If you’re buying an Easter treat for someone with coeliac disease, choose an egg cake with an explicit gluten-free label on the current packaging. Also check the ingredients and other allergens: according to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the egg cakes from AH Glutenvrij and Gluten Free Bakery Holland both contain egg, milk and soya. A standard egg cake is not automatically a suitable substitute; Bolletje lists wheat flour in its Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel.
You’re looking for an egg cake with an explicit gluten-free label, and you check the packaging again before serving it. The Dutch Coeliac Society also highlights the importance of avoiding cross-contamination.
You’re looking for a gluten-free treat, but also need to take account of allergens such as egg, milk, soya, nuts or sesame. The allergen information on the chosen pack is therefore key.
You want enough egg cakes for the Easter table, so you check the number of pieces, pack weight and current ordering status. You also make sure not to mistake a standard egg cake for a gluten-free one.
For a guest with coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label. Then check which other allergens matter to them and whether the pack you’ve chosen suits your Easter shopping.
| What to look for | What should you check? | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label and read the ingredients on the current packaging; don’t rely on the product name alone. | When I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I first want to know that I’ve picked up the gluten-free version. Around 50% of consumers put this check first. |
| Other allergens | Read the allergen information on the exact pack, including any ‘may contain’ statements. | If a guest has multiple allergies, I also want to check whether egg, milk, soya, nuts or sesame could be a problem; around 30% of consumers give this the highest priority after checking the gluten-free requirement. |
| Packaging and availability | Compare the number of pieces and the weight, and check the current ordering status before buying. | When I’m buying for several Easter guests, I want to be able to get enough egg cakes without relying on an old product listing. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main consideration once the gluten-free requirement has been checked. |
Standard and gluten-free egg cakes can appear in the same shop category. Bolletje lists wheat flour and gluten-containing cereals in its Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel.
Check the gluten-free label and ingredients on the exact pack instead of searching for ‘egg cake’ alone.
According to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the egg cakes from AH Glutenvrij and Gluten Free Bakery Holland contain egg, milk and soya. Both product pages also mention the possible presence of other allergens.
Compare the full allergen information with the allergies of the person you’re buying for.
Albert Heijn marks its page for Maître Mathis Eierkoeken glutenvrij as ‘Discontinued’. This listing therefore doesn’t confirm that you can order the product now.
Check the ordering status just before you do your Easter shopping and, if necessary, decide in advance which other gluten-free product you’d like to look at.
Looking for an alternative at the last minute takes extra time.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand gluten-free range includes a 100 g pack of egg cakes.
Jumbo lists a pack of two gluten-free egg cakes from this bakery, weighing 100 g in total.
Albert Heijn has a product listing for gluten-free egg cakes from Maître Mathis.
Bolletje’s Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel is an example of a standard egg cake, not a gluten-free alternative.
Jumbo lists both standard egg cakes and gluten-free egg cakes from Gluten Free Bakery Holland.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the ‘gluten-free’ label may be used in the EU if the finished product contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the current packaging when you buy.
Yes. For example, Bolletje lists wheat flour and gluten-containing cereals in its Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel. If you’re buying for a guest with coeliac disease, check both the gluten-free label and the ingredients of the product you’ve chosen.
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the pack you buy. Albert Heijn advises storing its gluten-free egg cakes in a cool, dry place; Jumbo advises storing Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes in a sealed pack in a cool, dry place.
The ingredients and allergen information may change. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends checking labels again when packaging is updated, so don’t rely on what you found on a previous purchase.
