Hosting someone with coeliac disease
Looking for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and wanting to prevent crumbs from regular crackers coming into contact with it.
Who is this choice important for?
Someone who needs to consider several allergens
As well as gluten, they may need to consider sesame, milk, soya or mustard, for example. A gluten-free label alone doesn't answer that question.
Planning drinks and looking to pair toppings with dips
Looking for the right shape: small crispbread for a bite-sized snack or a larger gluten-free flatbread with more room for toppings.
What should you look for when choosing?
If you're hosting someone with coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label and planning a separate way to serve it. Then compare the shape and ingredients that matter to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it's most important for |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging, and use a separate plate and clean serving utensils. | When I'm serving something to a guest with coeliac disease, I also want to prevent regular cracker crumbs getting onto it. Around 39% of consumers prioritise this assurance that the food is gluten-free. |
| Shape and flavour | Compare small crispbread with a larger gluten-free flatbread, and choose a flavour that works well with your toppings. | For generous toppings or a dip, I want plenty of room, while for bite-sized snacks I'd rather choose a smaller size. Around 23% of consumers prioritise this type of serving option. |
| Other allergens | Check both the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements on the current label. | If a guest has another allergy too, I need to check whether sesame, milk, soya or mustard, for example, could be an issue. This check matters most to around 23% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If I regularly buy gluten-free bread alternatives, I want to be able to compare their ingredients without treating one party snack as a measure of my overall diet. Around 15% of consumers give this consideration priority. |
Common mistakes when putting together a drinks board
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Assuming ‘wheat-free’ or ‘high in fibre’ means gluten-free
A different type of grain or a claim about fibre doesn't mean a product is gluten-free. Ryvita states that its products contain gluten.
For a guest with coeliac disease, check for an explicit gluten-free label first; only then choose by flavour and size.
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Putting gluten-free crackers among regular crackers
According to the Voedingscentrum, even small amounts of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease. That's why crumbs and shared serving utensils make the way you serve the food important.
Serve the gluten-free product separately, using a clean knife and a separate bowl for the dip.
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Overlooking other allergens
Gluten-free doesn't mean free from other allergens. Jumbo, for example, states that Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the chosen product for each guest.
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Thinking a party snack will take care of your iodine intake
A product may contain iodised salt, but that doesn't make eating extra salty crackers a suitable plan for your overall diet. The Voedingscentrum also says that bakers aren't required to use baker's salt.
Check the ingredients, and consider iodine in the context of the rest of your diet if you follow a gluten-free diet long term.
Brands to consider
AH Glutenvrij
Albert Heijn states that AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread is gluten-free and produced in a completely gluten-free environment.
- The ingredients include iodised salt.
- The product information lists oats and a possible presence of sesame; check the current label.
Wasa
The Classic and Sesame & Sea Salt varieties reviewed are different gluten- and lactose-free options; their flavours and allergen information differ.
- Albert Heijn describes Classic as individually portion-packed.
- Jumbo states that Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. Also check the warnings for other allergens on Classic.
Nairn's
Nairn's describes its gluten-free oat flatbreads as larger than a cracker, with room for toppings. They're flatbreads, not crispbread.
- The larger size may suit you if you're looking for more room for toppings.
- Nairn's states that its flatbreads are made on equipment that also processes milk, and advises people who react to avenin not to eat them. Check the label for the specific variety.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij
Jumbo Lekker Vrij is a range of gluten-free bread alternatives. The product described here is bread, not crispbread for a drinks party.
- The bread described lists iodised salt.
- The ingredients in this bread don't tell you anything about the ingredients in other products in the range.
Ryvita
Regular Ryvita crispbreads aren't a gluten-free alternative for this drinks-party choice.
- Ryvita states that all its products contain gluten; don't serve them as a gluten-free option to a guest with coeliac disease.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products will appear soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is ‘wheat-free’ enough for someone with coeliac disease?
No. Choose a product explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 sets the limit for this claim at 20 mg of gluten per kg of finished product; ‘wheat-free’ doesn't automatically rule out other gluten-containing grains.
How should I serve gluten-free crispbread alongside regular crackers?
Put the gluten-free crispbread on a separate plate, and use clean, separate serving utensils and its own bowl for dips. The Voedingscentrum points out that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
Can I serve Wasa Sesame & Sea Salt to people with other allergies?
That depends on your guests' allergies: according to Jumbo, this variety contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. Compare the current information on the packaging with the ingredients the guest needs to avoid.
Does gluten-free crispbread always contain iodised salt?
No, check the ingredients for each product. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers aren't required to use baker's salt, so don't assess your iodine intake based on a single party snack.
Are regular Ryvita crispbreads gluten-free?
No, Ryvita states that all its products contain gluten. So don't use regular Ryvita crispbreads as a gluten-free alternative for a guest with coeliac disease.