Choose bread clearly labelled as gluten-free, a gluten-free raisin bun or homemade gluten-free currant buns, depending on how many portions you need and how much time you have to prepare. If someone attending has coeliac disease, how you serve the product matters too: keep it separate from ordinary rolls, and use clean hands and separate utensils. For packaged products, check the current label for allergens and storage instructions.
You’re looking for a clearly gluten-free alternative that you can serve separately. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
You want a product you can serve without baking, and whose label, portions and storage instructions you can check before the meeting.
You’re weighing up individual buns against raisin bread that you can portion out, or baking your own. When cutting and laying out the food, it’s still important to serve it separately, as the Dutch Coeliac Society emphasises.
Start by checking that it’s labelled gluten-free and how it should be served. Then choose a product format that suits the number of attendees and the time you have to prepare.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the ingredients and allergens too. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to judge whether a raisin bun is suitable by its appearance. Around 45% of consumers prioritise clear gluten-free labelling. |
| Serving separately | Keep the product packaged until you’re ready to serve it, and use a separate, clean plate and serving tongs, or clean cutting utensils. | If there are ordinary rolls on the table, I want to stop crumbs or shared utensils coming into contact with the gluten-free option. Around 36% of consumers prioritise preventing cross-contamination. |
| Portions and other product information | Check the number of portions, other allergens and storage instructions. Only compare nutritional information per 100 g between similar product formats. | If I’m ordering for several people, I want to be able to divide the portions and take account of any relevant allergens. For around 19% of consumers, this practical choice of product is the main concern. |
A currant and raisin bun listed by PLUS contains, among other ingredients, wheat flour and wheat gluten. Its appearance, or the presence of raisins, says nothing about whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Choose a product clearly labelled gluten-free and check the label on the product you’re actually going to serve.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that cross-contamination can happen at work or in a canteen too. Crumbs on shared utensils can end up on the gluten-free product when it’s served.
Keep the packaging sealed for as long as possible, and use clean hands, separate utensils and a separate space on the table.
A listing can help you prepare your order, but the information on the packaging of the product you receive is what matters when making your choice.
Check the label again shortly before the meeting, especially the gluten-free labelling, other allergens and storage instructions.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says baker’s salt is a source of iodine in the Netherlands, but bakers aren’t required to use it when baking bread.
Check whether the product lists baker’s salt or iodised salt if that information is relevant to anyone attending.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free bread range includes white rolls, and it also lists gluten-free raisin bread.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread range includes brown rolls and raisin bread.
PLUS lists Yam Raisin as gluten-free raisin bread: a loaf-shaped alternative rather than individual currant buns.
An Albert Heijn product listing describes a 750 g sliced gluten-free raisin loaf from Consenza.
Albert Heijn listed a 200 g gluten-free raisin loaf from Damhert.
No, you can’t tell from its appearance. Choose a product clearly labelled gluten-free or displaying the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
Keep the gluten-free product separate and packaged for as long as possible. Use clean hands and separate utensils, and put it on its own plate, away from crumbs and shared tongs.
Yes. Gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is free from other allergens. Ask which allergens are relevant for the catering, then check the packaging of the exact variety you’re serving.
No, it varies by product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt when baking isn’t compulsory in the Netherlands, so check the label if the type of salt used matters.
