If you have coeliac disease, choose crispbread that is clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the ingredients and risk of cross-contamination too; the product name or a fibre claim isn’t enough. Then compare fibre, salt and portion size, and check for ingredients such as oats and sesame if you have additional requirements. Before you shop, check the exact product variant and read the ingredients list if iodised salt is important to your choice.
If you need to avoid gluten strictly, don’t choose based on the brand or the word crispbread in the product name. Check the gluten-free label, the ingredients and how to prevent contact with crumbs from regular bread at home. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even small amounts of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
If you regularly have crispbread for breakfast or lunch, you can compare the nutrition information per 100 g and per portion. A gluten-free label alone tells you nothing about the amount of fibre or salt.
If you’re looking for a gluten-free bread alternative as part of your regular shop, check the exact product variant. A brand may offer several products, and a gluten-free cracker won’t automatically have the same shape, ingredients or nutritional value as crispbread.
If you’re looking for a gluten-free bread alternative similar to crispbread, the ‘gluten-free’ label comes first. After that, the nutrition information, product format and any other ingredients will help you decide which variant to buy.
| What to consider | What to check | Particularly relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and cross-contamination | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label on the exact product packaging and check the ingredients; if it contains oats, check that they’re labelled gluten-free. Under EU Regulation 828/2014, products labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be sure about the variant I’m buying and avoid contact with regular bread crumbs at home; around 39% of consumers put this assurance first. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the amount per portion too, including whatever you put on top. | If crispbread is often on my breakfast or lunch plate, I want to look beyond the gluten-free label; around 23% of consumers prioritise comparing fibre and salt. |
| Availability | Check the exact variant on the shelf or in the range. If crispbread isn’t available, check the label on a gluten-free cracker again. | I want to finish my shop without accidentally choosing a regular variant instead; around 23% of consumers put finding a suitable, available option first. |
| Product format and additional ingredients | Compare the product format and, if you have other requirements, check the exact packaging for ingredients such as lactose, oats or sesame. | As well as gluten-free, I’m looking for a particular crunchy bread alternative or need to avoid another ingredient; around 15% of consumers prioritise this additional requirement. |
Crispbread may contain rye, wheat or barley. The product category, a familiar brand and a fibre claim are no substitute for a gluten-free label.
Read the packaging for the exact variant before buying and, if you have coeliac disease, choose a product labelled ‘gluten-free’.
Fibre and salt are separate parts of the nutrition information. Albert Heijn lists 6.5 g of fibre and 2.4 g of salt per 100 g for AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk knäckebröd.
Compare both values on the same basis, preferably per 100 g, and consider your portion and toppings too.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, cross-contamination can also affect people with coeliac disease. At home, contact can happen via a chopping board, knife, spread or toaster.
Use clean utensils and make sure shared spreads don’t come into contact with a knife covered in regular bread crumbs.
You can’t tell which type of salt a product contains from where it’s sold or from the word crispbread in its name. Under the Dutch Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Food, bakers’ salt is iodised table salt, but that doesn’t mean it’s used to make all crispbread.
Check the ingredients list on the variant you’ve chosen if you want to know whether iodised salt has been used.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free range includes AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk knäckebröd, as well as other crackers and bread products.
Albert Heijn lists Wasa Gluten- & Lactosevrij Classic as a gluten-free cracker; Jumbo also lists a Sesame & Sea Salt crispbread variant.
Schär offers several crunchy gluten-free bread alternatives; Albert Heijn lists Knusperbrot dunkel and Hafer knäckebrot, among others.
Jumbo’s gluten-free breakfast range includes own-brand crackers alongside products from other brands.
Don’t assume it is: regular crispbread may contain rye or wheat. If you have coeliac disease, choose a variant labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the ingredients on the packaging. Under EU Regulation 828/2014, this label means the product contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
Check that the oats in the gluten-free product are labelled gluten-free. EU Regulation 828/2014 also sets requirements to prevent oats in such products from being contaminated with wheat, rye and barley during production and processing.
Yes. If you have coeliac disease, make sure gluten-free crispbread doesn’t come into contact with regular bread crumbs. Use a clean chopping board and knife, and take care with shared spreads and the toaster too. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns about the effects of cross-contamination.
No, you can’t tell from where it’s sold or from the product category. The Dutch Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Food defines bakers’ salt as iodised table salt; check the ingredients list to see which salt the variant you’ve chosen contains. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk knäckebröd.
A gluten-free cracker could be another crunchy bread alternative, but check the gluten-free label and ingredients again. Compare the product format, allergens, fibre and salt too; a cracker won’t automatically have the same characteristics as crispbread.
