If your toddler needs to follow a gluten-free diet and you’d like to give them a biscuit now and then, choose a packaged product labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the current label every time you buy it. Also check for other allergens and consider the portion: according to the Voedingscentrum, biscuits are better suited to an occasional treat than a daily snack. If your child has a wheat allergy, you’ll also need to check separately for wheat; ‘gluten-free’ on its own doesn’t answer that question.
If your child has coeliac disease, a reliable gluten-free label is important, as is preventing contact with food that contains gluten. If your child has a wheat allergy, you’ll also need to check separately whether the product contains wheat. Check the current packaging for information about other allergens too.
A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you how often biscuits should feature in your child’s daily meals and snacks. Compare the serving size and nutritional information, including sugars and salt, and keep biscuits for occasional treats. This is in line with the Voedingscentrum’s advice on snacks for toddlers.
A clear label makes it easier to check the ingredients and allergens. Also ask the nursery or school in advance what rules they have for snacks brought from home and shared mealtimes.
Start with your child’s dietary needs: check the gluten-free label, then consider the portion, other allergens and the rules where the biscuit will be eaten.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. If your child has coeliac disease, also prevent contact with food that contains gluten. | If my child has coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the product name alone. For around 42% of consumers, a reliable gluten-free choice is the top priority. |
| Portion and snack time | Compare the stated serving size and nutritional information, including sugars and salt. A stated serving isn’t automatically a suitable portion for a toddler. | I want to be able to give my child a small biscuit without it replacing their usual snacks; around 33% of consumers give this consideration top priority. |
| Other allergens and taking food with you | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and ask the nursery or school about its rules for snacks brought from home. | If my child has other food allergies or needs a snack for nursery, I also need to know what else it contains and what I’m allowed to bring. Around 25% of consumers give this particular consideration most weight. |
The gluten-free label tells you about gluten, not how often you should give your child a biscuit. For toddlers’ everyday snacks, the Voedingscentrum recommends options such as vegetables, fruit, wholemeal bread and a suitable wholegrain cracker.
Keep biscuits for occasional treats and check the portion and nutritional information on the packaging. If your child needs to eat gluten-free, check that bread or crackers are suitable too.
A gluten-free biscuit may still contain ingredients your child is allergic to. A product’s recipe can also change.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information every time you buy the product, paying particular attention to your child’s allergies. If your child has a wheat allergy, don’t rely on the gluten-free label alone.
Lotus Bakeries lists wheat flour and gluten in Lotus Biscoff Original. This regular variety is therefore not gluten-free.
If your child follows a gluten-free diet, choose a product whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
On 9 September 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) issued a warning about AH Glutenvrij Speculaasbrok with a best-before date of 26 March 2027. The product contains almonds, which may not be listed on the label.
If your child has a relevant allergy, check current safety warnings and the product’s best-before date before buying or packing it. If a warning says an allergen is missing from the label, don’t rely on the label alone.
A brand name or shop category doesn’t determine whether a particular biscuit is suitable for your toddler’s diet and allergies. Always assess the individual product and its current packaging.
Albert Heijn has a gluten-free biscuits category, which includes products sold under the AH Glutenvrij name.
Jumbo has a category for gluten-free biscuits and snacks, including products from Jumbo Lekker Vrij.
Schär offers gluten-free biscuits, including Digestive and Butterkeks.
Lotus Biscoff Original is a regular speculoos biscuit, not a gluten-free alternative.
Lidl promotes a temporary range of additional gluten-free products.
This biscuit may be worth considering if you’re looking for a gluten-free option for an occasional treat. To check whether it’s suitable for a child with coeliac disease or other allergies, you’ll need to look at the current packaging.
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For an occasional biscuit treat: check that the gluten-free label on the current packaging is suitable for your child’s diet, especially if they have coeliac disease.
Pack size: 150 g. Read the allergen information and check whether oats are suitable for your child. Decide how much to give based on the biscuit and the current nutritional information, not the pack weight.
Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, and read the ingredients and allergen information too. The Voedingscentrum recommends these labels as a way to identify suitable products. You should also prevent the biscuit from coming into contact with food that contains gluten.
No, the gluten-free label doesn’t tell you anything about these other allergens. Check the current packaging against your child’s allergies. The ingredients and allergens listed vary between biscuits from Schär and AH Glutenvrij.
According to the Voedingscentrum, biscuits are better suited to an occasional treat than an everyday snack. For regular snacks, the Voedingscentrum recommends options such as vegetables, fruit, wholemeal bread and a wholegrain cracker. If your child follows a gluten-free diet, check that bread or crackers are suitable too.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, children don’t need to follow a gluten-free diet unless they have a condition that requires it. If your child has a wheat allergy, check separately for wheat: a gluten-free label alone isn’t enough to confirm that a product is suitable.
