Home bakers hosting a small group
If you’re offering a few guests a biscuit while you bake, you can set out sealed portions without opening all the biscuits at once. The Lotus Biscoff XL pack described by Jumbo contains bags of two biscuits.
Who are individual portions useful for?
Hosts expecting lots of visitors
If guests are arriving at different times, it helps to count in advance how many sealed portions you can hand out. Check the number of bags, not just the total number of biscuits.
Anyone catering for food allergies
If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, checking the label comes before choosing a convenient portion pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information required on pre-packed foods.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to hand out one biscuit or one bag per guest. Then compare the number of sealed portions and check the label before serving.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed portions | Count the bags and check whether the biscuits are wrapped individually or in pairs. Make sure the wrappers are intact. | I want to be able to set out biscuits while baking without opening the other portions. For around 42% of consumers, ease of serving is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the exact product you’re serving. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the biscuit before offering it. Around 33% of consumers prioritise these checks. |
| Portion size and packaging | Compare the number of bags with the number of guests, and decide whether two biscuits per bag suit the portions you want to serve. | If I want to give each guest one biscuit, I don’t want to open bags and have biscuits left over. The packaging also matters. This is the top consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a large box contains individually wrapped portions
Jumbo lists 300 biscuits for one Lotus pack. That figure doesn’t tell you how many biscuits have their own wrapper.
Check the exact pack for the number of bags and look for wording such as ‘individually wrapped’ or ‘wrapped in pairs’.
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Confusing individual wrapping with being allergen-free
The Lotus Biscoff XL pack described by Jumbo is wrapped in pairs and lists wheat and soya. A wrapper doesn’t change the ingredients.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before serving, even if you’ve bought the brand before.
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Counting bags of two biscuits as single-biscuit portions
If you’re giving each guest one biscuit, you’ll need to open a bag containing two. The second biscuit will no longer be in a sealed portion.
Plan around the number of biscuits you want to give each guest and the number of biscuits in each bag.
Brands and retailers to consider
Lotus Biscoff
If you’d like to hand out speculoos biscuits, the XL 2P x 10 pack described by Jumbo is a useful example of sealed portions.
- Jumbo says this pack contains 10 bags, each with 2 biscuits.
- The product information lists wheat and soya. The portion packaging and ingredients of this pack don’t necessarily apply to other Biscoff varieties.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s product listings for Lotus biscuits show why you need to check the packaging for each individual product.
- For the Biscoff XL 2P x 10 pack, Jumbo specifies the number of bags and biscuits per bag.
- The listing of 300 biscuits for another Lotus box doesn’t, by itself, confirm that they’re individually wrapped.
Biscuits and other options on Joybuy
These products are worth considering if you’re comparing sealed biscuit portions for guests while you bake. Note the difference between one biscuit, several biscuits per portion and stroopwafels as a different kind of treat. Check how the portions are divided on the packaging.
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Smoeltjes Ghost biscuits, 7 pieces
If you want to hand out biscuits one at a time, check the pack to see whether each of the 7 pieces has its own wrapper.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information before serving.
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Hellema Smoeltjes speculoos biscuits, 8 pieces, 200 g
Want to prepare portions in advance? Check how many biscuits are in each sealed inner bag before dividing the 8 pieces among your guests.
The pack contains 200 g. Check the current label for ingredients and allergens.
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Kanjers Original stroopwafels, 8 pieces
Consider these only if you’d like to serve stroopwafels instead of ordinary biscuits. Check whether the pack contains the sealed portions you need.
The product name lists 8 pieces. Check the current label for ingredients and allergens.
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Smoeltjes Ghost biscuits, 7 pieces × 2
This variety may suit you if you want to set out more biscuits, but check the inner packaging if you’re looking for one sealed biscuit per guest.
The product name lists 2 packs of 7 pieces. Also check the ingredients and allergens on the pack.
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Lu Scholiertje milk chocolate biscuits, 150 g
If you’re looking for portions with two biscuits, check how many sealed portions are in this pack before planning for your guests.
The product name lists 150 g. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Do individually wrapped biscuits automatically stay fresher?
No. An individual wrapper doesn’t guarantee freshness. You can leave unopened portions aside while handing out others, but check that the wrappers are intact and follow the storage instructions on the pack.
Is a bag of two biscuits suitable if I want to give each guest one biscuit?
Only if you’re happy to open the bag or give both biscuits to one guest. The Lotus Biscoff XL pack described by Jumbo contains 10 bags, each with 2 biscuits, so the number of bags and the number of individual biscuits don’t represent the same number of portions.
Should I check allergens in biscuits served alongside oliebollen?
Yes. If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, check the biscuit label separately. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the allergen information required on pre-packed foods; the Lotus Biscoff XL pack described by Jumbo lists wheat and soya.
What should I bear in mind when frying if I’m also handing out biscuits?
Set out the biscuits and napkins beforehand so serving them doesn’t distract you from the oliebollen. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a frying temperature of 175 °C for oliebollen and advises against frying them for longer than necessary.