the other allergens for each product and variety. Albert Heijn lists egg, soya and almond in its gluten-free almond biscuits. For Céréal’s gluten-free chocolate biscuits, Jumbo lists soya and the possible presence of, among other things, egg, milk proteins, nuts, sesame and lupin.
You will need the school’s permission and a process that prevents contact with ingredients containing gluten and crumbs. Keep preparation, packaging and serving separate, and make sure the ingredients and allergen information for the homemade biscuits is available.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, sellers of unpackaged food must tell consumers about any allergens present before they buy or order. Ask the school or fair coordinator which requirements apply to this specific event and type of sale, and how the information will be shared with visitors.
