If a child has coeliac disease, don’t automatically offer them the same taaitaai as the rest of the school bazaar: standard varieties may contain wheat or rye, while packaged taaitaai labelled gluten-free may be an alternative. Check the current packaging for other allergens too, keep the treat separate from standard taaitaai, and agree in advance with the school and parents how it will be packed and handed out.
You want to hand out a treat that is clearly kept separate. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses that children with coeliac disease must follow a strict gluten-free diet, and advises discussing special occasions at school with their parents in advance.
You’re looking for a gluten-free alternative, but also need to know which other allergens may be relevant for the children. A gluten-free label on its own tells you nothing about, for example, nuts, milk or lupin.
You’re offering standard taaitaai alongside a gluten-free alternative and want to avoid mixing them up. PLUS, for example, lists wheat and rye as ingredients in its standard taaitaai, so it’s important to store them separately and hand them out clearly.
First, decide which treat is intended for the child with coeliac disease. Then discuss other allergens and how the school would like the taaitaai to be packaged and handed out.
A good choice when: you’re looking for an alternative labelled gluten-free and can keep it in its packaging until it’s handed out.
Bear in mind: gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens; check the label on the pack you buy.
A good choice when: you can arrange gluten-free ingredients, clean equipment and separate preparation, and have discussed it with the parents and school in advance.
Bear in mind: the Dutch Coeliac Society warns that contact with gluten, for example from crumbs, can contaminate a gluten-free product.
A good choice when: you’re offering it separately to visitors who don’t need a gluten-free treat.
Bear in mind: standard taaitaai is not a substitute for a checked gluten-free alternative. PLUS lists wheat and rye in its taaitaai.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Check the gluten-free label and ingredients on the physical packaging; also look for any warning about cross-contamination. | If a child with coeliac disease is taking part, I want to be able to check which taaitaai is intended for them. For around 50% of consumers, gluten-free suitability would be the main concern. |
| Other allergens | Compare the allergen information for the exact variety with the details provided by the school and parents. | I don’t want a gluten-free treat to be unsuitable because of another allergen that matters to the class. For around 30% of consumers, those other allergens would be the priority. |
| Buying and handing out separately | Check current availability and the number of portions needed; agree how to keep the two types separate. | For the bazaar, I want to arrange enough portions without mixing up the standard and gluten-free taaitaai. Around 20% of consumers would see this as the most important consideration. |
Standard taaitaai may contain ingredients with gluten. PLUS lists wheat flour and rye flour in its taaitaai, while the Dutch Coeliac Society describes a strict gluten-free diet for children with coeliac disease.
Check the alternative’s packaging and keep it separate from standard taaitaai.
According to Albert Heijn’s product page, Consenza taaitaai contains, among other things, oats and almonds. Another gluten-free product may contain different allergens.
Ask the school and parents which allergens are relevant, and read the allergen information on the exact product packaging.
Jumbo says Gluten Free Bakery Holland Taai Taai Glutenvrij is no longer in its online range; Albert Heijn lists Maître Mathis taaitaai as discontinued.
Check availability with your chosen retailer before relying on a product for the bazaar.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs can transfer gluten to food that needs to remain gluten-free.
Keep the gluten-free treat clearly separate and use clean, separate utensils when serving.
Albert Heijn lists Consenza Taai taai poppetjes as packaged gluten-free taaitaai.
A gluten-free taaitaai listed on an Albert Heijn product page, but marked there as discontinued.
Jumbo lists a taaitaai from this brand with a gluten-free label.
Don’t assume it is: PLUS lists wheat and rye in its standard taaitaai, and a Jumbo recipe uses wheat flour. Choose a separate alternative for the child, with a gluten-free label and packaging you can check, and discuss it with their parents.
No. A gluten-free label says nothing about other allergens. According to Albert Heijn, Consenza taaitaai contains oats and almonds; Maître Mathis’s product page lists milk and lupin, and warns that it may contain egg, nuts and sesame. Compare the label on the variety you choose with the information from the school and parents.
Keep the gluten-free taaitaai clearly separate and, if possible, leave the packaging sealed until it’s handed out. Use clean, separate utensils when serving: the Dutch Coeliac Society identifies contact with gluten, for example from crumbs, as a cause of cross-contamination.
The packaging for the variety you’ve chosen has the information you need when handing it out. Albert Heijn warns that product and allergen information for its Consenza product may change, and recommends reading the packaging before use.
