For a snack when you have coeliac disease, choose crispbread with a clear ‘gluten-free’ statement or the Crossed Grain trademark on the packaging. Then check the ingredients and allergen information for that exact variety. Only after that do flavour, individual portions and nutritional value become useful points of comparison. If you regularly eat crispbread instead of bread, you should also bear in mind the iodine provided by bread made with iodised baker’s salt.
For them, a clear gluten-free statement on the exact product packaging comes before choosing a flavour or brand. The Voedingscentrum also identifies the Crossed Grain trademark as a helpful sign to look for.
Even gluten-free crispbread can vary in its ingredients and warnings from one variety to another. For example, Jumbo lists sesame as an allergen in Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt; according to Albert Heijn, Wasa Classic carries a warning that it may contain sesame and other allergens.
If you regularly replace bread, look beyond the nutritional value of a single snack. The Voedingscentrum points out that bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands.
When choosing crispbread for someone with coeliac disease, first check that the specific variety is gluten-free, then read the allergen information. After that, compare what works best for your snack.
| What to consider | What to check | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain trademark on the packaging of the exact variety. Check the ingredients too. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to know before my morning break that I haven’t accidentally picked up regular rye crispbread. For around 50% of consumers, this reassurance comes first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients list and any ‘contains’ or ‘may contain’ statements, especially for varieties with seeds. | If you need to avoid sesame or another allergen as well as gluten, you shouldn’t rely on the front of the pack alone. Checking for additional allergens is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Nutritional value and how you’ll use it | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and per serving, and check whether the pack size suits how often you eat the product. | For a regular snack, I want to be able to compare portions, especially if crispbread also replaces bread from time to time. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
A familiar brand name or the appearance of a cracker tells you nothing about whether it is gluten-free. For example, Ryvita International lists rye in Original Crispbread.
If you have coeliac disease, choose based on the gluten-free statement or Crossed Grain trademark on the exact pack, not on the product category.
‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t mean a product is also free from sesame, milk, soya or mustard. The statements even differ between the Wasa varieties reviewed.
For every flavour, check both the ingredients and the allergen warnings before you choose.
The fibre content doesn’t tell you what place crispbread has in the rest of your diet. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands.
For a snack, compare the nutritional information. But if you’re cutting bread out regularly, consider your wider diet too.
Product listings from Albert Heijn and Jumbo in the Netherlands describe two different gluten-free crispbread varieties: Classic and Sesame & Sea Salt.
Schär Knusperbrot Dunkel is a gluten-free crispbread made with a different flour base from the Wasa varieties mentioned above.
Here, Ryvita illustrates the difference between regular crispbread and a variety labelled gluten-free.
Regular rye crispbread isn’t gluten-free: rye contains gluten. For example, Ryvita International lists rye in Original Crispbread. For any other variety, check the gluten-free statement on the exact pack.
Yes. A gluten-free statement says nothing about other allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be clearly identified in the ingredients list. The Wasa varieties reviewed have different statements for allergens including sesame, milk, soya and mustard.
Gluten-free crispbread isn’t automatically a nutritional substitute for bread. The Voedingscentrum points out that bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. If you regularly cut bread out, consider your overall diet.
Keep gluten-free crispbread separate from regular bread, crumbs and shared spreads. Check the storage instructions on the pack of the variety you’re using too.
