Travellers with coeliac disease
For a simple coffee break in your hotel room, you want to choose crispbread without relying on the brand name or its appearance. Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and warnings on the packaging.
Who is this relevant to?
Hotel guests who want individual portions
Individual portions can be handy if you only want a few slices with your coffee and want to keep the rest sealed. The packaging itself tells you nothing about gluten or other allergens.
Shoppers comparing more than just gluten content
If sesame or other allergens matter to you too, read the full ingredients and allergen information. If you eat crispbread regularly, you can also compare fibre and salt per 100 g and check whether iodised salt is used.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the gluten-free label and the ingredients. Then compare the packaging and any other nutritional information that matters to you.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free for coeliac disease | Look for an explicit gluten-free label and read the ingredients and any warnings about cereals containing gluten. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to guess whether my crispbread contains gluten when I’m having coffee. This would be the first purchasing priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Portions when there’s no hotel kitchen | Check whether the pack contains individual portions and read the storage instructions. | Without a kitchen, I want to be able to take a few slices without having to open the whole pack each time. Convenience of individual portions would come first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Other information on the label | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g; also check the information about sesame, other allergens and any iodised salt. | If I also need to avoid sesame or eat crispbread regularly, I want to compare more than just the gluten-free label. For around 20% of consumers, checking the wider range of information on the label would be the first priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a familiar rye crispbread is gluten-free
Rye contains gluten. Ryvita says its products contain gluten; the regular Wasa Volkoren Knäckebröd on Joybuy also lists rye and gluten.
If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose based on the brand, appearance or fibre claim. Check the gluten-free label and ingredients for the specific variety first.
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Confusing individual portions with gluten-free
Individual portions can be handy for a coffee break in your hotel room, but the type of packaging does not confirm whether the crispbread is gluten-free.
Even with individually wrapped varieties, check the ingredients, gluten-free label and any warnings.
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Overlooking other allergens
The Wasa Sesame & sea salt described by Albert Heijn contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya. According to Albert Heijn, Wasa Glutenvrij Classic may contain milk, soya, sesame and mustard.
Before choosing a variety, check both what the product contains and what it may contain.
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Assuming iodised salt means you’re getting enough iodine
According to Voedingscentrum, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. The fact that a crispbread contains iodised salt doesn’t tell you how much iodine you’ll get in a portion.
If you often replace bread with crispbread, consider the iodised salt ingredient alongside the rest of your diet, rather than treating one crispbread as a complete substitute.
Brands to compare
Wasa (Wasabröd)
Albert Heijn describes Wasa Glutenvrij Classic and gluten-free Wasa Sesame & sea salt as individually portioned varieties for anyone who wants to take a few slices with them.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Classic contains 7 g of fibre per 100 g, while Sesame & sea salt contains 10 g per 100 g.
- Sesame & sea salt contains sesame. Albert Heijn also notes that both varieties may contain other allergens.
- The gluten-free varieties are not interchangeable with regular Wasa crispbread, which contains rye and gluten.
AH Glutenvrij
Albert Heijn describes AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread, 230 g, as being produced in a completely gluten-free environment.
- The product information lists 6.5 g of fibre and 2.4 g of salt per 100 g, and includes iodised salt as an ingredient.
- The product contains gluten-free oats and may contain sesame; check whether this information is relevant to your situation.
Ryvita
Don’t confuse Ryvita with gluten-free crispbread varieties: the brand says that all its products contain gluten.
- According to the brand, Ryvita Original Crispbread contains rye flour, so it isn’t suitable if you need to choose strictly gluten-free products.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is ordinary crispbread automatically gluten-free?
No. Crispbread made with rye, wheat or barley isn’t suitable if you need to choose strictly gluten-free products. Ryvita, for example, says its products contain gluten. If you have coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label and ingredients on the pack you buy.
What should I look for on a gluten-free label?
Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging, and also read the ingredients and allergen information. Check for any warnings about cereals containing gluten too; the word crispbread or a familiar brand name alone isn’t enough to assess a variety.
What should I do if there’s a warning about possible cross-contamination?
If you have coeliac disease, take any warning about the possible presence of cereals containing gluten into account when choosing. Read the packaging for the specific product and, if in doubt, follow the dietary guidance that applies to you.
Which gluten-free crispbread is handy for a hotel room?
If individual portions matter to you, you could look at Wasa Glutenvrij Classic and gluten-free Wasa Sesame & sea salt: Albert Heijn describes both as individually portioned. For Sesame & sea salt, also check the sesame label and information about other possible allergens.
Does iodised salt tell me how much iodine is in a portion?
No. Listing iodised salt as an ingredient doesn’t tell you how much iodine there is per portion. Albert Heijn lists this ingredient in AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread. According to Voedingscentrum, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, so consider crispbread as part of your overall diet rather than on its own.