If a guest has coeliac disease, choose mini toasts or crackers whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’, and keep them separate from ordinary bread products during preparation and serving. Mini toasts work well on a shared platter, while individually wrapped crackers may be easier to keep separate. Check both options for other allergens, too.
For this guest, the gluten-free label on the product isn’t the only thing to consider. Crumbs from ordinary bread on a platter, knife or chopping board can also be an issue when serving, as the Nutrition Centre explains.
You’re looking for a base for toppings that you can serve clearly apart from other foods. The size and packaging can both affect how practical it is at the table.
A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a product is free from egg, oats or soya. Check the current allergen information against the ingredients each guest needs to avoid.
Start by checking for a gluten-free label and planning to serve the food separately. Then choose between mini toasts and crackers based on the size you want, the packaging and the other ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and serving separately | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. If ordinary bread products are also being served, plan to use a clean, separate platter and separate utensils. | If a guest has coeliac disease, I want to prevent crumbs getting into their food. This precaution is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Shape and ease of serving | Compare mini toasts and crackers, and check whether the packaging makes it easier to keep a portion separate. | For the sharing platter, I want something that suits the dinner and can also be kept separate. Ease of serving comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Other ingredients | Read the allergen information, including any warnings about traces. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g if it’s relevant to your choice. | If someone also needs to avoid egg, oats or soya, I want to look beyond the words ‘gluten-free’. This extra check is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
For a guest with coeliac disease, the absence of wheat alone isn’t enough to make a suitable choice. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food can be labelled ‘gluten-free’ as sold to consumers if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
Look for the gluten-free label on the current packaging rather than inferring it from other descriptions.
The Nutrition Centre says that even a bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. So, even a suitable product must be kept separate during preparation and at the table.
Use a clean, separate platter and a dedicated knife or pair of tongs. Don’t put utensils that have been used back into the toppings for the gluten-free guest.
Setting up a separate serving area takes preparation and may require extra utensils.
According to Jumbo, Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid contains egg and oats; according to Albert Heijn, Schär Crackers contain soya. Other allergies therefore require a separate product choice.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for each guest, including any warnings about traces.
Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid is a gluten-free mini toast option for a dinner or nibbles platter.
The gluten-free Crackers are an alternative if you don’t want to serve traditional mini toasts.
Jumbo lists Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid in its online range of mini toasts.
Albert Heijn provides product information for Schär Crackers, which are gluten-free.
This rice toast can be used as the base for a separate dinner platter if the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. If there are other dietary restrictions, check the allergen information too, and use clean, separate serving utensils.
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Rice toast for a separate platter at your family dinner. If a guest has coeliac disease, check that the current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
If there are additional allergies, check the label carefully for soya and sesame, and keep the toast separate from ordinary bread products.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the label can be used in the Netherlands for a food that contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg as sold to consumers. When buying, check the current packaging rather than relying on a description such as ‘wheat-free’.
No. Preparation and serving must also be kept separate from ordinary bread products. The Nutrition Centre points out that even a bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease, so use a clean platter and separate utensils.
Not necessarily. Jumbo lists egg and oats in Gluten Free Bakery Holland’s Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid, while Albert Heijn lists soya in Schär Crackers. If there are additional allergies, read the full information on the current packaging.
No, that isn’t required by Dutch rules on baker’s salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in certain bakery products through baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for a specific product.
Use online information to compare products, but check the packaging you actually bought before serving. Albert Heijn says that information such as ingredients and allergen details can change.
