If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, choose an egg cake whose current packaging explicitly states that it’s gluten-free, or agree on another gluten-free alternative in advance. Keep the snack sealed and separate from regular biscuits until it’s served. Also check for other allergens, as gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is suitable for every guest.
How you serve the snack matters just as much as the gluten-free label. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the risk of cross-contamination from crumbs and utensils: keep the packaging available and serve the snack separately from treats containing gluten.
If you’re looking for a ready-to-serve treat, check how many items are in each pack and how many guests need a gluten-free option. Also check that your chosen product is available shortly before you buy it.
A gluten-free egg cake may still contain egg, milk or soya. Ask guests what information they need and check the current allergen information for each product, including any ‘may contain’ warnings.
First, check the gluten-free label and look for other allergens. Then work out how many packs you’ll need and how to serve the snacks without them coming into contact with regular biscuits.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and served separately | Look for an explicit gluten-free statement on the current packaging. Keep the snack sealed or use clean, separate serving utensils. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to prevent crumbs getting onto their snack. This is the top priority when choosing for around 36% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging; a gluten-free statement doesn’t tell you everything. | If I also need to cater for an allergy to, for example, egg or soya, I want to be able to assess the egg cake for each guest. Around 29% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Quantity and availability | Compare the number of items in each pack with the number of guests, and check current availability. | For the meeting, I want to have enough suitable snacks ready without relying on outdated product information. This planning matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| A suitable alternative | Ask whether another packaged gluten-free biscuit or a waffle would be suitable. If you’re baking from scratch, check the ingredients and where it’s prepared too. | If I can’t find suitable gluten-free egg cakes, I want to be able to offer an alternative that the guest can check for themselves. This is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Ingredients vary from product to product. For example, Bolletje lists wheat flour in its Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel, so the name ‘egg cake’ alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Choose a product with an explicit gluten-free statement and let the guest check the current packaging.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that crumbs and shared utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free food.
Keep the gluten-free snack separate, leave it sealed for as long as possible, and use clean hands and separate serving utensils.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. A product you chose before may also no longer be available; Albert Heijn listed Maître Mathis Eierkoeken glutenvrij as discontinued.
Check the latest product information shortly before buying, then read the physical packaging before serving. Agree on a back-up option in advance if necessary.
For AH Glutenvrij Eierkoeken, Albert Heijn lists egg, milk, soya and lactose, as well as possible traces of sesame and nuts.
Check which allergens are relevant to your guests and keep the packaging with the snack so the information remains available.
Albert Heijn describes its 100 g Glutenvrij Eierkoeken as gluten-free and made in a completely gluten-free environment.
Gluten Free Bakery Holland describes its bakery as completely gluten-free. Jumbo listed this brand’s egg cakes in packs of two, weighing 100 g in total.
Albert Heijn described Maître Mathis gluten-free egg cakes as a 100 g variety.
These waffles aren’t egg cakes. Consider them only if the guest is happy with a different gluten-free snack, and check the packaging and serving method as you would for any snack for someone with coeliac disease.
No image available
A waffle alternative if egg cakes aren’t essential and the guest is happy with this snack.
100 g pack. Check the current gluten-free statement and allergen information, including soya, on the label; don’t assume the waffles are individually wrapped.
Keep the snack separate from food containing gluten during the work meeting.
Yes, as long as you keep the gluten-free egg cakes separate from crumbs and shared serving utensils. Ideally, leave them sealed until serving and use clean hands and utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that cross-contamination can happen at work too.
Not necessarily: check the allergens for each product and each guest. For AH Glutenvrij Eierkoeken, Albert Heijn lists egg, milk and soya, among other ingredients, and possible traces of sesame and nuts. Always go by the current packaging when deciding what to serve.
