If a child has coeliac disease, choose a toast or cracker snack whose packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’. Also check the allergen information for the exact variety and avoid contact with ordinary bread crumbs. A handy little toast is not automatically a substitute for the fibre and iodine that regular bread can contribute to a child’s diet.
For them, it’s not just about the ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging. How the toast is prepared and served matters too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease.
A gluten-free product may still contain egg, soya or oats, or carry a warning about sesame or nuts. The ingredients and allergen information for the chosen flavour are therefore just as important as the product category.
A small toast should be easy to top or take with you, but portion size and nutritional value still matter if it’s served regularly. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as a source of fibre and iodine, among other nutrients; snack toast does not automatically serve the same purpose.
Start with the gluten-free label and other allergens. Then compare the nutritional information and choose a shape that works for eating at home or taking with you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Choose gluten-free and serve separately | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging. If taking it with you, agree how the toast will be prepared and served without contact with ordinary crumbs. | If my child has coeliac disease, I want to avoid contact with gluten during preparation and serving too. Around 36% of consumers put gluten-free assurance first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings for the exact variety; check again if you switch flavours. | If another allergen needs to be avoided as well as gluten, the ‘gluten-free’ label alone isn’t enough. Around 29% of consumers put other allergens first. |
| Nutritional value | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion eaten. If your child eats less regular bread, consider how iodine fits into their overall diet. | If this snack is served regularly, I want to know how it fits in with the rest of what my child eats. Around 21% of consumers give nutritional balance the highest priority. |
| Shape and portion | Choose between a plain toast for your own toppings, a seasoned variety or individually wrapped crackers. | For taking with me or a small snack, I want to be able to take an amount that suits the occasion. Portion size and convenience come first for around 14% of consumers. |
Gluten-free toast and crackers can still contain other allergens. For example, Jumbo lists egg and gluten-free oats in Gluten Free Bakery Holland Italian Herb Toasts; the product information also warns that it may contain sesame and nuts, among other things.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact flavour and packaging every time you buy, especially if a child needs to avoid more than one allergen.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease. Choosing a suitable packaged product is therefore not the last step.
Use clean hands, a clean plate and a clean knife. Before a meal at school or an after-school club, discuss how the food will be prepared and served.
Gluten-free toast does not automatically have the same place in a diet as bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands.
Consider a regular snack as part of your child’s overall diet and compare the nutritional information. If you have questions about a strict gluten-free diet, ask a specialist dietitian for advice.
A larger pack tells you little about how much salt a child actually eats. The amounts listed per 100 g also vary between the varieties reviewed.
Compare salt per 100 g, then consider the portion you plan to serve, especially if the toast is eaten regularly.
For anyone looking for small toasts rather than bread or a plain cracker, Jumbo lists Italian Herb Toasts in a 100 g pack.
Van der Meulen Natural Rice Toast is a specific rice toast that Albert Heijn describes as 100% gluten-free. This does not apply to ordinary Melba toast in general.
Schär Crackers are an option if you want individually wrapped portions; the pack reviewed contains six 35 g portions.
Laurieri Scrocchi is a savoury, seasoned toast or cracker option; the sea salt and garlic and parsley varieties reviewed are described as gluten-free.
This plain rice toast is a good fit for a small snack with toppings of your choice. Check the current packaging before serving, and if your child has coeliac disease, prepare it separately from food containing gluten.
Image unavailable
A plain rice toast for a small snack with toppings of your choice; Albert Heijn describes Natural Rice Toast as 100% gluten-free.
Two trays totalling 65 g. The listed nutritional values are 2,1 g of fibre and 1,5 g of salt per 100 g.
If you have another allergy to consider, check the current packaging for information about sesame and soya. If your child has coeliac disease, prepare the toast using clean utensils.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ for the final consumer if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. If you’re choosing food for a child with coeliac disease, check the label on the exact product rather than relying on a brief description that only says ‘wheat-free’.
No, the label tells you nothing about other allergens. For example, the product information for the varieties discussed lists egg or soya, or warns that they may contain sesame or nuts. So check the label for the flavour you’re actually buying.
Keep the toast separate from ordinary bread and crackers, and use clean hands, a clean plate and a clean knife. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease.
Talk to the school or after-school club in advance about how the food will be stored, prepared and served, and what arrangements apply to the group. The Dutch Food Allergy Foundation advises parents to agree arrangements with the school for food and hygiene.
Not automatically: a snack toast does not necessarily have the same nutritional value as the bread a child would otherwise eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. If your child eats less of this bread, consider their overall diet and, if needed, discuss questions about a strict gluten-free diet with a specialist dietitian.
