For your first shop, choose crispbread whose current label explicitly says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says this label helps you identify gluten-free products; ordinary rye crispbread and Ryvita Crispbread are not alternatives if you need to follow a strict gluten-free diet. AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk and Wasa Gluten- en lactosevrij Classic are options you can then compare for other allergens, nutritional information and packaging.
When doing your first shop after a coeliac disease diagnosis, you don’t want to mistake ordinary crispbread for a gluten-free option. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says the ‘gluten-free’ label and the Crossed Grain symbol help you identify suitable products. Check the current packaging before adding anything to your basket, too.
A gluten-free label doesn’t automatically answer questions about sesame, milk, soya or mustard. It’s especially important to check the information on each pack when choosing flavoured varieties or looking for warnings such as ‘may contain’.
If crispbread is going to be a regular part of your breakfast or lunch, useful points to compare include the fibre and salt per 100 g, the number of portions and the storage instructions. Only weigh these up once you’ve found an option that meets your gluten-free and any other allergen requirements.
First check that the specific variety is gluten-free. Then check for any other allergens, and compare the nutritional information and packaging to suit how you’ll use it.
| What to look for | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current pack, and read the ingredients. Ryvita says its products contain gluten; Original Crispbread lists rye. | If I’m shopping for coeliac disease, I don’t want to mistake ordinary rye crispbread for a gluten-free option. For around 46% of consumers, this reassurance would be the main reason for buying. |
| Other allergens | Check the ingredients and both ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information for each variety. According to Jumbo’s product information, Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame; a ‘lactose-free’ label doesn’t rule out a milk warning. | If I also have a sesame or milk allergy, I want to know what other allergens are listed on the pack. For around 27% of consumers, this additional check would come first. |
| Nutritional information and storage | Compare fibre and salt on the same basis, such as per 100 g, and check the portion information and storage instructions. Albert Heijn lists 2,4 g of salt per 100 g for AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk; for Wasa Classic, it lists 1,1 g per 100 g. | If I’m buying crispbread for several breakfasts or lunches, I want an option with nutritional information and packaging that suit the way I’ll use it. For around 27% of consumers, this would be the main priority. |
Ordinary crispbread may contain rye. Ryvita lists rye as an ingredient in Original Crispbread and says its products contain gluten.
If you need a strictly gluten-free option, check the label on the current pack and read the ingredients. Don’t rely on the shape or brand name.
A gluten-free variety of Wasa may list other allergens. Jumbo says Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame; the product information for Wasa Classic also warns that it may contain milk, among other things.
If you have another allergy, check the ingredients and warnings for the exact variety you’re buying.
Individual portions or a flavour name won’t tell you how much fibre and salt are listed per 100 g. These values differ between the AH and Wasa varieties described here.
Compare the nutritional information on the same basis, then decide which pack size is most practical for you.
A description you looked at earlier may not match the pack you eventually buy, for example if the recipe has changed.
Use product pages to shortlist varieties, but before buying and eating the product, read the label on the pack itself.
Check the specific variety within each brand: a gluten-free range doesn’t mean that every product under the same brand name is gluten-free.
Albert Heijn describes its 230 g AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread as a variety made with gluten-free oats, rice and maize.
Wasa makes gluten-free and lactose-free crispbread varieties, including Classic and Sesame & Sea Salt, as well as standard products that you’ll need to check individually.
Ryvita is a brand worth recognising when you need to distinguish ordinary crispbread from gluten-free crispbread.
No, rye contains gluten. If you need to follow a strict gluten-free diet because of coeliac disease, choose crispbread with an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends for identifying gluten-free products.
Not if you need to follow a strict gluten-free diet: Ryvita says all its products contain gluten. The ingredients list for Original Crispbread also includes rye. Always check an alternative against its own current label.
Not necessarily. Albert Heijn’s product information describes Wasa Gluten- en lactosevrij Classic as lactose-free, but also says it may contain milk. If you have a milk allergy, check the allergen information on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack. Albert Heijn recommends storing AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk in a cool, dry place and closing the packaging carefully after use; the product information for Wasa Classic says to store it in a cool, dry place.
Check the ingredients list for the specific product. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread; don’t assume the same applies to other varieties.
