If you’re choosing a treat for someone with coeliac disease, pick an egg cake whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol. Don’t rely on the product type alone. Before handing them out, check for other allergens too, and keep the treat separate from regular cakes and crumbs. Baking your own is an option if you can manage the ingredients and prevent cross-contamination during preparation, but it does take more planning.
You want to keep a suitable treat separate from regular egg cakes and crumbs. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises looking for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging when choosing gluten-free products.
You’re looking for a gluten-free egg cake, but also need to know whether egg, milk, soya, nuts or sesame could be a problem for a participant. Compare the current packaging with the information provided by the parent or participant.
You’d like to hand out pre-packed treats rather than bake them yourself. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Eierkoeken in a 100 g pack containing two portions; Jumbo lists Gluten Free Bakery Holland Eierkoeken in a 100 g pack containing two cakes. Work out in advance how many individual treats you’ll need.
First check the gluten-free label and how the cakes are packed, then check for other allergens and work out how many individual treats you’ll need.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and cross-contamination | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Plan how you’ll keep the cake separate from regular cakes and crumbs. | If someone with coeliac disease is taking part, I don’t want a suitable cake to come into contact with a regular one while treats are being handed out. For around 50% of consumers, gluten safety is their main concern. |
| Other allergens | Compare the allergen information on the pack with what parents or participants have told you; also check for warnings about possible traces. | If a participant has another food allergy, I need to look beyond the words ‘gluten-free’. For around 30% of consumers, checking for other allergens comes first. |
| Portions and preparation | Check how many cakes are in each pack and count the portions you’ll need. If you’re baking your own, consider the preparation involved and make sure your work surface hasn’t been in contact with gluten. | I want to have an individual treat ready for every participant concerned, without having to bake at the last minute. Pack size and preparation are the most important factors for around 20% of consumers. |
You can’t tell whether an egg cake is suitable for someone with coeliac disease just from its name. For example, Bolletje lists gluten-containing cereals and wheat for its Brosse Eierkoek.
For a participant who needs to eat gluten-free, choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol.
The gluten-free egg cakes described contain egg, milk and soya. The product information also includes warnings about possible traces of nuts or sesame.
Check the packaging against the allergens relevant to the participant concerned.
A pack containing two cakes won’t necessarily be enough for all the participants who need a gluten-free treat.
Count those participants in advance, decide how many cakes you want to keep separate and check how many are in each pack.
Albert Heijn says that ingredient, nutritional and allergen information can change. A product page you looked at earlier is no substitute for checking the label on the pack you’re handing out.
Read the physical packaging when you buy it and again before handing out the treats.
Albert Heijn describes AH Glutenvrij Eierkoeken as being made in a completely gluten-free environment. The pack is 100 g and contains two portions.
Jumbo lists Gluten Free Bakery Holland Eierkoeken as gluten-free egg cakes in a 100 g pack containing two cakes.
Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek is a type of egg cake, but Bolletje lists gluten-containing cereals and wheat.
Verkade Oaties are oat biscuits, not egg cakes. They’re only an option as a different kind of treat if the egg-cake shape isn’t important.
No, that isn’t enough to establish that the cake is suitable for someone with coeliac disease. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises looking for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging; also check the full label.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, ‘gluten-free’ means that a product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. If you’re choosing an egg cake for someone with coeliac disease, check the current packaging rather than relying on an online description.
No, ‘gluten-free’ says nothing about other allergens. The egg cakes described contain egg, milk and soya, and carry warnings about possible traces of nuts and sesame, among other things. Make your choice based on the information provided by the parent or participant concerned.
Store the egg cake separately from regular cakes and crumbs, and use clean hands and utensils. If possible, leave the original packaging sealed until it’s time to hand out the treat.
No, Oaties are oat biscuits, not egg cakes. If another type of biscuit would also work, check the packaging of the variety you choose for its gluten-free label and allergen information.
