If you’re choosing crispbread to have with coffee for an older person with coeliac disease, only choose a product whose packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain trademark. Rye or wheat products that are high in fibre are not suitable alternatives. Among the gluten-free options, compare the salt and fibre per 100 g, the portion size and any other allergens. If the person has difficulty swallowing, the crispbread’s hard texture may not be suitable, so individual dietary advice is needed.
When choosing something for coffee, a clear gluten-free statement on the packaging matters more than a familiar brand name or a claim about fibre. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking the packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain trademark.
If you’re choosing between gluten-free options, you can compare the salt, fibre, ingredients and serving size. The nutritional information per 100 g makes products easier to compare, while the serving size shows how much will actually be served.
If you have another food allergy, check the allergen information too. If the person you’re serving has difficulty swallowing, whether a hard cracker is suitable is a separate question. Thuisarts recommends seeking individual advice for these symptoms.
If you’re choosing for someone with coeliac disease, first check that the exact product variant is labelled gluten-free. Only then compare the nutritional information, and separately consider whether other allergens or the crunchy texture may be an issue.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain trademark on the packaging of the exact product variant. Check the ingredients too. | If I’m picking up crispbread for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be sure that this particular product is suitable for a gluten-free diet. For around 39% of consumers, that reassurance comes first. |
| Salt and fibre | Compare both values per 100 g, and consider how much crispbread and topping you’ll serve. | When choosing between gluten-free products that are already suitable, I want to know how much salt a serving adds without overlooking the fibre. Around 23% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Other allergens | Read the allergen information, including ‘may contain’ statements, if relevant to the person eating with you. | If I need to avoid another allergen as well as gluten, a dietary claim on the front of the pack isn’t enough. For around 23% of consumers, this additional check matters most. |
| Suitability for eating and swallowing | Check whether the hard texture is suitable under the person’s existing dietary advice; seek individual advice if they have difficulty swallowing. | If the person I’m serving has difficulty swallowing, I want to find out first whether a crunchy cracker is suitable at all. Around 15% of consumers put this first. |
Rye and wheat contain gluten. Ryvita says that its products contain gluten; neither the fibre content nor the brand name changes that.
Check the packaging of the product you choose for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain trademark.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Wasa Gluten Free and Lactose Free Classic may contain sesame, milk, soya and mustard, among other things. Jumbo lists sesame as an ingredient in Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt.
If you have a relevant allergy, check both the ingredients and the warnings on the current packaging.
Albert Heijn’s nutritional information lists 1,1 g of salt per 100 g for Wasa Gluten Free and Lactose Free Classic, and 2,4 g per 100 g for AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre Crispbread. The amount you serve and the toppings also matter.
Compare the salt on the same basis, per 100 g, then consider the portion you’ll serve.
Age alone doesn’t determine whether crispbread is suitable for someone to swallow. Its crunchy texture may not be suitable for someone with swallowing difficulties. Thuisarts explains that an assessment and, if necessary, adapted food may be needed.
If someone has difficulty swallowing, ask a doctor, dietitian or speech and language therapist for advice rather than changing the texture yourself.
The gluten-free Classic and Sesame & Sea Salt options give you two labels to compare for the same coffee break.
AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre Crispbread is an own-brand option. Albert Heijn states that it is made in a gluten-free production environment.
Ryvita is a useful reminder not to choose based on the brand name alone when coeliac disease determines what you can buy.
Not based on the fibre claim alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain trademark on the packaging; always check the exact product variant. Ryvita, for example, says that its products contain gluten.
If someone has difficulty swallowing, don’t assume a hard cracker is suitable without individual advice. Thuisarts recommends having the symptoms assessed. Depending on the advice given, soft, puréed or liquid food may be needed.
You can’t assume this is the case for every product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products because baker’s salt is added. Check the ingredients for the product you choose: Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre Crispbread, while the ingredients list for Wasa Gluten Free and Lactose Free Classic says ‘salt’.
First compare the salt per 100 g, then consider the amount served and the toppings. Albert Heijn lists 1,1 g of salt per 100 g for Wasa Gluten Free and Lactose Free Classic and 2,4 g per 100 g for AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre Crispbread. That difference per 100 g alone doesn’t tell you how much salt the whole coffee break will contain.
