If you have coeliac disease and want taaitaai for Christmas, choose a product explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Simply not seeing wheat in an online ingredients list isn’t enough. Albert Heijn lists Consenza gluten-free taaitaai figures, 125 g, made with gluten-free oat flour and almonds. Baking them yourself gives you more control over the shape and ingredients, but you’ll need to use ingredients verified as gluten-free and prevent cross-contamination in your kitchen.
You want to buy taaitaai for Christmas, so you check the gluten-free claim on the packaging, followed by the ingredients and allergen information. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises reading labels carefully; its guidance explains that ‘gluten-free’ means less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product.
You want to make taaitaai yourself, but gluten-containing flour or bread is also prepared in the same kitchen. As well as checking the ingredients, you’ll need to keep flour dust and crumbs off the worktop and utensils, as the Dutch Coeliac Society explains.
You’re looking for something to serve a guest with coeliac disease, but may also need to consider other allergies. Albert Heijn lists almonds in its Consenza product; an earlier Maître Mathis taaitaai product listed milk and lupin, and said it may contain nuts, sesame and egg. Always check the label on the specific pack you choose.
When choosing between ready-made taaitaai and baking your own for Christmas, consider how much control you want over the biscuits and what you can check before serving them.
A good choice if: you want to serve taaitaai without baking it yourself and can check the current packaging.
The trade-off: you don’t choose the shape or ingredients; the Consenza product listed by Albert Heijn contains almonds.
A good choice if: you want to choose the Christmas shapes, portions and ingredients yourself.
The trade-off: a standard taaitaai recipe isn’t automatically gluten-free, and extra care is needed when preparing it in a shared kitchen.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Check the current packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ claim, then read the full ingredients and allergen information. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to rely on the product name or a shortened online description. For around 50% of consumers, checking the gluten-free claim comes first. |
| Baking without cross-contamination | Check that the baking ingredients are gluten-free, and use a clean worktop and utensils, away from gluten-containing flour dust. | I want to bake Christmas shapes in a kitchen where ordinary flour is also used, without crumbs or flour dust getting into my bake. For around 30% of consumers, baking safely at home is the top priority. |
| Other allergens and availability | Read the allergen information on the product you choose and check that the seasonal item is available to order just before you buy. | When planning to serve taaitaai to guests, I also need to consider their other allergies and the possibility that the range may change. Around 20% of consumers prioritise these additional checks. |
Ordinary taaitaai may contain wheat or rye products. For someone with coeliac disease, the product name or front of the pack is no substitute for a clear gluten-free claim.
First check the current packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ claim, then read the ingredients and allergen information.
The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that gluten can get into gluten-free food through flour dust, crumbs and shared utensils.
Use ingredients verified as gluten-free and work with a clean worktop and clean utensils. Store the ingredients separately from products containing gluten.
The Consenza taaitaai listed by Albert Heijn contains almonds. So a gluten-free claim doesn’t tell you whether a product is suitable for someone with another food allergy.
Before serving, check the allergen information on the exact pack you’re using.
Jumbo says that taaitaai from Gluten Free Bakery Holland is no longer in its online range; Albert Heijn says the same about the earlier Maître Mathis product.
Check availability just before you buy. If you choose a replacement, check its gluten-free claim and relevant allergens again.
Albert Heijn lists Consenza gluten-free taaitaai figures, 125 g. Check the current packaging and availability when you buy.
Jumbo has a product page for this brand’s gluten-free taaitaai, but says the product is no longer in its online range.
Albert Heijn has an earlier listing for gluten-free taaitaai from Maître Mathis and says the product is no longer in its range.
Don’t assume it is: the name doesn’t tell you whether taaitaai is gluten-free. Standard recipes may contain wheat or rye products. If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, choose a pack explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the current ingredients and allergen information.
Yes, a product containing oats can be explicitly labelled gluten-free. For example, Albert Heijn lists gluten-free oat flour in its Consenza taaitaai. Don’t judge whether it’s suitable by the word ‘oats’ alone: check the gluten-free claim and ingredients on the packaging.
Use ingredients verified as gluten-free, a clean worktop and clean utensils. Keep gluten-containing flour dust and crumbs away from the dough and baked biscuits; the Dutch Coeliac Society identifies these as things to watch out for in a shared kitchen.
Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens. The Consenza product listed by Albert Heijn contains almonds. If you need to cater for another allergy, always check the allergen information on the specific pack you plan to serve.
No. Check that you can currently order a seasonal product before making plans. Jumbo says that taaitaai from Gluten Free Bakery Holland is no longer in its online range; Albert Heijn says the same about the earlier Maître Mathis product.
