If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, choose toast or another party-food base labelled gluten-free or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies these as ways to recognise suitable products. Also check the current ingredients and allergen information, and serve the food with clean, separate utensils and its own dip to avoid contact with gluten crumbs.
You want to be able to check the packaging to see whether the party-food base is gluten-free. Toppings, dips and crumbs from regular toast also need attention: choosing a suitable product isn’t enough if the food is served together.
You’re serving both regular and gluten-free nibbles and want to make sure guests don’t use the same knife or dip bowl. Separate dishes and serving utensils make the distinction clear throughout the party.
As well as checking the gluten-free label, you look for ingredients and allergens that matter to you. Information from Jumbo and Albert Heijn about individual party-food products shows why you need to check ingredients such as egg, oats or soya for each product.
Start by checking the gluten-free label on the specific product. Then think about how you’ll serve it, and whether the ingredients, allergens and shape suit your guests and the toppings.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging; don’t rely on the product name or where it’s displayed in the shop. | When I’m shopping for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the packaging to see whether the party-food base is suitable. For an estimated 50% of consumers, being able to verify that a product is gluten-free matters most. |
| Serving separately | Keep regular and gluten-free nibbles separate, and provide separate serving utensils and a separate dip. | When both types of food are on the table, I don’t want a shared knife or dip bowl to transfer crumbs. Avoiding contact while serving comes first for an estimated 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and shape | Check the ingredients and allergens for each variety, and consider whether toast, a cracker or a wafer will go well with the toppings. | If I also need to consider other allergens or want a particular type of party-food base, that will determine which suitable product I choose. For around 20% of consumers, this is the most important additional consideration. |
Regular Melba toast and products labelled gluten-free may be in the same shop category. So, where it sits on the shelf doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Check the gluten-free label every time you buy it and read the current packaging, even if you’ve bought the product before.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs and shared dips can transfer gluten to gluten-free food. So how you serve it matters even after you’ve chosen a product.
Use a separate plate and clean serving utensils. Set out a separate dip too, and don’t dip regular toast into it.
According to Jumbo, Gluten Free Bakery Holland Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid contains egg and oats, and may also contain nuts and sesame. Albert Heijn’s ingredient information for Laurieri Scrocchi sea salt lists soya.
As well as checking the gluten-free label, read the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen, especially if a guest needs to avoid other ingredients too.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which bakery products may contain iodine from baker’s salt. This doesn’t mean that every individual piece of toast contains baker’s salt or added iodine.
If iodine matters to your choice of product, check the packaging or ask the manufacturer about the specific product.
These product ranges offer a variety of party-food options. Always check the gluten-free label and other ingredients for the specific variety you’re buying.
Jumbo lists Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid as a 100 g pack for parties.
Scrocchi sea salt is a gluten-free savoury cracker for anyone looking for a cracker as a party-food base instead of traditional toast.
Jumbo lists Schär Crackers Glutenvrij in the toast and savoury snacks category, as a cracker option alongside toast.
These rice toasts and lentil wafers are two different options to consider as a party-food base. If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label on the current packaging and keep these snacks separate from regular toast when serving.
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Rice toast is worth considering if you’re looking for toast to serve at a party. If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label on the current packaging before serving.
Pack size: 65 g. If you need to account for other allergies, check the current information specifically for sesame and soya.
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These rosemary lentil wafers are a different shape from toast, so consider whether they’ll work with your party toppings. If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label on the current packaging.
Pack size: 54 g. If you have other dietary requirements, also check the current ingredients and allergens, including the information about milk and soya.
Under the European rules explained by the Dutch Coeliac Society, the gluten-free label can be used when a product contains less than 20 mg of gluten per kg. If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, look for this explicit label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging rather than relying on the word ‘toast’ in the product name.
No. Melba toast is a product name, not a gluten-free label in itself. Jumbo’s range includes both Melba toast and party-food products explicitly labelled gluten-free, so check the packaging of the variety you plan to serve.
Serve gluten-free toast on a separate plate with clean, dedicated utensils and a separate dip. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises against dipping products containing gluten into gluten-free dips or sauces.
No, that rule doesn’t mean every piece of toast contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products through baker’s salt, at a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Check the information for the individual product if this matters to your choice.
