If you’re having coffee with someone who has coeliac disease, choose rusks that are explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ or carry the Crossed Grain symbol. Check the label for any other relevant ingredients and allergens, too. Then keep the rusks separate from crumbs, knives and spreads containing gluten: both the product you choose and the way you serve it matter.
You’re looking for rusks with a clear gluten-free label and want to prevent crumbs containing gluten from getting on them when you serve them. The Dutch Coeliac Society says cross-contamination can also happen through hands, kitchen utensils and shared spreads.
As well as gluten, you check any ingredients that matter to you. Yara's Glutenvrij Bakkerij lists egg and gluten-free oat flour in its rusks; Albert Heijn lists the Schär Zwieback variety it reviewed as lactose-free and wheat-free. Check the label on the pack you choose when you buy it.
You want to know in good time which rusks and spreads you can put out. Before the get-together, check the packaging and storage instructions, and choose a place on the table where the gluten-free rusks can stay separate.
Start by checking the gluten-free label on the exact product pack. Then work out how to serve the rusks without contact with crumbs containing gluten, and check for any other ingredient requirements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the exact product pack. Under EU Regulation 828/2014, ‘gluten-free’ may only be stated if the product as sold contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to see a clear label rather than rely on an ingredients list that simply doesn’t mention wheat. For around 33% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Serving separately | Keep the rusks in their packaging for as long as possible, and use clean hands, separate utensils and separate spreads. | If there’s also food containing gluten on the table, I want to stop crumbs or a used knife from touching the rusks. Around 33% of consumers say serving them is their top priority. |
| Other ingredients | Read the up-to-date ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you whether it contains egg, milk, oats or pulses. | If a guest needs to avoid something other than gluten, I want to check whether the rusks contain that particular ingredient. For around 20% of consumers, this additional check matters most. |
| Planning and storage | Check the pack size and storage instructions. Yara's Glutenvrij Bakkerij says its rusks keep for around three days at 16 °C. | If I’m preparing the coffee table in advance, I want to know when to buy and store the rusks. For around 14% of consumers, planning is their first consideration. |
An ingredients list that doesn’t mention wheat doesn’t, by itself, confirm that the rusks meet the gluten-free threshold. The EU sets the ‘gluten-free’ limit at no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product as sold.
First, look for an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol, then check the other ingredients.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says crumbs and shared kitchen utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free food. The packaging can’t tell you what happens afterwards at the table.
Keep the rusks separate, use clean knives and set out separate spreads before serving food containing gluten.
The rusks reviewed differ in other ways besides their gluten-free label. Yara's Glutenvrij Bakkerij lists egg and gluten-free oat flour; an earlier Jumbo listing for Damhert mentions egg and milk.
Ask the guest which ingredients they need to avoid, and leave the current packaging available so they can check it themselves.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may be present in bakery products. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so the product category won’t tell you which ingredients a particular rusk contains.
Check the ingredients of the rusks you’ve chosen if the presence of iodised salt matters to your choice.
The 175 g pack of Schär Zwieback rusks listed by Albert Heijn is a pre-packaged option if you want to check the gluten-free label before your coffee get-together.
This bakery sells gluten-free rusks in packs of four, with product information for anyone who wants to check ingredients other than gluten.
Damhert has a gluten-free range and is worth considering for rusks, particularly if you can check the current packaging first.
Under EU Regulation 828/2014, which also applies in the Netherlands, a product may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg as sold. Check for this label on the current packaging of the rusks you choose; simply not having wheat on the ingredients list isn’t the same thing.
Yes, as long as you prevent crumbs or used kitchen utensils from touching the gluten-free rusks and spreads. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the risk of cross-contamination through hands and utensils, among other things. Keep the rusks in their packaging for as long as possible, and use separate spreads and clean knives.
No, that doesn’t follow from the ‘gluten-free’ label. For example, Yara's Glutenvrij Bakkerij lists egg and gluten-free oat flour in its rusks. Ask which ingredients matter to the guest and check the exact product packaging.
No, you can’t tell from the product category. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may be present in bakery products, while the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients of the rusks you’ve chosen if this matters to your purchase.
