If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, choose rusks or an alternative whose current packaging clearly states that it is gluten-free. Rusks work well for small bites served straight away; for heavy or moist toppings, a gluten-free bread roll or another base may be more practical. Keep your chosen product separate from ordinary bread, crumbs and shared toppings while preparing and serving it.
Wants to offer a separate bite and needs to look beyond the packaging alone. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, crumbs and shared kitchen utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free food.
Wants gluten-free rusks as a base for barbecue toppings. The choice also depends on the topping: if it is moist or heavy, consider whether the rusks will keep their shape and crispness.
Eats very little ordinary bread as part of their regular diet and wants to know what role a substitute plays in their diet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands; don’t assume every gluten-free rusk contains iodine.
If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, start with the label and how you’ll serve the food. Then choose between rusks and another gluten-free product based on the topping; iodine is mainly a consideration for the diet as a whole.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Read the gluten-free statement and any warnings on the current packaging. The Crossed Grain symbol can make products easier to identify. | When I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to see clearly whether the product is gluten-free. Around 40% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
| Contact with gluten | Choose a product you can keep separate, and make sure you have clean serving utensils and separate toppings. | When ordinary bread is on the same table, I want to stop crumbs or a used knife from coming into contact with my gluten-free bite. This is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Shape and toppings | Choose rusks, a cracker or a bread roll to suit the amount and moisture of the topping. If you have a specific product in mind, check that it is currently available too. | For a small bite, I want something crisp, but for lots of sauce or a heavier topping, I need a suitable base. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this serving choice. |
| Iodine for regular use | Check the ingredients if iodised salt is relevant to your choice; don’t assume it is included based on the product category. | As I eat very little ordinary bread on a regular basis, I want to assess my iodine sources across my diet as a whole. This is the most important consideration for around 10% of consumers. |
Even a suitable packaged product can come into contact with gluten through crumbs, a chopping board, a knife or shared butter. The Dutch Coeliac Association highlights this risk when kitchen utensils are shared.
Prepare a separate portion first, using clean utensils, and keep it away from ordinary bread and toppings.
The shape of a product tells you nothing about its gluten-free labelling. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, you need to check the information on the label when buying for someone with coeliac disease.
Read the packaging of the product you’re actually buying, including any warnings about cereals containing gluten.
A product mentioned in the past may not be available when you do your shopping. Jumbo states on its product pages for Damhert rusks and Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten rusks that these products are no longer part of its online range.
Check current availability shortly before the barbecue, and keep another suitably labelled product option in mind.
According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, adding iodised salt to food is not compulsory. So you can’t tell whether a product contains iodine just from the words ‘rusk’ or ‘bread substitute’.
Check the ingredients if this is relevant to your diet. Don’t assess long-term dietary needs based on a single barbecue product.
Schär Zwieback is listed as gluten-free rusk by Albert Heijn. Schär describes itself as a specialist in gluten-free products.
Jumbo has listed Damhert gluten-free rusks as a 125 g product.
Jumbo has listed 120 g gluten-free rusks under this own-brand range.
This selection features lentil wafers as a cracker-style alternative to rusks for small barbecue bites. If you’re serving them to a guest with coeliac disease, check the current packaging first.
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These lentil wafers are a cracker-style alternative to consider for small barbecue bites; they are not rusks. If you’re serving them to a guest with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free statement and any gluten warnings on the current packaging. Also read the allergen information if milk or soya is relevant to your guests, and add the toppings just before serving if you want to keep the wafers crisp.
A clear gluten-free statement on the current packaging is the starting point when choosing a product. According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, a product can be labelled gluten-free if it contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg; the Crossed Grain symbol is another easy-to-recognise indication. After buying the product, keep it separate from ordinary bread too.
Prepare the gluten-free portion separately using clean utensils. Use a separate plate and toppings that haven’t been touched by a knife or tongs used for ordinary bread. The Dutch Coeliac Association warns that shared work surfaces and utensils can transfer crumbs.
Consider another gluten-free base if you’re serving a larger, heavier or wetter barbecue topping. Check that the product you choose will work with the topping; for a small bite that you’ll eat straight away, rusks may offer just the crisp texture you’re after.
No, you can’t tell from the product category. According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, adding iodised salt to food is not compulsory. Check the ingredients if iodine is relevant to your choice, and if you eat very little bread over the long term, consider your diet as a whole.
Yes. If your guests have other allergies, read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you’re serving. Don’t rely on information for a different variant or an older product listing.
