If you have coeliac disease, only pack an egg cake in your gym bag if the current packaging explicitly states that it is gluten-free. Also check for any other allergens that are relevant to you. A ready-made gluten-free egg cake takes little preparation; baking your own gives you more control over the ingredients and portion size, but you’ll need to work in a way that prevents contact with gluten.
Looking for a sweet snack to take with you and checks before buying that the current packaging carries a gluten-free claim or symbol. Albert Heijn also advises shoppers to read the packaging, as product information can change.
Has other ingredient requirements in addition to avoiding gluten. Jumbo lists egg, milk and soya in Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes, and notes that they may contain nuts and sesame.
Would rather have an egg cake than another type of biscuit and is weighing up a ready-made product against baking at home. If the shape matters less, a biscuit labelled gluten-free may also be an option, though the texture will be different.
When: you want an egg cake you can take with you without any preparation, and the current packaging carries a gluten-free label.
What to consider: check for other allergens too. Jumbo lists egg, milk and soya in Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes, and says they may contain nuts and sesame.
When: you don’t need an egg-cake shape. Verkade describes Oaties as gluten-free oat biscuits; check the current packaging here too.
What to consider: a crunchy oat biscuit isn’t an egg cake, so check its ingredients and nutritional information separately.
When: you want to choose the ingredients and portion size yourself. The Dutch Coeliac Association has a recipe for gluten-free egg cakes.
What to consider: baking takes time and requires gluten-free ingredients and a clean working environment to prevent contact with gluten.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the current packaging for an explicit gluten-free statement or symbol. If you’re baking your own, check the ingredients you use too. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be able to confirm that my snack is labelled gluten-free before packing it. Around 50% of consumers put this check first. |
| Taking it with you and storage | Check the number of items and the storage instructions. Jumbo lists the Gluten Free Bakery Holland pack as containing two egg cakes weighing 100 g in total, and advises storing them in a cool, dry place in a sealed pack. | For a post-workout snack, I want to take a suitable portion with me without overlooking the storage instructions. This is the first consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Other allergens and nutritional information | Read the allergen information and, if it matters to your choice, compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion. | Even if an egg cake is gluten-free, I want to know whether its other ingredients and portion size suit my needs. Around 20% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
The product name doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for a gluten-free diet: Bolletje lists gluten-containing cereals and wheat in its Brosse Eierkoek.
If you have coeliac disease, base your choice on the gluten-free label on the current packaging, not on the name or appearance of the egg cake.
Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens. Jumbo says that Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes contain egg, milk and soya, and may contain nuts and sesame.
If you need to avoid ingredients other than gluten, read the full allergen information on the packaging.
Contact with gluten can happen when baking at home or unpacking food in a shared kitchen. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights hands and chopping boards as things to watch out for.
Use clean hands and utensils, and keep the snack separate from any unwrapped food containing gluten while you’re carrying it.
Gluten Free Bakery Holland describes its bakery products as gluten-free. Jumbo shows a pack of this brand’s egg cakes containing two pieces and weighing 100 g in total.
Albert Heijn has product pages for AH Gluten-Free Egg Cakes and Maître Mathis gluten-free egg cakes.
Albert Heijn describes Maître Mathis gluten-free egg cakes as a gluten-free take on the traditional egg cake.
Verkade describes Oaties as gluten-free oat biscuits. They’re a different type of biscuit for anyone who isn’t specifically looking for an egg cake.
Bolletje’s Brosse Eierkoek shows why a familiar egg-cake name is no substitute for a gluten-free label.
No. The name ‘egg cake’ doesn’t tell you whether a product is gluten-free. For example, Bolletje lists gluten-containing cereals and wheat in its Brosse Eierkoek. If you have coeliac disease, check for a gluten-free label on the current packaging of the variety you want to buy.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, the ‘gluten-free’ label means that the product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the packaging of the product again every time you buy it.
No, the ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t mean that. Jumbo lists egg, milk and soya in Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes, and says they may contain nuts and sesame. Always check the current packaging for information about other allergens.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and keep the egg cakes separate from any unwrapped food containing gluten. For Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s egg cakes, Jumbo advises storing them in a cool, dry place in a sealed pack.
Yes, the Dutch Coeliac Association publishes a recipe for gluten-free egg cakes. Use gluten-free ingredients and clean hands and utensils to prevent crumbs containing gluten from getting into the mixture or onto the baked egg cakes.
