If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, choose crispbread whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and serve it separately from regular bread and shared spreads. Wasa Gluten- & Lactose Vrij Classic is an option if the crispbread also needs to be lactose-free and vegan; Schär Knäcke Hafer contains oats, so check whether this ingredient is suitable for your guest. If you’re eating crispbread instead of bread, don’t assume it provides the same contribution to your iodine intake.
You need crispbread labelled gluten-free that can be topped and served without coming into contact with regular bread. Coeliac UK points out that gluten cross-contamination can also make people with coeliac disease ill.
You’re looking for a cracker that may suit lactose-free or vegan diets as well as being gluten-free. Check both the cracker you choose and the toppings: a quality of the crispbread doesn’t automatically apply to the whole Easter spread.
As well as checking the ‘gluten-free’ label, you’re looking at fibre, salt and ingredients. Compare the nutritional information for the exact products, and take your portion size and toppings into account too.
Start with the gluten-free label and how you’ll serve the crispbread. Then compare the other dietary requirements, nutritional information and ingredients on the pack you plan to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging. Keep the crispbread, toppings and serving utensils separate from regular bread. | When I’m setting the table for someone with coeliac disease, I want to stop crumbs from regular bread getting onto the crispbread. Around 36% of consumers would put avoiding contact with gluten first. |
| Multiple dietary requirements | Check that the cracker is explicitly labelled lactose-free and vegan, and check your choice of toppings separately. | When putting together an Easter spread for guests with different dietary requirements, I want to choose a cracker that suits their other needs too. Around 29% of consumers would say this is their main concern. |
| Fibre and ingredients | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g on the packs of the exact products; check the ingredients too if oats are a consideration. | If fibre is what guides my choice, I want to compare crispbreads without losing sight of the toppings. For around 21% of consumers, fibre would be the first consideration. |
| Iodine when replacing bread | Check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. Don’t assume that crispbread is equivalent to bread baked with iodised baker’s salt. | If I regularly replace bread with crispbread, I want to know whether I’m also replacing a usual source of iodine. For around 14% of consumers, this would be their most important consideration. |
According to Coeliac UK, gluten cross-contamination can also make people with coeliac disease ill. A shared bread knife, serving plate or spread could bring crumbs into contact with the gluten-free crispbread.
Set the crispbread aside and use clean, separate utensils and suitable toppings.
According to Schär’s ingredient information, Schär Knäcke Hafer contains gluten-free wholegrain oat flakes. The ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t answer the separate question of whether a guest can eat oats.
Ask about your guest’s dietary requirements and read the ingredients and warnings on the current packaging.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread baked with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. That doesn’t mean every gluten-free crispbread contains iodised salt.
Check the ingredients on the pack you choose, and consider the place of bread and bread substitutes in your overall diet.
Albert Heijn warns that product ingredients, nutritional values and dietary or allergen information may change.
Check the label on the pack you receive before putting the crispbread on the table.
Wasa Gluten- & Lactose Vrij Classic is a gluten-free option for an Easter brunch where lactose-free and vegan choices matter too.
Schär Knäcke Hafer is a gluten-free oat crispbread for consumers who want to take this ingredient into account when making their choice.
AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread is a supermarket own-brand option to consider when shopping for Easter.
According to Coeliac UK, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product. A crossed-grain symbol can be an additional indicator; always check the current packaging for the product you’ve chosen.
Serve it separately from regular bread, with clean, separate utensils and toppings that are suitable for your guest. Coeliac UK warns that gluten cross-contamination can make people with coeliac disease ill.
You can’t tell from the product category alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands; check whether iodised salt is listed in the crispbread’s ingredients.
Not without checking the oats too. Schär lists gluten-free wholegrain oat flakes as an ingredient in Knäcke Hafer; ask whether oats are suitable for your guest and check the current packaging before serving.
