Choose an individually wrapped product, such as a slice of Dutch spiced breakfast cake, if you only want to open one portion during your train journey. A packet containing two or three biscuits is a better fit if you want to eat or share that amount in one go. Also check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If you have a particular nutritional goal, compare similar products per 100 g.
If you don’t want to open a large pack while travelling, check how many biscuits are in each sealed inner packet. According to product information from Albert Heijn, Peijnenburg plain ontbijtkoek slices are individually wrapped, while a packet of Lotus Biscoff XL contains two biscuits.
A handy inner packet tells you nothing about the ingredients. Before eating, check the latest allergen information on the packaging, even if the product is described as vegan.
If you’re keeping an eye on sugars, salt, saturated fat or fibre, compare similar products per 100 g first. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this basis for comparison; then check how much you’d eat from one inner packet.
First decide how much you want to open for one snack break during your journey. Then check whether the ingredients, nutritional information and packaging suit your other needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Count the biscuits or check the weight of each inner packet, not just the number of packets in the outer pack. | I want to open one portion while travelling without carrying around a large pack that’s already been opened. Portion size is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, including warnings such as ‘may contain’. | If I have an allergy or dietary requirement, I want to know whether this specific product is suitable for me before eating it. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Nutritional value | Compare similar products per 100 g for sugars, salt, saturated fat and fibre, then check the portion size. | If I choose biscuits as a snack, I want to compare their nutritional values even when portion sizes differ. This matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Storage and waste | Read the storage instructions and consider where you’ll keep empty inner packets until you reach a bin. | I want to take a sealed portion with me and avoid leaving loose packaging in the train carriage after eating. Around 14% of consumers prioritise taking their rubbish with them and disposing of it properly. |
A sealed packet may contain two or three biscuits. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, a packet of Lotus Biscoff XL contains two biscuits; Jumbo lists three biscuits per pack for Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Chocolate 3p x6.
Check what’s in the inner packet if you don’t want to open more than one biscuit at a time.
A vegan claim doesn’t rule out allergens such as wheat or soya. Dietary filters and ingredient information on a product page may also differ.
If you have an allergy, read the latest ingredients and allergen information on the physical packaging before eating the product.
Portion sizes can vary from one product to another. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing similar products per 100 g.
Use the per-100 g values to compare products, then check how much is in the inner packet you’re taking with you.
An opened inner packet won’t keep the biscuits sealed and may leave crumbs in your bag.
Take sealed portions with you and keep empty packaging until you can throw it away. NS asks passengers to put rubbish in a bin.
The speculoos varieties reviewed differ in the number of biscuits in each inner packet.
The plain ontbijtkoek reviewed is an alternative if you’d rather take one individually wrapped slice than a packet of biscuits.
In the pack reviewed, Oreo Golden is an option if you want to open two biscuits at a time.
LiGA EverGreen Currant is a grain biscuit with a fruit filling, rather than an individually wrapped biscuit.
These biscuits come in smaller or separate packs that you could consider for a train journey. Check how many biscuits you’ll be opening at once for each product: the weight of the whole pack doesn’t always tell you the size of an inner portion.
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Worth considering if two biscuits together make up your planned portion; this size is less suitable if you want to open exactly one biscuit at a time.
The pack contains 150 g. Check how many inner packets it includes and, if you have an allergy, read the latest ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
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The two separate packs could be handy if you want to take a sealed portion for each of several breaks during your journey.
The total weight is 97 g. Check how many biscuits are in each pack and, if you have an allergy, read the latest allergen information.
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Consider this size if you want to take several smaller packs with you; check how many mini biscuits you’ll be opening at a time.
The pack consists of 3 × 77 g. For nutritional values and allergen information, read the latest details on the packaging.
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Worth considering if you want to take a smaller pack with you for the journey. Check how many biscuits and what weight each smaller pack contains.
The product name lists 8 pieces and 200 g for the pack. If you have an allergy, read the latest ingredients and allergen information.
No. They’re together in one sealed inner packet, rather than each having its own wrapper. According to the product information for Lotus Biscoff XL and Oreo Golden, each of the packets reviewed contains two biscuits. Choose an individually wrapped product if you only want to open one at a time.
Read the latest ingredients and allergen information on the packaging before eating the biscuits. Look out for warnings such as ‘may contain’, too; if you have an allergy, don’t rely solely on a dietary filter or the product title.
Compare similar products per 100 g, then check how much you’d eat from an inner packet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, as portion sizes can vary.
Put them in a bin. That’s what NS’s house rules ask passengers to do; keep an empty packet with you if you can’t reach a bin straight away.
Follow the date and storage instructions on the packaging. The Consumers’ Association explains that a best-before date applies while the packaging remains unopened; so don’t assume the same date applies unchanged once a packet has been opened.
