If you have coeliac disease, start by choosing a product explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ – a standard currant bun is not a suitable alternative. Individually wrapped gluten-free raisin buns are handy if you want to take a portion without needing to slice anything, while gluten-free raisin bread is a better option if you want to prepare portions at home. If you’d like to order something at a café, ask about allergens and preparation before buying: allergen information alone doesn’t rule out contact with gluten during preparation.
You want to be able to read the label in advance, rather than relying solely on information about food prepared on the premises. A packaged product explicitly labelled gluten-free gives you a clearer idea of what you’re taking with you; make sure you also check the latest allergen information.
You want to slice gluten-free raisin bread into portions at home to take with you or share. When slicing and packing it, take care to avoid contact with standard bread and shared kitchen utensils.
You don’t want to assume that a gluten-free bread product provides the same amount of iodine as another type of bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers’ salt contains iodine, but bakers aren’t obliged to use it, so check the ingredients of the variety you choose.
If you have coeliac disease and are planning a café terrace visit, look for the gluten-free label before deciding between a bun and a loaf. After that, the portion you want and what you can prepare at home will help you decide what’s most practical.
When to choose them: go for individual buns if you want to take a portion without slicing; Albert Heijn lists two AH Gluten-Free Raisin Buns per pack.
Bear in mind: check the latest label for other allergens too; Albert Heijn lists soya and warns that the product may contain egg, oats, almonds and hazelnuts.
When to choose it: choose a loaf if you want to prepare portions at home or share it; PLUS describes Yam Gluten-Free Raisin as raisin bread.
Bear in mind: unlike an individual bun, it needs to be sliced and packed carefully before you leave.
When to consider it: if the café can provide clear allergen information before you buy and answer questions about how the food is prepared.
Bear in mind: information about the allergens present doesn’t tell you whether the food has come into contact with standard bread or shared equipment.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and preparation | Check for the ‘gluten-free’ label and read the latest product information. When eating out, ask how contact with standard bread and shared equipment is prevented. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to know what product I’m getting and how it was prepared before I eat it. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Portion size and taking it with you | Check the number of items and the storage instructions; decide whether you want an individual bun or can slice and pack a loaf at home. | For a café terrace visit, I want to take a portion with me without having to slice it there. This practical choice comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Iodine when replacing bread | Check whether the ingredients list mentions iodised salt or bakers’ salt; don’t assume every bread product contains a set amount of iodine. | If I often replace standard bread, I want to know what ingredients are listed for the gluten-free variety I’ve chosen. Around 25% of consumers give this consideration priority. |
The name ‘currant bun’ tells you nothing about whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Wheat, rye and barley are gluten-containing grains; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that ‘gluten-free’ is a claim subject to EU requirements.
First look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label, then check the label on the pack you’re buying.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, food businesses must provide information about allergens present. That doesn’t tell you how a product was prepared or whether it has been in contact with standard bread.
Before ordering, ask about worktops, breadboards and kitchen utensils. If you’re ordering fried food, ask about the oil used and how it’s prepared too.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers’ salt contains iodine, but its use isn’t compulsory. So the type of bread alone doesn’t tell you which kind of salt is in your product.
Read the ingredients for the variety you’ve chosen rather than assuming that a feature of one bread applies to another product.
A general page about gluten-free products doesn’t tell you whether the raisin bun or bread you’re looking for is available at your local shop. Lidl’s product range page referred shoppers to its standard range when additional gluten-free products were unavailable.
Before setting off, check the specific product and your store’s information, and read the label when you buy it.
Albert Heijn describes AH Gluten-Free Raisin Buns as a pack containing two individual buns.
PLUS describes Yam Gluten-Free Raisin as raisin bread: a different product format from individual currant or raisin buns.
Lidl has a product range page for gluten-free foods, but that doesn’t necessarily point you to a suitable raisin bun.
No, not if you also want to know how the food was prepared. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, food businesses must be able to provide information about allergens present before you buy. If you have coeliac disease, also ask about contact with standard bread, worktops and kitchen utensils.
If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose a bun based on the name ‘currant bun’: look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the latest product information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says the ‘gluten-free’ claim is subject to EU requirements; for food prepared on the premises, also check how contact with gluten is prevented.
No, you can’t assume that every product does. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers’ salt contains iodine, but bakers aren’t obliged to use it. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Gluten-Free Raisin Buns; check the ingredients again for other varieties.
According to Albert Heijn, you can freeze these buns at home on the day you buy them, use them within one month and defrost them before eating. Check the storage instructions on the pack you buy.
