If you have coeliac disease, first choose a croissant with a clear gluten-free label on the current packaging, and make sure you prepare it without contact with gluten crumbs. A shelf-stable option is handy for a quick reheat; a frozen one needs freezer space and a clean oven set-up. Check the allergen information for both, too.
When choosing a croissant to enjoy with coffee or cake, check the current gluten-free label and allergen information. Keep the croissant away from gluten crumbs while preparing and serving it, too. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses the importance of checking labels and preparing food separately.
You want a croissant you can store without having to plan around the freezer, and perhaps reheat quickly. PLUS’s product information gives oven and microwave instructions for Consenza croissants.
You have the time and oven space for a frozen croissant, perhaps when sharing a coffee with someone. If you have coeliac disease, you’ll also need to prepare it in a clean, separate space, as advised by the Dutch Coeliac Society.
If you have coeliac disease, a current gluten-free label and preparation that avoids cross-contamination are essential, whether you choose a shelf-stable or frozen croissant. After that, storage, the time you have available and any other allergies will help you decide which option suits your coffee break.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and preparation | Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or a gluten-free symbol. If baking or serving the croissant, use clean, separate equipment. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to serve a croissant without gluten crumbs from the kitchen getting on it. An estimated 50% of consumers put this safety consideration first when buying. |
| Storage and reheating | Compare storage instructions and preparation times: PLUS says to heat its shelf-stable Consenza croissants for 10 minutes at 200°C in the oven or for 20 seconds at 800 W in the microwave; Albert Heijn says to heat the frozen Schär Croissant à la Française for 8 minutes at 200°C. | If a coffee break comes up spontaneously, I don’t want to have to plan around a frozen product or clear space in the oven first. For around 30% of consumers, speed would be the main consideration. |
| Other allergens and nutritional information | Read the ingredients, allergen information and may-contain warnings on the packaging; if you like, compare the nutritional values per 100 g or per serving. | As well as choosing gluten-free, I may need to take another allergy into account or want to know how the croissant fits into my diet. For around 20% of consumers, this additional check would come first. |
PLUS’s product information lists egg and soya in Consenza croissants, with possible traces of sesame, lupin and nuts. The information for Schär Croissant à la Française lists egg, milk and wheat. So a gluten-free label doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Before eating, also check the ingredients, allergen information and may-contain warnings on the current packaging.
Other baked goods served at the same coffee break can leave crumbs on utensils, an oven rack or in shared butter. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preparing gluten-free food separately to avoid cross-contamination.
Remove any crumbs and use clean, separate utensils and a clean baking tray when reheating or baking the croissant.
PLUS says Consenza croissants can be stored in a cool, dry place and heated in the oven or microwave. Schär Croissant à la Française is a frozen option that, according to the product information, is baked in the oven.
Before buying, check the storage method, pack size and preparation time to make sure they suit your coffee break.
The frozen option needs space in the freezer and an oven you can use cleanly and separately.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. Don’t assume that a gluten-free croissant provides the same amount without checking the product information.
Check the nutritional information for your chosen product and consider the croissant as part of your overall diet.
Consenza offers gluten-free croissants in a pack of 3 × 60 g; PLUS gives storage instructions recommending a cool, dry place.
Schär’s range includes the frozen Croissant à la Française. Jumbo lists this option as four 55 g croissants.
Albert Heijn lists a product called AH Glutenvrij Croissants.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, ‘gluten-free’ means a product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. If you have coeliac disease, check the label on the current packaging and also take steps to avoid cross-contamination during preparation.
You’ll need to prepare it without contact with gluten crumbs. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preparing gluten-free food separately; clean the oven area and use clean, separate equipment rather than an oven rack with crumbs on it.
Don’t assume it is based on the gluten-free label alone: the product information for Schär Croissant à la Française lists wheat as an allergen. If you also need to avoid wheat, check the current packaging.
Don’t automatically assume it provides the same amount of iodine. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands; assess a croissant using its own nutritional information and as part of your overall diet.
