If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, choose chocolate biscuits whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. Also read the allergen information and any warnings about cross-contamination. A sharing pack is handy for serving on a separate plate, while individually wrapped portions make it easier to hand them out one at a time. Gluten-free does not automatically mean free from milk, soya, nuts or oats.
You don’t want to assume that an ordinary chocolate biscuit is gluten-free. Check the wording on the current packaging first, then read any warnings about cross-contamination and check the other allergens.
You’re looking for a pack to share with colleagues, but want to keep the gluten-free biscuits separate from the usual drinks-time snacks. Keep the packaging by the plate so guests can check the ingredients.
There may be another dietary requirement to consider, or you may need individually wrapped portions as well as gluten-free biscuits. Read the full allergen information: the ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk, soya or nuts, for example.
Start with the packaging of the biscuits you’re actually going to serve. Then choose a format that suits sharing or handing out individual portions, and check for other allergens relevant to each guest.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for someone with coeliac disease | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and read any warnings about cross-contamination. | If I’m shopping for a guest with coeliac disease, I want to know whether this particular biscuit is labelled gluten-free. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Easy to share | Check the net weight and number of biscuits; plan to serve the gluten-free biscuits on a separate plate. | For a team, I want to put out enough biscuits without placing them among ordinary snacks. Around 30% of consumers give ease of sharing top priority. |
| Other allergens and portions | Read the full allergen list and check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped if you want to hand them out separately. | As well as gluten, I may need to consider another dietary requirement or a guest who wants an individually wrapped portion. This kind of additional requirement matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
A familiar name or similar-looking pack says nothing about the ingredients. For example, Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists wheat flour in Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos. It isn’t a gluten-free alternative for a guest with coeliac disease.
Check that the packaging of the product you plan to serve says ‘gluten-free’.
Gluten-free chocolate biscuits may still contain ingredients such as milk, soya or hazelnuts. The gluten-free label doesn’t replace the need to check for these separately.
Ask which allergens are relevant to your guests and read the full information on the packaging of each product you choose.
A product page can help you shortlist options, but when it comes to serving, the information on the packaging in your hands is what counts.
Just before serving, check the gluten-free label, ingredients and any warnings again.
Crumbs from biscuits containing gluten can come into contact with the gluten-free ones during serving. Having a gluten-free pack doesn’t automatically prevent contact once the biscuits are on the table.
Use a clean, separate plate and serving tongs, and keep the original packaging clearly identifiable beside the biscuits.
Always compare the specific variety: not every biscuit from a particular brand is gluten-free or suitable for the same additional dietary requirements.
Verkade Oaties is available as a gluten-free oat biscuit in plain and milk chocolate varieties. The milk chocolate variety comes in a 150 g pack.
The Chocolate chip cookies come in a 160 g pack and contain milk chocolate pieces and hazelnuts.
Schär Choco chip cookies are chocolate biscuits in a 100 g pack.
Prewetts Quadruple chocolate cookies are chocolate biscuits in a 150 g pack. Albert Heijn describes them as containing milk, white and dark chocolate pieces, with a layer of chocolate on the bottom.
Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos is a regular speculoos biscuit for guests who don’t need a gluten-free option. It isn’t a substitute for gluten-free chocolate biscuits.
This milk chocolate oat biscuit is an option to consider if you’re looking for a pack to share at Friday afternoon drinks. Check the current packaging before offering it to a guest with coeliac disease.
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This milk chocolate oat biscuit is an option for sharing at Friday afternoon drinks, served separately from other snacks.
The product description lists 31% gluten-free oat flakes and 13% gluten-free oat flour. It also lists milk, soya and oats, and says the product may contain nuts. Before serving, check the gluten-free label, allergens and any warnings about cross-contamination on the current packaging.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, ‘gluten-free’ means a product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Before your get-together, check that the current packaging of the biscuits you’ve chosen carries this label.
No. Don’t rely on the word ‘oat’ alone: check that the packaging labels the finished product as gluten-free and read what it says about the oats used and possible cross-contamination.
Don’t assume the biscuit is suitable for a guest with coeliac disease. The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that warnings such as ‘may contain cereals containing gluten’ and ‘not suitable for people with coeliac disease’ both point to the same possible cross-contamination risk.
No, not the standard variety, which Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists as containing wheat flour. Choose a biscuit whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ for your guest with coeliac disease.
Serve them separately, using a clean plate and serving tongs that haven’t been in contact with snacks containing gluten. Keep the packaging beside them so guests can check the label and allergen information for themselves.
