Buffet organisers catering for guests with coeliac disease
You want to offer chocolate biscuits whose gluten-free labelling you can check on the packaging you buy. You also keep the ingredients and allergen information to hand for your guest.
Who is this choice relevant for?
Organisers catering for guests with different dietary needs
Other things that may matter to your guests include milk, soya, nuts or lactose. So, compare the full allergen information for each option, rather than relying on the ‘gluten-free’ label alone.
Wedding planners setting up a self-service buffet
You want to serve the gluten-free biscuits separately and keep the packaging information available. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says consumers must also be given allergen information for unpackaged food.
What should you look for when choosing?
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Check that the exact product you’re buying is labelled gluten-free on its packaging; don’t rely on the product range name alone. | If I’m putting biscuits out for a guest with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the gluten-free label on the packaging myself. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Other allergens and lactose | Compare the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information with your guests’ dietary needs; check separately whether the product is labelled lactose-free. | If a guest also needs to avoid milk, soya or nuts, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘gluten-free’ alone. Other allergens are the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Buffet presentation | Keep the allergen information by the serving area and use a separate plate and serving utensils. | For a self-service buffet, I want to prevent gluten-free and regular biscuits, or their serving utensils, from getting mixed up. Buffet presentation is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common buffet mistakes
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Assuming ‘gluten-free’ means ‘free from all allergens’
Gluten-free options may still contain milk or soya and may carry a warning about the possible presence of nuts. Jumbo lists these allergens for Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade; the lactose-free biscuits from Céréal described by Jumbo are not free from all allergens either.
Ask in advance which allergens are relevant to your guests, and check both the ingredients and warnings for each option you choose.
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Reading only the online product description
Ingredients and allergen information can change. For this reason, Albert Heijn advises customers to read the packaging itself for Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties melkchocolade.
Check the packaging of the product you’re actually going to serve, and keep the label available at the buffet.
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Putting gluten-free biscuits among regular biscuits
If biscuits are served loose, it can be difficult to tell which ones are for which guests without separation or clear allergen information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must also be available for unpackaged food.
Put the gluten-free biscuits on a separate plate with their own serving utensils, and place the relevant packaging or an allergen card beside them.
Brands with relevant options
Verkade
Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties melkchocolade, 150 g, is an oat biscuit with milk chocolate, as described by Albert Heijn.
- Albert Heijn labels this option gluten-free and states that it contains gluten-free oats.
- The allergen information lists oats, milk and soya; nuts may also be present. Check that this option is suitable for the guests in question.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij
Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade, 165 g, is a gluten-free biscuit option with milk chocolate.
- Jumbo says this option carries the Crossed Grain symbol for gluten-free products.
- Jumbo lists milk, oats and soya as allergens, and says that nuts may also be present. The symbol doesn’t replace the need to check for these other allergens.
Céréal
Jumbo describes the 150 g chocolate biscuits as gluten-free and lactose-free.
- The lactose-free label is useful when a guest wants to avoid lactose as well as gluten.
- The product information lists soya and the possible presence of, among other things, milk, egg, nuts, sesame and lupin. So lactose-free doesn’t mean free from milk or other allergens.
Schär
Choco Chip Cookies Glutenvrij, 100 g, are biscuits with chocolate chips, according to Jumbo’s product information.
- Jumbo describes this exact option as gluten-free.
- The product information lists soya as an allergen. As with any option, check the packaging against your guests’ dietary needs.
Joybuy product for this choice
This recommendation is for an oat biscuit with milk chocolate that is labelled gluten-free, to serve at a wedding buffet. Check the packaging before serving and make sure the listed allergens are suitable for your guests.
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Verkade Gv Oaties milk chocolate 150 g
An option if you’re looking for an oat biscuit with milk chocolate that’s labelled gluten-free for your buffet.
Contains oats, milk and soya; may contain nuts. If a guest has coeliac disease, also ask whether oats are a concern for them, and check the current packaging before serving the biscuits.
Frequently asked questions
Is ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging enough for a guest with coeliac disease?
The gluten-free label is the starting point, but also check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the product you’re going to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets conditions for using the ‘gluten-free’ label; other allergens still need to be checked separately.
Should I check for milk, soya and nuts as well as gluten?
Yes, if those allergens are relevant to your guests. Albert Heijn lists milk and soya, and the possible presence of nuts, for Verkade Glutenvrije Oaties melkchocolade. So check both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the packaging you choose.
Does a caterer need to provide allergen information for biscuits served loose?
Yes. Consumers must be able to get information about the allergens present in unpackaged food, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. Agree with the caterer in advance on how guests can check this information before choosing a biscuit.
How should I present gluten-free biscuits at a self-service buffet?
Keep them separate from regular biscuits, use dedicated serving utensils, and leave the packaging or an accurate allergen card beside the plate. This helps guests identify which information applies to the gluten-free option.