For an Easter breakfast with someone who has coeliac disease, choose rusks or an alternative whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and serve them without contact with crumbs or shared toppings. Albert Heijn and PLUS listed Schär Zwieback as a gluten-free, crunchy option; check whether it’s available to order from your store before you shop. If there are additional allergen requirements, also read all the information on the packaging.
You want to choose a product labelled gluten-free and make sure it doesn’t come into contact with crumbs containing gluten when being topped or served. The Dutch Coeliac Society also advises taking care to avoid cross-contamination.
If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients as well as gluten, check the allergen information on the exact packaging. Gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean free from egg, milk or other allergens.
You want to know which rusks you can order before putting together breakfast. Check the ordering status for your store: an existing product page doesn’t mean the product is still available.
First, check the gluten-free label and how you can serve the product separately. Then compare the allergen information and check whether it’s available to order for your Easter shopping.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Label and serving separately | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and use clean utensils and separate toppings. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to make sure suitable rusks don’t come into contact with crumbs containing gluten. For around 50% of consumers, this combination of product choice and serving comes first. |
| Ingredients and toppings | Read the allergen information to check for any additional requirements, and make sure the shape of the rusks works with the toppings you’re planning. | If a guest also needs to avoid egg or milk, I want to know whether both the chosen variety and the toppings are suitable. Around 30% of consumers prioritise these additional product requirements. |
| Availability to order | Check the ordering status for your store and have a clearly labelled gluten-free alternative in mind. | If I’m ordering my Easter shopping in advance, I don’t want to rely on a product that only has an old product page. For around 20% of consumers, availability is the first practical consideration. |
For someone with coeliac disease, a product without wheat in its ingredients list isn’t the same as a product labelled ‘gluten-free’, according to the Dutch Coeliac Society.
Check the label on the packaging you’re actually buying.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs can get onto gluten-free food via knives, butter or the worktop.
Use clean utensils and set aside a separate portion of toppings for your gluten-free guest.
Jumbo’s product pages for Damhert Glutenvrij Beschuiten Biscottes and Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit stated that these products were no longer available online.
Check the current ordering status and, if necessary, choose another clearly labelled gluten-free product that you can serve separately in the same way.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So if you’re making a lasting change to the bread you eat, don’t assume you’ll get the same amount of iodine based on a single rusk product.
Read the chosen product’s ingredients information if the type of salt used is important to your decision.
Schär Zwieback is a crunchy, toast-like alternative to round Dutch rusks. Albert Heijn and PLUS listed the 175 g variety as gluten-free.
Damhert Nutrition Glutenvrij Beschuiten Biscottes is a rusk variety to consider if you find the exact product in a shop.
Jumbo listed a 120 g rusk variety under this product range.
Yes. Choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ for that guest. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, checking that the ingredients list contains no wheat isn’t an equivalent alternative.
Use clean hands and utensils, clear a separate area of the worktop and set aside toppings for your gluten-free guest. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns about cross-contamination from crumbs and shared utensils.
No, that isn’t guaranteed by the ‘gluten-free’ label. Albert Heijn and PLUS listed Schär Zwieback as lactose-free, while Jumbo listed egg and milk as allergens for Damhert Glutenvrij Beschuiten Biscottes. Always check the current packaging to make sure it meets your guest’s requirements.
You can’t tell from the ‘gluten-free’ label. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the information for the specific product if the type of salt used matters to your decision.
