For a child with coeliac disease, choose crispbread whose current packaging is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Keep it separate from snacks containing gluten during preparation and serving. Also check the ingredients and allergen warnings on both the crispbread and the toppings: gluten-free does not mean a product is free from other allergens, such as sesame. Only compare flavour, fibre and salt once you know which products are suitable for the children at the party.
If a child needs to follow a strict gluten-free diet, it’s not just what’s in the crispbread that matters; how you prepare the snack matters too. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that even a crumb of food containing gluten can be significant. Use clean, separate utensils and avoid contact with other food on the serving plate.
Even gluten-free crispbread may contain sesame or other allergens. Compare the ingredients and warnings on the exact pack with the foods the children need to avoid, and check the toppings separately.
Crispbread can make a handy base for toppings. Once you know which variety is suitable for the children, you can compare its flavour, size and nutritional information per 100 g with the snacks you plan to make.
Start by checking that it is labelled gluten-free and planning how to prevent contact with crumbs. Then look at other allergens and consider how practical it will be to prepare the party snacks.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and served separately | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging. Plan to use clean, separate utensils to prevent contact with crumbs containing gluten. | If a child with coeliac disease is coming, I want to be sure their snack won’t come into contact with ordinary snacks or shared toppings. Around 36% of consumers would put this precaution first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the exact variety. Check all the toppings too. | When several children in the group have allergies, I need to know whether, for example, sesame is an ingredient and what warnings are on the pack. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise this allergen check. |
| Preparation and flavour | Decide whether all the children will have the same gluten-free snacks and whether the crispbread’s flavour will go with the planned toppings. | I want to prepare snacks the children will enjoy without mixing up the gluten-free and ordinary options when serving them. For around 21% of consumers, this practical aspect of the party would be the main consideration. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g. Check the ingredients if you want to know whether a variety contains iodised salt. | Once I know what’s suitable for the children, I also want to compare the labels for fibre, salt and ingredients. For around 14% of consumers, this comparison would be the deciding factor when choosing between suitable varieties. |
Wheat isn’t the only source of gluten. For a child with coeliac disease, a product category or a ‘wheat-free’ label is no substitute for an explicit gluten-free label.
Check the current packaging again if you buy a different size or variety.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that crumbs can transfer gluten to gluten-free snacks. A jar of spread used with a knife that’s already been used needs attention too.
Prepare the gluten-free snacks with clean hands and separate, clean utensils. Give them their own plate and serving area.
According to Jumbo, the Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt variety contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. Ingredients and warnings can differ between varieties.
Check the label on the variety you’ve chosen against the children’s allergies, and read the labels on spreads and other toppings too.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread does not have to be made with baker’s salt. So you can’t tell from the product category which type of salt a particular crispbread contains.
If you want to know, check the ingredients of the exact product rather than relying on the word ‘crispbread’.
The differences below apply to the specific varieties mentioned, not necessarily to every product from each brand. The current label is what matters when choosing for a children’s party.
AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre Crispbread is a gluten-free own-brand option that Albert Heijn describes as being made in a completely gluten-free environment.
The Gluten- & Lactose-Free Crispbread Sesame & Sea Salt variety is labelled gluten-free and contains sesame as an ingredient.
Schär offers several gluten-free crispbread varieties, including Hafer knäckebrot and Knusperbrot dunkel.
No. Choose a product whose current packaging is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that gluten can come from grains other than wheat too. You should also prevent contact with crumbs containing gluten during preparation.
Prepare and serve the gluten-free snacks using clean, separate utensils, and don’t put them on the same plate as snacks containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the risk of contact with crumbs, so take care with shared knives and jars of spread too.
Ask which crispbread and toppings the child can eat, and whether you need to take any other allergens into account as well as gluten. Discuss how you’ll prepare the snacks separately, and whether the parent or carer would prefer to bring something along themselves.
No, don’t assume that it does. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, there’s no requirement to bake with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients of the variety you’ve chosen if you want to know what type of salt it contains.
