If your child has coeliac disease, check every time you buy that the packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol. Then choose a shape that suits snack time. Small speculaas biscuits can be served individually, while you’ll need to break a piece off a larger slab first. Check the other allergen information too, and keep the biscuits away from crumbs from regular speculaas.
If your child has coeliac disease, start by checking for the gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the pack you’re buying. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also highlights the importance of avoiding cross-contamination.
Small speculaas biscuits can be served individually at an agreed snack time. With a larger slab, you’ll need to break off a portion first.
Gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean free from milk, eggs or nuts. Which allergens matter will vary from child to child and product to product, so check the ingredients and ‘may contain’ information too.
Start with the gluten-free information on the pack, then consider the portion, any other allergens and which products are available to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the pack you’re buying. When serving, keep the biscuits away from crumbs from regular speculaas. | If my child has coeliac disease, I want to be able to choose a clearly labelled gluten-free product and prevent it coming into contact with regular biscuits when serving. For around 36% of consumers, choosing a gluten-free product is the top priority. |
| After-school portion | Check whether they’re individual biscuits or a slab, and decide in advance how much to serve. | I want to give my child an agreed portion after school, rather than absent-mindedly treating a larger slab as one small biscuit. For around 22% of consumers, portion size matters most. |
| Other allergens | Check the ingredients and ‘may contain’ information for allergens that are relevant to your child. | If my child needs to avoid another allergen as well as gluten, I need to make sure the chosen pack meets that requirement too. Other allergens are the main additional consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Availability | See which gluten-free options are available, and check the actual pack even if you choose an alternative. | If my usual product isn’t available, I want to be able to choose another gluten-free pack rather than switch to regular speculaas. For around 21% of consumers, finding an alternative is the top priority. |
The name of a biscuit doesn’t tell you whether it’s labelled gluten-free. If you’re choosing for someone with coeliac disease, contact with crumbs from products containing gluten matters too.
Every time you buy, check for the gluten-free label or Crossed Grain symbol on the exact pack you’re taking home.
Albert Heijn warns that product ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change.
Use a product page to compare options, but check the information on the pack you receive before serving.
The ‘gluten-free’ label doesn’t mean a biscuit is also free from ingredients such as milk, eggs or almonds.
Compare the ingredients and ‘may contain’ information with the allergens that are relevant to your child.
A slab isn’t made up of individual biscuits in the same way as small speculaas biscuits. Unless you break a piece off first, it’s less clear what the intended portion is.
Choose individual biscuits if you want to serve them one at a time, or break a portion off the slab in advance.
Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas 125 g as a gluten-free product.
Consenza offers small gluten-free speculaas biscuits in a 100 g pack and a gluten-free speculaas slab weighing 160 g.
Jumbo lists Schär Gluten Free Speculoos 100 g as gluten-free speculoos.
Albert Heijn lists its own product called AH Glutenvrij Speculaas.
Don’t choose regular speculaas unless the packaging has a current, explicit gluten-free label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies ‘gluten-free’ and the Crossed Grain symbol as ways to recognise gluten-free products. When serving, take care to avoid contact with crumbs from other biscuits too.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies both the words ‘gluten-free’ and the Crossed Grain symbol as ways to recognise a product on its packaging. Check which of the two appears on the current pack, and read the other allergen information as well.
Agree on a snack time and portion in advance. You can serve small speculaas biscuits individually; with a slab, break off the amount you want first.
Yes, if those allergens are relevant to your child. Gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean free from milk, eggs or nuts. Albert Heijn lists milk and eggs for Consenza Speculaasjes; Poiesz Supermarkten lists eggs and almonds for Consenza Speculaasbrok. Always check the current pack for the product you choose.
