If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, choose crispbread or crackers labelled ‘gluten-free’ and serve them separately with clean utensils. A plain option lets a range of toppings take centre stage, while rosemary crackers add flavour of their own. With either choice, check for any other allergens that matter to your guests.
They’re looking for a product clearly labelled gluten-free and want to prevent crumbs or shared utensils from contaminating the food on the table. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre emphasises that even a stray breadcrumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease.
They want to choose a crunchy base to suit the planned dips and toppings: plain if the toppings are the main event, or seasoned if the cracker itself can add flavour. Other allergens still need to be considered separately.
They want to compare fibre and salt as well as checking the gluten-free label. To do so, read the nutritional values per 100 g on the pack you’ve chosen, so differences in serving sizes don’t skew the comparison.
For a world food night with a guest who has coeliac disease, a gluten-free label is essential for every option. Then decide which flavour, nutritional information and serving style will work best for your table.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Most relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free options and serving them separately | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label on the pack, including on oat products. Set aside a separate plate and clean serving utensils. | If there’s ordinary bread on the table too, I want to prevent crumbs or shared utensils from coming into contact with the gluten-free crackers. This would be the main concern for an estimated 36% of consumers. |
| Flavour to suit the toppings | Choose a plain base for a range of toppings, or a seasoned cracker if its flavour will complement the dishes. | With a variety of dips, I don’t want the cracker to overpower their flavours. This combination would be the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Nutritional values and ingredients | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients and allergen information for the option you’ve chosen. | If I’m keeping an eye on salt and fibre, I want to compare products on the same basis without overlooking other allergens. This would be the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Serving at the table | Check the pack format and read the current label. Individually wrapped crackers must also be kept separate from food containing gluten. | If guests are helping themselves, I want to be able to offer the gluten-free crackers separately with ease. Easy sharing would be the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Rice, maize or oats in the ingredients don’t prove that the finished product is gluten-free: cross-contamination can occur during processing. European rules limit products labelled ‘gluten-free’ to a maximum of 20 mg of gluten per kg of finished product and set additional requirements for oats in these products.
If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, choose a pack labelled ‘gluten-free’. Check for this label on oat crispbread and oat crackers too.
Crumbs and shared knives or dips can transfer gluten to the crackers. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that cross-contamination must be prevented for people with coeliac disease.
Use a separate plate, clean serving utensils and dips that haven’t been shared with bread containing gluten.
A gluten-free label says nothing about other allergens. The Wasa Classic option reviewed lists possible traces of milk, soya, sesame seeds and mustard; the Leev rosemary cracker reviewed contains sesame seeds.
Ask your guests about any other allergies and check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product you’re buying.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers in the Netherlands aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. So a mention of iodised salt on one crispbread pack doesn’t apply to all bread substitutes.
Check the label of the product you’ve chosen to see whether iodised salt or bakers’ salt is listed.
AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk knäckebröd is a plain option to serve with a variety of toppings.
The Glutenvrij en lactosevrij classic option reviewed is individually wrapped, so it can be served separately at the table.
Leev Havercrackers rozemarijn glutenvrij is a seasoned oat cracker, not plain crispbread.
Albert Heijn’s product range overview lists several gluten-free crackers and crispbread products from Schär.
Albert Heijn’s product range overview lists gluten-free crackers and flatbreads from Nairn's as other crunchy bases for toppings.
In that case, choose a product labelled ‘gluten-free’; checking the ingredients list alone isn’t enough to rule out cross-contamination. Under Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a finished product carrying this label may contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Additional requirements also apply to oats in products sold as gluten-free, to prevent contamination with gluten-containing cereals.
Serve the gluten-free crispbread on a separate plate with its own clean utensils, and keep any accompanying dips separate. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that even a breadcrumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease.
No. Check the pack you’ve chosen for any other allergens. For example, Wasa Glutenvrij en lactosevrij classic lists possible traces of milk, soya, sesame seeds and mustard; Leev Havercrackers rozemarijn contains sesame seeds and lists possible traces of nuts and soya.
No. Check the label to see whether iodised salt or bakers’ salt has been used. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using bakers’ salt isn’t compulsory in the Netherlands. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk knäckebröd, but that doesn’t tell you anything about other options.
