If you’re hosting someone with coeliac disease, choose a currant or raisin bun that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and keep it separate from foods containing gluten during preparation and serving. A sweet bun can be part of a mixed drinks platter; if you’re serving mainly savoury party snacks, choose a separately checked gluten-free savoury option too. If you regularly eat gluten-free bread, check whether it contains iodised salt or baker’s salt.
You’re not just looking for a product labelled gluten-free; you also want to prevent bread crumbs or gluten from shared utensils getting onto it when serving. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a stray bread crumb can cause problems for someone with coeliac disease.
You’re looking for a raisin bun or raisin bread to serve alongside savoury snacks on a mixed platter. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen in its gluten-free bakery range.
When buying bread, you also want to check whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed among the ingredients. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands.
First decide whether you want to serve a sweet addition or savoury party snacks. Then check that each product is labelled gluten-free and consider how to prepare it without contact with foods containing gluten.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free food | Look for an explicit gluten-free label and plan to prepare and present it separately on a clean surface. | When I’m serving food to someone with coeliac disease, I want to make sure a suitable product doesn’t come into contact with bread crumbs or shared utensils. For around 50% of consumers, gluten-free safety comes first. |
| Sweet or savoury | Choose deliberately between a gluten-free raisin bun as a sweet addition and a gluten-free savoury snack for your party spread. | If I’m hosting drinks with mainly hot, savoury snacks, I don’t want a sweet bun to be the only gluten-free option. For around 30% of consumers, how well the food suits the occasion matters most. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Read the latest allergen information. If you regularly eat gluten-free bread, check for iodised salt or baker’s salt too. | If there’s another allergy to consider as well as gluten, or I often eat gluten-free bread, I want to know exactly what’s in the product. Around 20% of consumers give checking the label top priority. |
Checking the ingredients alone doesn’t offer the same reassurance as an explicit gluten-free label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out the conditions for using this label, while the Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of avoiding even small amounts of gluten if you have coeliac disease.
Before serving, check for the gluten-free label and read the latest ingredients and allergen information.
A gluten-free product can come into contact with gluten during preparation. The Dutch Coeliac Society specifically warns against frying oil that has been used for battered or breaded foods containing gluten.
Use a clean work surface and clean utensils. Don’t fry the gluten-free option in oil that has been used for those kinds of breaded products.
Preparing and serving food separately takes extra space and planning.
A sweet bun serves a different purpose from the savoury snacks guests might expect at a drinks gathering.
Serve a gluten-free raisin bun as a sweet addition and, if you like, add a gluten-free savoury snack too, prepared in a suitable way.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. That makes the salt information particularly relevant if gluten-free bread is a regular part of your diet, rather than something you eat occasionally at drinks.
When buying bread, check whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed among the ingredients.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen in its gluten-free bakery range. That makes the range worth considering if you’d like to add a sweet bun to your drinks spread.
Jumbo’s range includes gluten-free mini cakes. A mini cake is a sweet option, not a currant bun or a savoury party snack.
Jumbo lists gluten-free savoury snacks from Consenza, including sausage rolls and beef croquettes. These types of product work well for a savoury drinks spread.
A currant bun made with wheat isn’t suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Jumbo describes its standard Rozijnen Krentenbollen as wheat currant buns. If you’re hosting someone with coeliac disease, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging.
Only if you prevent contact with foods containing gluten and with crumbs. Use a clean work surface and clean utensils, and serve the gluten-free option separately. The Dutch Coeliac Society also says that frying oil used for breaded foods containing gluten isn’t suitable for gluten-free fried snacks.
Yes. Gluten-free doesn’t tell you anything about other allergens. For example, Jumbo says its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Mini Cakes contain egg and may contain nuts. Always read the latest allergen information for the specific product you plan to serve.
If you regularly eat gluten-free bread, it’s worth checking whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed among the ingredients. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. If you’re only serving food for drinks occasionally, this doesn’t need to determine whether you choose a sweet bun or a savoury snack.
