For someone with coeliac disease, choose rusks whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’, and check the ingredients and allergen information too. Albert Heijn and PLUS list Schär Zwieback as gluten-free rusks. If you can’t find them, a clearly labelled gluten-free cracker, crispbread or loaf of bread may be an alternative, but it won’t offer quite the same experience. When serving, take care to avoid contact with crumbs containing gluten.
You want to choose a product clearly labelled gluten-free and serve it at home without it coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
You want rusks for breakfast or with a topping, rather than just any other gluten-free bread product. Albert Heijn and PLUS list Schär Zwieback as gluten-free rusks.
If you can’t buy gluten-free rusks, you want another suitable product for breakfast or lunch. PLUS lists gluten-free crackers and crispbread, among other products, while Jumbo also lists gluten-free bread.
When shopping for someone with coeliac disease, the first requirement is a gluten-free label on the current packaging. Then decide whether you specifically need rusks or whether another gluten-free product will work for the occasion.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free option | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and read the ingredients and allergen information. | When I’m shopping for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be sure the product I choose is labelled gluten-free. This assurance comes first for around 50% of consumers. |
| Rusk format | Check whether the product is actually sold as gluten-free rusks and look at the pack contents. | For a breakfast where I specifically want to serve rusks, a cracker or slice of bread doesn’t feel like the same choice; around 30% of consumers give the rusk format top priority. |
| An alternative while shopping | Check whether the exact product is available. If you choose crackers, crispbread or bread, check the gluten-free label on the packaging again. | If rusks aren’t available, I want to have a suitable gluten-free alternative in mind. This practical substitute matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
Jumbo marks both Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit and Damhert gluten-free rusks as no longer part of its online range. So a saved product page doesn’t tell you whether you can buy the item now.
Check the range shortly before you shop, and decide in advance which gluten-free alternative would suit the occasion.
Jumbo’s product information also lists egg and milk as allergens in Damhert gluten-free rusks. So a gluten-free label doesn’t automatically answer questions about other allergies.
If there are any additional dietary restrictions, always check the allergen information and ingredients on the current packaging.
Even gluten-free rusks can come into contact with crumbs containing gluten when served. That’s why the Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
Use a clean work surface and clean or separate utensils. Also make sure crumbs aren’t transferred to the gluten-free rusks from shared spreads.
Baker’s salt has iodine added, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it. So don’t assume a product contains iodised salt just because of its category.
Read the ingredients on the packaging if you want to know whether a particular type of rusk or bread contains iodised salt.
These brands and shops can help you plan your shopping list. Check the packaging for each product and the current range at each shop.
Albert Heijn and PLUS list Schär Zwieback as gluten-free rusks on their product pages.
Jumbo lists gluten-free bread from this range as an alternative when you don’t need rusks.
Jumbo has a product page for Damhert Nutrition Glutenvrij Beschuiten Biscottes 125 g.
PLUS lists Schär Zwieback, as well as a range of gluten-free products for other occasions.
Albert Heijn lists Schär Zwieback as gluten-free rusks on a product page.
Choose rusks whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and check the ingredients and allergen information. After buying them, make sure they don’t come into contact with crumbs containing gluten.
No, not just because they’re labelled ‘wholemeal’. That label says nothing about whether they’re gluten-free. For someone with coeliac disease, look for an explicit gluten-free label on the packaging.
A cracker, crispbread or loaf of bread clearly labelled gluten-free may work for the same breakfast or lunch. It isn’t a like-for-like replacement: the shape, portion, ingredients and nutritional value may differ.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt has iodine added, but using it isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients of the specific product if you want to know whether it contains iodised salt.
Serve gluten-free rusks on a clean surface, using clean or separate utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preventing crumbs containing gluten from getting into gluten-free food via shared utensils or spreads.
