If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease at a BBQ, start by choosing rusks or another bread alternative with a clear gluten-free claim on the packaging. Then check each type of chocolate sprinkles separately: the absence of wheat from an ingredients list does not, on its own, confirm that a product is suitable. When serving, keep gluten-free products separate from ordinary bread and shared utensils to prevent crumbs from getting onto them.
You need a clearly labelled gluten-free base and topping, as well as a place where ordinary bread crumbs can’t get onto them. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a small amount of gluten, such as a bread crumb, can have consequences for someone with coeliac disease.
You’re serving ordinary bread rolls alongside gluten-free products. In that case, it’s not just what you buy that matters: the Dutch Coeliac Society also highlights the need to prevent cross-contamination during preparation and serving.
You check the ingredients and other allergens for the exact rusk and chocolate sprinkles variant. If you’re also keeping an eye on iodine-containing salt, check the ingredients list on packaged bread alternatives: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers’ salt is not compulsory.
Start by checking the gluten-free claim on both the base and the topping. Then work out how to serve them without contact with crumbs, and only after that compare the size, allergens and availability of alternatives.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on both current packs, and check the exact chocolate sprinkles variant. | If I’m serving someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to confirm that both the rusks and the chocolate sprinkles are suitable. For around 46% of consumers, this product choice comes first. |
| Contact with crumbs when serving | Set aside a clean, separate plate and dedicated spreading utensils; keep ordinary bread and shared utensils away. | When there are ordinary bread rolls on the same BBQ table, I want to stop crumbs getting onto the gluten-free portion. Around 27% of consumers give separate serving top priority. |
| Alternatives and labelling | Check whether rusks or a gluten-free alternative are available, and read the allergen information for your chosen product if there are other food allergies to consider. | If rusks are difficult to find, I look for another suitable base and want to know what other ingredients it contains. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this practical choice of product. |
Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in the ingredients for De Ruijter Hagelfeest, while the listed ingredients for De Ruijter Chocoladehagel Puur are different. So neither a brand name nor the word ‘pure’ is enough to confirm that a product is suitable for a gluten-free diet.
If you’re serving a guest with coeliac disease, check the current packaging for the exact variant and look for a gluten-free claim; don’t rely solely on an online ingredients list.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can have consequences for someone with coeliac disease. Crumbs can get onto the gluten-free portion via a shared knife, plate or worktop.
Use clean, separate utensils and a plate reserved for the gluten-free food. Prepare the gluten-free portion before opening or spreading anything on ordinary bread.
Albert Heijn lists Damhert gluten-free rusks, while the Damhert Nutrition Glutenvrij Beschuiten Biscottes 125 g shown by Jumbo is no longer in its online range. So a product page doesn’t necessarily tell you what you’ll be able to take to this BBQ.
Check current availability before you shop, and have a clearly labelled gluten-free bread or cracker alternative ready as a back-up.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers are not required to use bakers’ salt. Whether a packaged bread alternative contains iodised salt therefore varies from product to product.
If you regularly eat bread alternatives and iodine is something you need to keep an eye on in your diet, look for ‘bakers’ salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a rusk-style base with a gluten-free claim.
A possible rusk-style base: Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback beschuit glutenvrij.
A chocolate sprinkles brand where the right choice for a guest with coeliac disease depends on the exact variant.
A chocolate sprinkles brand, as described by Kraft Heinz Nederland.
A product range to consider if you want to use another gluten-free base instead of rusks.
Not automatically: check the current packaging for the exact variant and look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food labelled ‘gluten-free’ may contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. The ingredients list alone does not confirm that it meets this limit; Albert Heijn also lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Hagelfeest.
Put the gluten-free rusks and chocolate sprinkles in a clean, separate place and use dedicated spreading utensils. Ideally, prepare the portion before opening or spreading anything on the ordinary bread rolls. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the Dutch Coeliac Society highlight the importance of avoiding bread crumbs and other contact with gluten for people with coeliac disease.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers are not required to use bakers’ salt. If you want to check, look for ‘bakers’ salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list on packaged rusks and other bread alternatives.
For dry rusks and chocolate sprinkles, follow the storage instructions on the packaging and protect opened gluten-free products from crumbs and moisture. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice to throw food away if it has been out of the fridge for more than two hours is particularly important for BBQ food that needs to be kept chilled, such as meat, fish and salads; don’t apply it indiscriminately to dry, packaged products.
