For your weekly shop, if you have coeliac disease and want individual currant buns, start with products explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging; specialist bakeries sell them. Gluten-free raisin bread or baking your own can be practical if the shape matters less, but check the ingredients, allergen information, availability and storage instructions for each product. Don’t assume a gluten-free bun provides the same amount of iodine as standard bread made with baker’s salt.
When doing your weekly shop, you want to be able to see whether a currant bun is explicitly labelled gluten-free. You also check the allergen information and any warnings about cross-contamination, rather than relying on the product name alone.
You’re looking for individual buns for breakfast or a packed lunch, or considering raisin bread if you don’t need a bun. In that case, the number of portions, storage instructions and whether it can be frozen all matter.
Alongside the gluten-free label, you check the ingredients and nutritional information, including fibre. If you’re eating less standard bread, you’ll also want to consider the role bread made with baker’s salt played in your diet.
First, choose a product whose gluten-free label and allergen information you can check. Then decide whether you need individual buns, could opt for raisin bread or have time to bake your own.
When to choose this: Bakker Leo Glutenvrij and Yara's Glutenvrij Bakkerij explicitly offer gluten-free currant buns if you’re specifically looking for individual buns.
Consider: Check the current packaging before planning your weekly shop, and make sure ordering and delivery are available to you.
When to choose this: Sliced raisin bread can work for breakfast or a packed lunch if you don’t need an individual currant bun; YAM Glutenvrij offers a 600 g loaf.
Consider: It’s a different type of product. Jumbo says the YAM loaf it found is no longer part of its online range.
When to choose this: Albert Heijn Allerhande’s recipe makes eight gluten-free currant buns and lets you choose the ingredients yourself.
Consider: The recipe takes 20 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes in the oven and two hours to prove. Check the labels on your chosen baking mix and other ingredients too.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the ‘gluten-free’ label, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings on the current packaging. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, products making this claim must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on how a bun looks or what it’s called. For around 50% of consumers, being able to check the gluten-free label is the top priority. |
| Planning for the week | Check whether you’re buying individual buns, sliced raisin bread or ingredients for baking, and read the storage and freezing instructions. | For breakfasts and packed lunches over several days, I need a product I can get hold of and store appropriately. Availability and portion size are the first considerations for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | Check the ingredients and nutritional information, such as fibre and sugars per 100 g. If the product contains oats, make sure they’re explicitly labelled gluten-free; if you’re replacing standard bread, check what type of salt is listed too. | When I replace my usual bread, I want to know what’s in the alternative and how it fits into my diet. For around 20% of consumers, ingredients are the top priority. |
A product name or the front of the packaging doesn’t tell you enough about whether it’s gluten-free. For example, Jumbo describes its standard raisin and currant buns as wheat products.
If you have coeliac disease, check the current gluten-free label and allergen information before choosing a product.
A product page doesn’t guarantee that an item is part of your current weekly shop. Jumbo says the gluten-free YAM raisin bread it found is no longer part of its online range.
Check your shop’s range before planning your shopping, and consider a specialist bakery or a recipe to bake at home if needed.
The Dutch Coeliac Association says oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains during production. It also notes that a small number of people with coeliac disease react to pure oats.
If a product contains oats, choose only oats explicitly labelled gluten-free, and discuss any symptoms with a doctor or specialist dietitian.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread accounts for around 45% of iodine intake in the Netherlands, partly because of baker’s salt. However, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so this tells you nothing about the type of salt in a particular gluten-free bun.
Check the product’s ingredients. If you’re regularly replacing standard bread, consider discussing your overall diet with a dietitian.
Offers 600 g gluten-free raisin bread as an alternative if you don’t need an individual currant bun.
A specialist supplier that lists gluten-free raisin and currant buns.
Offers gluten-free currant buns in a pack of six.
Albert Heijn Allerhande offers a recipe for baking gluten-free currant buns at home, rather than a ready-made bun as part of this option.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ can contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the current packaging; a wheat-free product name or the front of the pack isn’t the same as a gluten-free claim.
Choose only a product in which the oats are explicitly labelled gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights the risk of oats being contaminated with other grains and notes that a small number of people with coeliac disease also react to pure oats. Discuss any symptoms with a doctor or specialist dietitian.
If you need to avoid gluten, only raisin bread with a verifiable gluten-free label is suitable. Ordinary raisin bread or standard currant buns may contain wheat, so always read the packaging for the specific product.
If you’re replacing standard bread regularly, consider the role bread plays in your overall diet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread accounts for around 45% of iodine intake in the Netherlands, partly because of baker’s salt, but bakers don’t have to use that salt. So check the ingredients of your gluten-free alternative and consider discussing your diet with a dietitian.
That depends on the specific loaf and its storage instructions. YAM says its gluten-free raisin bread can be frozen; don’t assume this applies to other loaves or currant buns, and follow the instructions on their packaging.
