If you’re choosing a croissant for someone with coeliac disease, look for one labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging for other allergens before eating. For the Sinterklaas parade, the practical choice then depends on how many you need and whether baking, briefly reheating or storing them frozen is feasible.
You’re looking for a croissant labelled gluten-free and should check the packaging before eating. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, permits this label only when the gluten content of the food as sold to the final consumer is no more than 20 mg/kg.
As well as gluten, you may need to consider eggs, milk, soya or other allergens. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS shows that the croissants discussed here differ in this respect, so check the packaging of the one you choose.
You’ll want to know before the parade whether you need an oven, air fryer, microwave or freezer. The number of croissants in each pack and the storage and defrosting instructions matter too.
Start by checking the gluten-free label and the allergens listed on the packaging. Then decide between baking, briefly reheating and storing them frozen, based on your plans for the parade.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the gluten-free label and allergen information on the current packaging. | If I’m bringing a croissant for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be sure which pack I have before handing it out. For around 42% of consumers, checking the label comes first. |
| Other allergens and dietary requirements | Compare the listed allergens and any warnings with the eater’s needs; don’t assume something is suitable for a wheat allergy just because it is labelled gluten-free. | If guests avoid ingredients other than gluten too, the croissant needs to meet their specific needs. This combination of concerns matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Preparation and storage | Check the number of croissants, the equipment needed, and the storage and defrosting instructions. | I want to be able to hand out the croissants around the time of the parade without relying on an oven or freezer that may not be available. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this practical planning. |
A gluten-free croissant may contain other allergens. Jumbo lists wheat as one of the allergens in its Schär croissant, for example, so the gluten-free label alone doesn’t answer questions about a wheat allergy.
Ask anyone with an additional allergy to check the allergen information on the current packaging.
The products discussed here need different preparation: Albert Heijn says to bake its croissants in an oven or air fryer, while Jumbo gives microwave instructions for Consenza too, and Schär requires frozen storage.
Before buying, check what equipment is available and plan how you’ll store, defrost and heat the croissants before the parade.
The gluten-free label says nothing about the amount of iodine in an individual croissant. Nor does an ingredient such as salt or bread salt indicate the amount in a specific product.
Don’t use the ingredients list to calculate your iodine intake. If you need product-specific information, ask the manufacturer.
Albert Heijn describes its pack of two gluten-free croissants as part-baked, vegan and lactose-free.
The gluten-free croissants described by Jumbo and PLUS come in packs of three; Jumbo says they can be prepared in an oven or microwave.
Jumbo describes Schär Croissant à la Française as a pack of four gluten-free frozen croissants.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, permits the gluten-free label only when the gluten content of the food as sold to the final consumer is no more than 20 mg/kg. Check the label on the current packaging when you buy it.
Not necessarily: Jumbo lists wheat as an allergen in the gluten-free Schär croissant, while PLUS describes the Consenza croissant discussed here as suitable for a gluten- and wheat-free diet. If you have a wheat allergy, always check the allergen information on the pack you choose.
Jumbo gives instructions for heating Consenza Gluten-free Croissants for 20 seconds at 800 W. This is a preparation instruction, not a statement about the texture; follow the instructions on the current packaging and check the allergens too.
Follow the instructions for the specific product. Albert Heijn says its gluten-free croissants aren’t suitable for freezing at home; according to Jumbo, the frozen Schär croissants must not be refrozen once defrosted and should be eaten within one day.
