If you’re choosing for someone with coeliac disease, only serve toast or crackers whose current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’. Keep them separate from regular bread, too. A plain rice and corn cracker is a good choice when you want the topping to provide the flavour, while a seasoned gluten-free toast is ideal for something savoury. In either case, check the other ingredients and allergens as well.
It’s not enough for a product to look wheat-free: you need to see an explicit gluten-free label on the current packaging and avoid contact with crumbs from regular bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
You’re looking for a cracker or toast that can be served separately and goes well with your chosen topping, rather than being put on the same plate or served with the same knife as regular toast.
As well as checking for a gluten-free label, look at the ingredients, other allergens, salt per 100 g and pack size. These details vary between the crackers and toast mentioned here.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label and avoid contact with regular toast. Then compare the flavour, packaging and nutritional information to find what suits your coffee break.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label and serving | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging. Keep the plate, knife and toppings free from crumbs from regular bread. | When I’m serving someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the type of product or the front of a shelf label. Around 50% of consumers put this check first. |
| Flavour and toppings | Choose between a plain cracker and a seasoned toast; check whether individually wrapped portions would be useful for you. | With sweet toppings, I want a base that won’t overpower them, while for a savoury snack I might look for something seasoned. Around 30% of consumers prioritise how well it goes with the topping. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare salt per 100 g and read the ingredients and allergen information, including any soya, egg, milk or traces listed. | If I need to avoid ingredients as well as gluten, or want to compare salt levels, the label helps determine my choice. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Regular toast or crackers without a gluten-free label are not a suitable alternative for someone with coeliac disease. Oats can also come into contact with gluten during processing, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Use the ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging as your guide, and check the ingredients list too. The Crossed Grain symbol can provide an additional point of reference.
Crumbs can get onto the gluten-free product or its topping. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
Use a separate plate and clean serving utensils, and keep gluten-free toppings separate from regular toast.
Gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is free from other allergens. The products mentioned here list soya or egg, for example, or warn that traces may be present.
Check the allergen information on each pack you choose, even if you’re familiar with the brand.
The AH Glutenvrij Crackers reviewed here are rice and corn crackers that make a plain base for toppings.
Schär makes gluten-free crackers; the product reviewed here is sold in a pack of 6 × 35 g.
The Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid reviewed here are a seasoned option for a savoury coffee break.
Not unless the current packaging explicitly says it is gluten-free. Regular melba toast is not interchangeable with a product labelled gluten-free for someone with coeliac disease.
Serve them on a separate plate with clean, dedicated utensils, and make sure crumbs from regular toast don’t get onto the crackers or toppings. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
Yes. A product containing oats can be labelled gluten-free, but check the packaging of the specific toast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that oats can be contaminated with gluten and highlights the Crossed Grain symbol as a useful point of reference for people with coeliac disease.
You can’t tell from the type of product or from the word ‘salt’ alone. Check the ingredients information for the product you choose, or ask the manufacturer what type of salt was used; don’t assume the same is true of all gluten-free toast.
