If someone with coeliac disease is joining you for a meal, choose taaitaai whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or carries the Crossed Grain symbol; ordinary taaitaai is not automatically gluten-free. Check the allergen information too, and keep the biscuits separate from snacks containing gluten when serving. Check that your chosen product is available shortly before New Year’s Eve, as an older product page tells you nothing about current stock.
You’re looking for taaitaai with a gluten-free label you can check on the packet. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends looking for the term ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol when reading labels.
If a guest has more than one dietary restriction, checking for ‘gluten-free’ is not enough. Albert Heijn’s product listings for different gluten-free taaitaai products show that ingredients and allergens vary from one product to another.
You want to know whether the taaitaai you want is still available to order or buy locally. Albert Heijn and Jumbo also list gluten-free taaitaai products that have been discontinued, so check availability shortly before you buy.
If you’re serving taaitaai on New Year’s Eve and someone with coeliac disease is joining you, check the packaging first. Then look at any allergens relevant to your guests, and make sure the pack you’ve chosen is available.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packet. Read the ingredients and warnings too. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining me, I want to choose based on the label rather than the name of the biscuit. This check comes first for around 50% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Compare the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements with your guest’s dietary restrictions. | If a guest also needs to avoid, for example, almonds, milk or lupin, a gluten-free biscuit may still not be suitable. Around 30% of consumers put these additional allergens first. |
| Availability and quantity | Check current online or in-store availability, and see how many grams the pack contains. | For my New Year’s Eve spread, I want to be able to buy enough of the taaitaai I’ve chosen in good time, even outside the usual Sinterklaas season. This is the main practical concern for around 20% of consumers. |
A standard taaitaai recipe from Albert Heijn Allerhande contains wheat meal and wheat flour. So the product name or appearance doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is suitable for someone with coeliac disease who needs a gluten-free option.
Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packet, and read the ingredients before serving.
Albert Heijn lists gluten-free oats and almonds in its Consenza Taai taai poppetjes. Another gluten-free taaitaai from Maître Mathis listed milk and lupin, with warnings that it may contain egg, nuts and sesame.
Ask which allergens your guests need to avoid, then check both the ingredients and warnings on the current packet.
Jumbo lists its gluten-free taaitaai from Gluten Free Bakery Holland as discontinued from its online range. Albert Heijn also says that Maître Mathis has been discontinued.
Check online or in-store availability shortly before buying. If your chosen taaitaai isn’t available, look for another festive treat with suitable gluten-free labelling.
Albert Heijn lists Consenza Taai taai poppetjes gluten free in a 125 g pack.
Albert Heijn previously listed Taai taai glutenvrij from Maître Mathis, but now marks it as discontinued.
Jumbo lists Taai Taai Glutenvrij from Gluten Free Bakery Holland in a 130 g pack.
Look for the term ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends these labels as a starting point when reading packaging; you should also check the ingredients and any warnings.
Take the warning into account when choosing, as it indicates a risk of cross-contamination. The Dutch Coeliac Society explains that gluten can get into a product through cross-contamination, so check the current packaging and discuss any concerns with the person you’re buying the biscuits for.
Keep the gluten-free taaitaai separate from snacks containing gluten and use clean serving utensils. This helps prevent crumbs from other foods getting onto the biscuits.
Check availability shortly before buying rather than relying on an older product page. Albert Heijn lists Consenza Taai taai poppetjes, but marks Maître Mathis as discontinued; Jumbo marks the taaitaai from Gluten Free Bakery Holland as discontinued from its online range.
