Who is this choice important for?

Festival-goer with coeliac disease

Wants to take rusks with chocolate sprinkles and needs to check that both the rusks and the topping are gluten-free. The portion must also be kept separate from ordinary bread crumbs when it’s prepared.

Planning a shared festival snack

Preparing portions for several people and wants to prevent a shared knife, crumbs or a mix-up with packaging from contaminating the gluten-free portion.

Choosing based on sugar or taste, too

Wants to compare chocolate sprinkles by taste or nutritional information. This comes after checking that both items are labelled gluten-free.

What should you look for when buying?

First, check the current packaging of both food items. Then consider how you’ll carry the rusks and chocolate sprinkles, and prepare them without them coming into contact with ordinary bread products.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this most important for?
Both items are gluten-free Look for a ‘gluten-free’ label or a suitable certification mark on both the rusks and the chocolate sprinkles. Check the ingredients and allergen information, too. If I’m buying a snack for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the name of the combination. For around 50% of consumers, confirmation that both items are gluten-free comes first.
Taking it with you and sharing Take both items in their original packaging and bring clean utensils for preparing a separate portion. When sharing, I want to keep the gluten-free portion away from ordinary crumbs; for around 30% of consumers, this is the main practical concern.
Taste and sugar Only compare the taste, nutritional information and any warnings on the chocolate sprinkles packaging after checking for gluten. Once both items meet my gluten-free requirements, I also want to choose chocolate sprinkles based on taste or sugar content. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Checking only one item

    Gluten-free chocolate sprinkles don’t make ordinary rusks suitable for someone with coeliac disease, and the same applies the other way round. For example, Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Hagelfeest.

    Before buying, check the current packaging of both the rusks and the chocolate sprinkles.

  • Assuming that no wheat in the ingredients list is proof enough

    An ingredients list with no obvious wheat ingredient isn’t the same as an explicit gluten-free label. This distinction matters when choosing food for someone with coeliac disease.

    Look for ‘gluten-free’ or a suitable certification mark on the packaging; don’t base your choice solely on an online ingredients list.

  • Relying on an old product listing

    Jumbo stated that Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit was no longer available online. Albert Heijn marked Damhert Glutenvrije beschuit as discontinued.

    Before setting off, check that the products you want to buy are available. If you choose an alternative, check both labels again.

  • Confusing a lower-sugar option with a gluten check

    Choosing a product with less sugar tells you nothing about whether the chocolate sprinkles are gluten-free. The product information for Céréal Hagelslag Puur also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    First check for a gluten-free label, then read the nutritional information and any warnings for the option you’ve chosen.

Brands to consider

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Beschuit is a 120 g rusk variety described as gluten-free.

  • The product name makes it easy to identify which variety of rusks to look for when comparing options.
  • Jumbo stated on the product page that this variety was no longer available online; check what you can actually buy.

Damhert

Damhert Glutenvrije beschuit is another 125 g rusk variety described as gluten-free.

  • The explicit product name helps you identify the right variety.
  • Albert Heijn marked these rusks as discontinued; check the current packaging and retailer before relying on them.

De Rit

De Rit Chocoladehagelslag Extra Puur is a chocolate sprinkles option to consider alongside gluten-free rusks.

  • Glutenvrije Webshop describes this variety as gluten-free and states that it contains 50% cocoa.
  • Check for a gluten-free label on the packaging you buy; a product description isn’t a substitute for doing so.

Venz

Venz products need to be assessed individually, one chocolate sprinkles variety at a time.

  • The ingredients and allergen information for Venz Puur Chocolade Hagelslag listed by Jumbo provide a starting point for checking this specific variety.
  • The product information reviewed didn’t include an explicit gluten-free label for this variety. If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose it solely because no wheat ingredient is listed.

De Ruijter

The ingredients in De Ruijter chocolate sprinkles vary by variety; the brand name alone doesn’t tell you whether they’re gluten-free.

  • Checking the specific variety helps you identify ingredients that contain wheat.
  • Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Hagelfeest. This variety shouldn’t be part of a gluten-free combination for someone with coeliac disease.

Joybuy products

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are ordinary rusks with chocolate sprinkles gluten-free?

No, you can’t tell from the name of the snack. Check the rusks and chocolate sprinkles separately: G'woon Natuurlijke Beschuit listed by Joybuy contains wheat flour, and Albert Heijn lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Hagelfeest.

How can I keep a gluten-free portion separate at a festival?

Take the rusks and chocolate sprinkles in their original packaging, and prepare the gluten-free portion with clean, separate utensils before handling ordinary bread products. The Voedingscentrum points out that even a bread crumb can matter to someone with coeliac disease.

Are chocolate sprinkles suitable for someone with coeliac disease if no wheat ingredient is listed?

Not on the basis of the ingredients list alone. Look for an explicit gluten-free label or a suitable certification mark on the current packaging; the Dutch Coeliac Association and the Voedingscentrum describe these labels as a helpful guide when choosing products.

Should I check for iodine in gluten-free rusks, too?

You can check the packaging to see whether it mentions iodised baker’s salt or iodine, particularly if you also regularly choose gluten-free bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt; this doesn’t mean that all rusks contain iodine. The Voedingscentrum recommends checking bread labels for iodine when choosing gluten-free bread.