For Easter lunch, choose crispbread whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’. If you don’t need the crispbread texture, a bread alternative that is also labelled gluten-free may work. Keep the portion for a guest with coeliac disease separate from ordinary bread, including the toppings and utensils.
They need an explicitly labelled gluten-free base for lunch that stays separate from bread and crispbread containing gluten while it is being served. The Dutch Coeliac Association warns that even a single crumb can be harmful.
You may be serving ordinary and gluten-free products at the same time. Clean hands and utensils, separate toppings and a designated place for the gluten-free portion help prevent cross-contamination at the table.
You may want to keep the crisp texture, but you could also consider an explicitly labelled gluten-free bread product if crispbread is unavailable or a softer base would suit the lunch better.
Start by checking the gluten-free label on the packaging, then work out how you’ll serve the portion separately. After that, consider whether you want a crispbread-style product and whether you need to check anything else on the label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Read the current packaging: does it explicitly say ‘gluten-free’? Don’t rely solely on the product name or where it is displayed in the shop. | When I buy crispbread for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on its familiar shape. For around 36% of consumers, this clear label comes first. |
| Serving separately | Plan a separate portion using clean utensils and separate toppings; keep ordinary bread crumbs away from it. | When ordinary bread is also on the table, I want to stop crumbs getting into the gluten-free portion. Around 29% of consumers put serving it separately first. |
| Shape and toppings | Choose between crispbread and a bread-style alternative, and think about which base will go best with the toppings you have planned. | For Easter lunch, I’d like to serve the familiar crispbread, unless another base is more practical. For around 21% of consumers, the product’s shape is their main preference. |
| Other label checks | Check the allergen and nutritional information separately. Don’t assume a product contains iodine because it is labelled gluten-free. | I may need to consider ingredients other than gluten or compare nutritional values. For around 14% of consumers, this is the most important additional consideration. |
Just because a crispbread looks simple doesn’t mean it’s gluten-free. For someone with coeliac disease, the explicit label on the product is what matters.
Check the current packaging before you buy, and ask your guest to check it with you if you’re unsure.
The Dutch Coeliac Association says crumbs can get into gluten-free food via hands, utensils and shared toppings.
Prepare the gluten-free portion first using clean utensils, and set out separate toppings for it.
Albert Heijn lists Damhert Gluten-Free Crispbread as discontinued, while Jumbo says its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Crispbread is no longer available. So a product listing doesn’t tell you what’s on the shelves for your Easter lunch.
Check current availability at your chosen shop, and decide in advance whether gluten-free bread or gluten-free rolls would work as an alternative.
‘Gluten-free’ alone doesn’t tell you whether a product contains other allergens, how much fibre it has or whether it contains iodine. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that bread in the Netherlands often provides iodine through iodised baker’s salt, but its use isn’t compulsory.
Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for each product rather than assuming it has the same qualities as ordinary crispbread.
Albert Heijn and PLUS list Schär Zwieback as a gluten-free crispbread option.
Damhert Gluten-Free Crispbread still appears on a product page at Albert Heijn.
A 120 g gluten-free crispbread is listed under this own-brand range.
PLUS sells Schär Zwieback and also has a gluten-free products category; it isn’t the manufacturer of the crispbread mentioned here.
This option is for anyone considering a bread-style base instead of crispbread for Easter lunch. If you’re serving a guest with coeliac disease, check the packaging to make sure the variant supplied is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
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Worth considering if a bread-style base would suit your lunch better than crispbread. Before buying, check whether you’ll receive ready-to-eat rolls or a product that needs preparing, and read the current packaging for the gluten-free label and any relevant allergens.
Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product sold to the final consumer in the Netherlands may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. ‘Wheat-free’ on its own isn’t the same as this label.
Yes, as long as the gluten-free portion is protected from crumbs and shared utensils. Use clean cutlery and separate toppings, and only open the gluten-free packet when you’re preparing that portion.
PLUS lists the 175 g Schär Zwieback as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free. Check these claims on the packaging of the variant you buy, especially if other allergens are also a concern.
No, a gluten-free label doesn’t tell you anything about iodine. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that bread in the Netherlands often contains iodine because of iodised baker’s salt, but bakers aren’t required to use it. Check the nutritional information for your chosen product separately.
Lunch bread or rolls explicitly labelled gluten-free can provide another base for Easter lunch, although they won’t have the same crispbread texture. Check the label on these alternatives too, and keep the portion separate from food containing gluten while serving.
