For a summer holiday with coeliac disease, take pre-packed crispbread that is explicitly labelled as gluten-free for that specific variety, and check the current label and use-by date before you set off. Wasa describes its Sesame & Sea Salt variety as gluten-free, and Albert Heijn sells AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre crispbread; Ryvita, by contrast, says its products contain gluten. If you regularly eat crispbread instead of bread, you cannot tell from the product category whether it contains iodised salt.
If you cannot rely on your usual eating and shopping routine while on holiday, you’ll want to take a pre-packed product for breakfast, lunch or a snack on the go, with a label you’ve already checked. Glutenvrij.nl points out that eating gluten-free on holiday takes extra preparation.
Do you also need a lactose-free option, or do you have to avoid sesame? Check the exact variety and the pack you’re buying, rather than relying on the brand name alone. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients and allergen information can change.
If crispbread regularly replaces bread, its nutritional information and the type of salt used may also matter. Voedingscentrum points out that eating little bread, or choosing bread without iodised salt, can affect your iodine intake; a gluten-free label does not tell you what type of salt a product contains.
Start by checking that the exact variety is labelled gluten-free. Then decide which pack and additional features suit your trip and the way you use crispbread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label and ingredients | Look for the gluten-free label on the pack and read the ingredients and allergen information. Under the EU rules published via EUR-Lex, the gluten content of a product labelled gluten-free must not exceed 20 mg/kg. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to check the current label and ingredients for this specific variety; this would be the main purchasing concern for around 36% of consumers. |
| Supplies for your trip and packaging | Check the use-by date and make sure the packaging is intact. Read the label again when you buy it, even if you’ve checked the variety before. | While travelling, I can’t automatically rely on my usual shop, so I want to take a checked supply with me; this preparation would be the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information if replacing bread | Check the nutritional information and look in the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt; don’t assume it is present just because the product is crispbread. | If crispbread often replaces bread for me, I want to know how it fits into my overall diet; this would be the most important additional consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Flavour and other dietary requirements | Compare the different flavours and check the seeds and any additional labels on the pack. The Sesame & Sea Salt variety described by Wasa contains sesame. | Once I’ve checked that it is gluten-free, I want to choose a variety I enjoy that also suits any other dietary restrictions; this would be the most important factor for around 14% of consumers. |
Those words say nothing about whether a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet. Ryvita states that all its products contain gluten; according to Ryvita, Original Crispbread contains rye.
If you have coeliac disease, first check the gluten-free label and ingredients for the specific product. Only then compare flavour or nutritional information.
Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and dietary or allergen information can change. That means a variety you checked previously may have different information on the label when you buy it.
Before buying and setting off, check the physical pack again: look at the gluten-free label, ingredients, allergens and use-by date.
The gluten-free label tells you nothing about the type of salt used. Voedingscentrum points out that people who eat very little bread or choose bread without iodised salt may get less iodine.
Check the product’s ingredients and consider crispbread as part of your overall diet, rather than assuming it is a source of added iodine without checking the label.
A listing for a gluten-free range does not confirm that a specific variety will be available in every shop when you need it. Glutenvrij.nl recommends making extra preparations for holidays.
Buy a checked supply before you leave, and if you need an alternative while travelling, check its own packaging again.
One specific variety to look at is Gluten- & Lactose Vrij Sesame & Sea Salt.
Albert Heijn lists AH Gluten-Free High-Fibre crispbread as a specific own-brand variety.
Jumbo lists Wasa Gluten- & Lactosevrij Sesame & Sea Salt and also provides information about own-brand products for specific dietary requirements.
If you have coeliac disease, don’t assume Ryvita is a gluten-free choice based on a high-fibre or wholegrain description.
Not automatically: rye and barley also contain gluten. Choose a specific variety labelled gluten-free and read the ingredients on the pack. Under the EU rules published via EUR-Lex, the gluten content of a product labelled gluten-free must not exceed 20 mg/kg.
Yes, check the pack you’re actually taking with you. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and dietary or allergen information can change, so check the gluten-free label, ingredients, allergens and use-by date again.
No, the gluten-free label doesn’t tell you that. Check the ingredients list to see what type of salt is used. Voedingscentrum points out that people who eat very little bread or choose bread without iodised salt may have a lower iodine intake; consider this as part of your overall diet.
Don’t choose based on the range name alone. Check that the specific crispbread variety is available and that the pack is explicitly labelled gluten-free. A description such as wholegrain or high-fibre is no substitute.
