If you have coeliac disease, choose a roll that is clearly labelled gluten-free, check the current packaging and avoid contact with crumbs from ordinary bread when preparing and serving it. Albert Heijn and PLUS list gluten-free crusty rolls; Schär offers other bake-at-home breads, while Consenza includes crusty rolls in its range. Before you leave, check whether you can bake the rolls at your holiday accommodation and how the packaging says to store them.
You’re looking for a roll that’s clearly labelled gluten-free and want to avoid it coming into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread in a shared kitchen or at a picnic. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that cross-contamination can also happen after you’ve bought the product.
You can bake the rolls at your accommodation. Check the equipment, temperature and cooking time on the packaging for each product; oven instructions won’t automatically apply to an air fryer.
You want to buy rolls before you leave and store them as instructed on the packaging. Check the range at a shop along your route too, in case you need to top up while you’re travelling.
If you have coeliac disease, the gluten-free label and a clean preparation area come first. After that, the equipment at your accommodation and the storage instructions will help you decide which rolls are practical.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Read the current packaging, and use clean utensils and separate fillings when preparing your roll. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to avoid my roll coming into contact with ordinary bread crumbs at a shared lunch. This is the biggest concern when choosing for around 42% of consumers. |
| Baking at your destination | Check the oven or air fryer required, the temperature and the cooking time against what’s available at your accommodation. | If I only have an air fryer, the chosen roll needs to be suitable for cooking in one according to the packaging. Around 33% of consumers give this cooking option top priority. |
| Storage and taking an alternative | Check the use-by date and storage instructions, and see whether another gluten-free bread is suitable if you can’t buy crusty rolls. | For a longer journey, I want to know how to store my supplies and what I can take instead of a crusty roll. This preparation comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
Labels such as spelt, multigrain or organic don’t mean a crusty roll is gluten-free. Spelt is a type of wheat and contains gluten.
If you have coeliac disease, choose a product that’s clearly labelled gluten-free and check the current ingredients and allergen information too.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says crumbs and shared kitchen utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free rolls.
Keep the rolls wrapped until you’re ready to use them, and use clean or separate utensils and fillings for gluten-free food.
Gluten-free crusty rolls and other breads don’t all have the same cooking instructions. It’s difficult to follow oven instructions if your accommodation only has an air fryer.
Check the equipment at your accommodation before you leave and follow the instructions for the specific roll. Otherwise, look for a product whose packaging says it doesn’t need baking.
A crusty roll or alternative shown online might not be available in the shop near your holiday accommodation. Product information can also change.
Check the range at the shop you plan to visit and read the packaging again when you buy the product, including the use-by date and storage instructions.
Albert Heijn lists white gluten-free bake-at-home crusty rolls and a multiseed variety under this own-label range.
PLUS lists white and multiseed gluten-free crusty rolls in packs of two.
Schär offers gluten-free mini baguettes, ciabatta and Kaiser rolls that you could consider as alternatives to crusty rolls.
Consenza lists fresh crusty rolls and gluten-free bake-at-home breads in its range.
Jumbo lists a gluten-free range of breads that you can look at as alternatives.
Keep the gluten-free roll separate from ordinary crusty rolls while you prepare them. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that crumbs and shared knives or chopping boards can transfer gluten to gluten-free food, so use clean or separate utensils and fillings.
Ask which allergens the roll contains and how contact with gluten-containing bread is prevented. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, food service businesses, artisan businesses and shops must tell consumers about allergens in non-prepacked foods. Ingredients information alone won’t tell you how the roll has been handled.
Check the storage instructions for your chosen variety before freezing it. Albert Heijn says that AH Gluten-Free White Rolls aren’t suitable for home freezing; don’t assume the same applies to other breads.
No, they’re different types of bread with their own portion sizes and cooking instructions. If the shape of the roll doesn’t matter for your lunch, you could consider a mini baguette or ciabatta that’s clearly labelled gluten-free, and check the packaging for preparation and allergen information.
You can’t tell from the gluten-free label. If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for the specific roll.
