If you have coeliac disease, choose ontbijtkoek with a clear gluten-free label; according to the Dutch Coeliac Society, the Crossed Grain symbol provides additional checks on the ingredients and production process. If you also want to buy organic, check that both labels appear on the same packaging: organic certification alone does not mean a product is gluten-free. Also read the allergen and nutritional information for the product you want to buy.
You want to be able to check the packaging to see whether an ontbijtkoek is gluten-free. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, the Crossed Grain symbol involves checks on both the ingredients and the production process.
You want to see both attributes on the same product. An organic label does not replace checking for gluten: the organic AH puur&eerlijk ontbijtkoek described by Albert Heijn contains rye flour.
As well as checking for a gluten-free label, you look at sugars, fibre, portion size and other allergens. This information helps you compare products without assuming that a gluten-free label tells you anything about their nutritional value.
First check that the ontbijtkoek meets your gluten-free requirements. Then check the organic label, other allergens and nutritional information on the same packaging.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free for coeliac disease | Look for the gluten-free label on the finished product. You can also check for the Crossed Grain symbol. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be able to identify the gluten-free status without having to infer it from the ingredients alone. Around 36% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Organic and gluten-free | Check for both labels on the same packaging. For a prepacked product sold as organic in the EU, also look for the EU organic logo. | I only want to choose an ontbijtkoek when its organic and gluten-free status are both clear; an organic label alone is not enough. For around 29% of consumers, checking both is their top priority. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and check the stated portion size. | If I eat ontbijtkoek regularly, I want to compare the nutritional content of different products on the same basis. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
| Other allergens and using it instead of bread | Read the current allergen information. If you regularly replace bread, also consider how ontbijtkoek fits into your overall diet. | I need to watch out for allergens other than gluten, or I eat less bread and want to assess the place of ontbijtkoek in my diet. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this broader check. |
The organic AH puur&eerlijk ontbijtkoek described by Albert Heijn contains rye flour. An organic label alone therefore does not mean this ontbijtkoek is suitable if you need to avoid gluten.
Also check the gluten-free label and the ingredients list of the product you buy.
According to their product information, the gluten-free ontbijtkoeken from Jumbo Lekker Vrij and Peijnenburg both contain lupin and milk. The Jumbo version also warns that other allergens may be present.
Check the current allergen information on the packaging every time you buy, especially if you need to avoid another ingredient too.
A gluten-free label does not tell you how much sugar or fibre an ontbijtkoek contains. You’ll find those figures separately in the nutritional information.
Compare products per 100 g and check the stated portion size too.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. The gluten-free label on ontbijtkoek tells you nothing about bread’s role in your diet.
If you regularly eat less bread and have questions about your iodine intake, discuss your overall diet with a dietitian or doctor.
Jumbo describes a gluten-free, unsliced 300 g ontbijtkoek in this range and displays the Crossed Grain symbol on the product page.
Albert Heijn describes a gluten-free, unsliced 285 g Peijnenburg ontbijtkoek.
The organic ontbijtkoek described in this range shows why organic and gluten-free status need to be checked separately.
Under EU Implementing Regulation 828/2014, a food may only be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if the product sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the ontbijtkoek you buy; according to the Dutch Coeliac Society, the Crossed Grain symbol also involves checks on the ingredients and production process.
No. The organic AH puur&eerlijk ontbijtkoek described by Albert Heijn contains rye flour. If you have coeliac disease, check for a gluten-free label and read the ingredients list too, regardless of the organic label.
Check the packaging for an organic label and the EU organic logo. According to Skal Biocontrole, the logo is compulsory for prepacked foods produced in the EU and sold as organic; the logo alone says nothing about gluten.
Don’t assume that ontbijtkoek provides the same amount. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. If you often replace bread and have questions about your iodine intake, discuss your overall diet with a dietitian or doctor.
