If you want to hand out one gluten-free portion per child without baking, ready-made raisin buns labelled ‘gluten-free’ are a practical choice. Albert Heijn offers AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen for this purpose. If you need more portions, you could slice gluten-free raisin bread or bake your own sultana buns, but both options require preparation. Whichever you choose, check the label for other allergens and keep the treat separate from ordinary bread when serving.
You’re looking for a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ and want to make sure it doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread when you hand it out. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends preparing gluten-free food separately.
You want to hand out the treats without having to slice a loaf first. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen as a pack of two buns, each weighing 70 g.
You don’t mind slicing or baking if it means you can make enough portions. PLUS offers Yam Rozijn glutenvrij as a 600 g loaf, while Albert Heijn’s recipe for gluten-free sultana buns makes eight.
First, choose a product format that works for handing out. Then check the label for the child who’ll be eating it, and make sure the gluten-free portion stays separate.
When to choose them: if you want to hand out individual portions without slicing; Albert Heijn lists two gluten-free buns weighing 70 g each per pack.
Bear in mind: according to Albert Heijn, these buns contain soya and may contain eggs, oats, almonds and hazelnuts.
When to choose it: if a whole loaf will work for your group; PLUS lists Yam Rozijn glutenvrij as a 600 g loaf.
Bear in mind: it isn’t an individual sultana bun. Slice the loaf with clean utensils and serve the pieces separately from ordinary bread.
When to choose this: if you have time to make the buns yourself; Albert Heijn’s recipe makes eight.
Bear in mind: the recipe uses milk and egg, among other ingredients. Make sure the ingredients, worktop and utensils are free from crumbs from ordinary bread.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free food | Check for ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging. Store and serve the portion separately, using clean utensils. | If a child with coeliac disease is joining in, I want to make sure the treat doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread. For around 42% of consumers, being able to serve food safely comes first. |
| Individual portions | Compare the number of buns per pack and the portion size with the number of children. | I want to be able to give each child an individual portion quickly, without slicing bread first. For around 25% of consumers, ease of handing out is a priority. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements for each product. | If a child has another allergy, I want to know whether the same treat meets that requirement too. This is the main concern for around 17% of consumers when choosing. |
| Preparation | Check whether you’re buying individual buns, a whole loaf or ingredients for a recipe, and how much preparation each option involves. | I need to have enough portions ready for the party and want to know whether I’ll need to slice or bake anything. For around 16% of consumers, preparation is the biggest consideration. |
According to Jumbo, its standard Jumbo Rozijnen Krentenbollen contain, among other things, wheat flour and wheat gluten. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you whether a bun is suitable for a child with coeliac disease.
Choose a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the label on the pack you’ll actually be serving.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs can get into gluten-free food from a board, knife or shared butter.
Keep the treat covered and separate. When serving, use a clean plate, clean cutlery and spreads from an unopened pack.
Albert Heijn lists soya in AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen and warns that they may contain eggs, oats, almonds and hazelnuts. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t mean the product meets other allergy requirements.
Ask which dietary requirements are relevant for the children, and check both the ingredients and allergen warnings for every product you choose.
Baker’s salt contains iodine, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt.
If the presence of iodised salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for the specific product.
Albert Heijn offers AH Glutenvrij Rozijnen bollen as two individual buns, each weighing 70 g.
PLUS offers Yam Rozijn glutenvrij as a 600 g loaf of raisin bread, for anyone who wants to divide a whole loaf into portions.
Jumbo’s Lekker Vrij van Gluten range includes 500 g white and brown loaves for anyone who isn’t specifically looking for a raisin option.
According to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product sold to the final consumer may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. If a child has coeliac disease, don’t rely on the name ‘sultana bun’ alone: check the label on the packaging.
Keep the gluten-free treat separate from ordinary bread, and use clean utensils and a clean serving plate. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends preparing gluten-free food separately. Don’t use butter or spreads that have already been touched by a knife used for ordinary bread, either.
According to Albert Heijn, you can freeze these buns at home on the day you buy them and keep them for up to one month. Defrost them before use and follow the instructions on the pack you’ve bought.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it isn’t compulsory to bake with baker’s salt. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in its gluten-free raisin buns, while PLUS lists baker’s salt for Yam Rozijn glutenvrij. Check the ingredients list for the product you choose.
