If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, first check that the croissants are labelled gluten-free. Avoid contact with products containing gluten when preparing and serving them. Then choose between ready-to-bake, frozen or long-life croissants based on the number of guests, your available storage space and how you plan to prepare them. Also check the packaging for any other allergens.
You’re looking for croissants labelled gluten-free, and want to avoid contact with crumbs, shared toppings and used utensils when serving both regular and gluten-free snacks at a celebration. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preparing gluten-free food separately.
You choose a pack that suits the number of guests and check whether you can bake or heat the croissants just before serving. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows differences in pack size, storage and preparation.
As well as checking for a gluten-free label, you read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying. The croissants described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo differ, among other things, in whether they contain egg, milk and soya.
Start by checking for a gluten-free label and planning to prepare the croissants separately. Then work out how many you need and which storage and preparation method will suit your home.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free food | Look for the gluten-free label on the current packaging, and plan to use separate, clean utensils for preparation and toppings. | If I’m also serving regular croissants, I want to keep crumbs and shared toppings away from the gluten-free food. Serving gluten-free food is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Portions and preparation | Count how many you need and compare the storage options and instructions for the oven, air fryer or microwave. | I want to have enough warm croissants ready at the agreed time and make sure I have enough freezer space. This is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen list, even if you’ve bought the product before. | If a guest also needs to avoid egg, milk or soya, I want to choose a pack that suits their needs. Around 20% of consumers give this additional check the highest priority. |
Not seeing wheat in the ingredients tells you nothing about the gluten content. Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food may only be labelled gluten-free if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold.
If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label on the current packaging or product information.
The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that gluten-free food can come into contact with gluten during preparation through crumbs, utensils and shared toppings.
Prepare the croissant separately and use clean utensils and toppings that have not come into contact with crumbs.
Gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is also free from egg, milk, soya or other allergens. The allergen information differs between the croissants described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
Ask which other allergens are relevant to your guest, then read the allergen list on the exact pack you’re buying.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes pre-baked gluten-free croissants to finish baking at home.
Jumbo describes Schär Croissant à la Française as a gluten-free frozen option.
Jumbo describes long-life gluten-free croissants in a pack of 3 x 60 g.
Check the product’s label, but also take care to avoid cross-contamination when preparing and serving the croissants. Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, food may contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to be labelled gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preparing gluten-free food separately.
Prepare the gluten-free croissants separately using clean utensils, and don’t put them directly on a rack with crumbs on it. If you’re using the same oven, the Dutch Coeliac Society advises using conventional top and bottom heat rather than a fan setting, and suggests placing a baking tray beneath the gluten-free product.
Yes, check for these allergens separately if they’re relevant to your guest. Jumbo lists egg and milk in Schär Croissant à la Française, and egg, milk and soya in Consenza; Albert Heijn says its gluten-free croissants may contain egg. Always check the current packaging.
No. Don’t assume it contains baker’s salt without checking the ingredients of the croissant in question. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes the use of iodised baker’s salt in bread in the Netherlands, but that doesn’t tell you which salt a particular gluten-free croissant contains.
