If you have coeliac disease and are looking for a syrup waffle at the Christmas market, you can choose a sealed pack labelled ‘gluten-free’ in advance and check the current label. You can only assess a freshly made waffle if the stallholder can clearly explain both the gluten-free ingredients and how they prevent cross-contamination. Also check for other allergens: ‘gluten-free’ tells you nothing about those.
You want to be able to check the gluten-free label and find out how a waffle was prepared. With a packaged product, you can read the label in advance; at a stall, you also need to ask about measures to prevent cross-contamination.
You don’t want to depend on what a stall has to offer. Taking a syrup waffle in its original packaging means you’ll have the product and allergen information to hand.
As well as a gluten-free label, you’re looking for information about ingredients such as egg, lupin, milk, nuts or sesame. Check the ingredients and allergens listed on the specific pack.
For a visit to the Christmas market, start by checking for a verifiable gluten-free label. Then decide whether to bring a packaged waffle or assess a freshly made one at a stall.
Choose this if: you want to read the label before you leave and can bring the pack with you.
Trade-off: you won’t be eating a waffle made on the spot, but you can check the product information in advance.
Consider this if: the stallholder can clearly explain the gluten-free ingredients and how they prevent cross-contamination.
Trade-off: without that information, you can’t assess whether the waffle is suitable while you’re there.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the pack. For a freshly made waffle, ask about the batter, waffle iron and utensils used. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to know not only what the ingredients are, but also how the waffle was prepared. For around 39% of consumers, being able to verify this comes first. |
| Taking it with you and availability | Check the current product listing before you leave and bring the original packaging with you. | I want to be able to bring something with me rather than rely on what a stall has to offer. This is the main consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
| Other allergens and lactose | Read the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ statement on the pack you buy. | If I need to avoid ingredients other than gluten, the label tells me whether this syrup waffle suits my dietary restrictions. Around 23% of consumers give this priority. |
| Choice of retailer | Check the specific variety rather than assuming that every syrup waffle from the same shop or seller is gluten-free. | I want to be able to choose between a supermarket product and a specialist seller without confusing their varieties. This is the main consideration for around 15% of consumers. |
For someone with coeliac disease, the absence of wheat as an ingredient doesn’t tell you how a freshly made waffle was prepared or how cross-contamination is prevented.
For a packaged product, look for the ‘gluten-free’ label. At a stall, ask about the batter, waffle iron, work surface and utensils; choose something else if the preparation methods remain unclear.
Gluten-free syrup waffles can contain other allergens. For example, Jumbo and Albert Heijn list egg and lupin in their specified varieties.
Also read the rest of the allergen information and check for any trace warnings on the pack you’re actually buying.
Albert Heijn lists an older gluten-free syrup waffle variety as discontinued. So a product page you found earlier doesn’t necessarily tell you what’s available to buy now.
Check the current product listing shortly before you leave, as well as the label on the variety you’re taking with you.
These examples relate to specific gluten-free syrup waffles; always check the current packaging when you buy.
Jumbo lists a 240 g gluten-free syrup waffle in this product range.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Biologisch syrup waffles in a 240 g pack, with ingredients and allergen information.
PLUS lists its own gluten-free syrup waffle in a 240 g bag.
Daelmans describes a 240 g pack containing eight gluten-free syrup waffles, which the brand also calls lactose-free.
Markus & Markus describes its gluten-free syrup waffles as suitable for places such as markets.
The ‘gluten-free’ label is regulated in the EU. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, a product bearing this label contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Also check the current packaging for information about other allergens.
You can’t tell from the ingredients alone. Also ask the stallholder how they use the waffle iron, work surface and utensils to prevent cross-contamination. If the answer remains unclear, choose a sealed product labelled gluten-free instead.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, Crossed Grain is a recognised certification mark for gluten-free products that also involves an assessment of the production process. It doesn’t replace the need to check the specific syrup waffle for other allergens.
Not automatically. The varieties listed by Jumbo and Albert Heijn contain egg and lupin. Daelmans calls its variety lactose-free, but also states that it’s made in an environment where ingredients including milk, soya, nuts and sesame are handled. So check the label on the exact variety you’re buying.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and keep the label to hand. Jumbo advises storing its specified variety in a cool, dry place; Albert Heijn advises storing its variety in a cool, dark, dry place and resealing the pack properly after use.
