If you’re choosing a chocolate biscuit for someone with coeliac disease, look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Check for any other relevant allergens too, and keep the biscuits separate from regular biscuits when serving them. Taste and size come next.
You’re looking for a snack for the school holidays with a gluten-free label you can check, and one that won’t end up among crumbs from regular biscuits when you hand them out. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains the gluten-free label, while the Netherlands Coeliac Society provides guidance on cross-contamination warnings.
Alongside gluten, milk, egg, soya, nuts or oats may affect your choice. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Joybuy shows that the gluten-free biscuits listed here differ in this respect, so compare the current packaging with the individual’s dietary restrictions.
For a day out, you’ll want biscuits that are easy to take with you and hand out separately. If you’re also bringing regular biscuits, keep the gluten-free snack sealed until it’s time to eat and use clean utensils.
First, check the gluten-free label and make sure you can serve the biscuits without crumbs from other snacks getting on them. Then compare any other allergens and the size of the pack for taking on the go.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and serving separately | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, and check for warnings about cereals containing gluten. Keep the biscuits separate from regular snacks. | If I’m handing out snacks alongside regular biscuits, I want to check the gluten-free label and avoid crumbs. This would be the top priority for around 46% of consumers. |
| Other allergens and lactose | Read the full allergen list and any warnings. A gluten-free or lactose-free product may still contain other relevant ingredients. | If my child also needs to avoid milk, soya or nuts, I need to check more than just the words ‘gluten-free’. An additional dietary restriction would be the main consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
| Taking them out and handing them around | Compare pack weight, the number of biscuits if stated, and whether you can keep them sealed until it’s time to eat. | For a day out, I want biscuits that are easy to take with me and hand out separately, without skipping the label check. Ease of sharing would come first for around 27% of consumers. |
For someone with coeliac disease, a wheat-free label is no substitute for checking that a product is gluten-free. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label and the Crossed Grain symbol as indicators to look for.
Check the label on the packaging you’re actually going to use.
When serving them together, crumbs or shared utensils can transfer onto the gluten-free biscuits.
Keep them sealed until you hand them out, and use a clean surface and clean utensils.
The gluten-free chocolate biscuits listed here differ in the allergens they contain and in their warnings about possible traces. For example, a lactose-free label says nothing about soya.
Compare all the information on the current packaging with the dietary restrictions of the person who’ll be eating the biscuits.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, so a description you viewed previously may not match the packaging you buy later.
Check the label again when your order arrives and before serving, even if you’ve bought the same product before.
Albert Heijn describes Schär Choco Chip Cookies as gluten-free and wheat-free chocolate cookies, in a 100 g pack.
Albert Heijn describes its 160 g Chocolate Chip Cookies as being made in a completely gluten-free environment.
Jumbo lists Céréal chocolate biscuits, 150 g, as both gluten-free and lactose-free.
The 150 g GV Oaties Milk Chocolate described on Joybuy combines gluten-free oat biscuits with milk chocolate.
This considered selection compares product labelling, allergens and how to serve the biscuits separately. The order is not based on an independent test or a ranking of quality; check the current label each time you choose a product.
| Position | Product | Features | Why it’s included | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AH Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies 160 g | Gluten-free; 160 g; contains egg, milk and hazelnuts. | Albert Heijn describes these as made in a completely gluten-free environment and lists the relevant allergens. They’re only suitable if those allergens aren’t a concern. | Albert Heijn |
| 2 | Schär Choco Chip Cookies Gluten-free 100 g | Gluten-free and wheat-free; 100 g, 9 biscuits; contains soya. | Albert Heijn states explicitly that these are gluten-free. If you also need to avoid soya, look for another option. | Albert Heijn |
| 3 | Céréal Gluten-free & Lactose-free Chocolate Biscuits 150 g | Gluten-free and lactose-free; 150 g; contains soya. | Jumbo lists both claims. If you have other allergies, also check for warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. | Jumbo |
| 4 | Verkade GV Oaties Milk Chocolate 150 g | Oat biscuits with milk chocolate; 150 g; contains milk, oats and soya. | Joybuy describes this variety as gluten-free and made with gluten-free oats, but also mentions possible traces of nuts. Check the gluten-free label and allergens on the current packaging. | Joybuy |
No. Don’t use ‘wheat-free’ as a substitute for a gluten-free label. Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol, the indicators recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
For someone with coeliac disease, this is a warning to take seriously. The Netherlands Coeliac Society explains that ‘may contain cereals containing gluten’ means the product is ‘not suitable for people with coeliac disease’, so choose a different biscuit.
Keep the gluten-free biscuits separate until you hand them out, and in their packaging for as long as possible. Wash your hands and use a clean surface and clean utensils to prevent crumbs from regular biscuits getting on them.
Not necessarily. The products listed here differ in their milk, soya, egg, oat and nut content. Even the Céréal biscuits, which Jumbo describes as lactose-free, contain soya and carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. Always read all the information on the current packaging.
