Who is each biscuit for?

Anyone organising a treat for the occasion

If you want to hand out a familiar, filled biscuit around the time of the parade, kano biscuits are worth considering. Before serving, check the ingredients and allergens in the variety you’ve chosen.

Anyone serving biscuits with coffee or tea

A regular digestive is a good choice for a simple biscuit break, without the almond paste filling found in the kano reviewed. If you’re serving several people, compare the packaging and portion sizes.

Anyone keeping an eye on allergens

The specific product variety is what matters here. A gluten-free digestive may be an option if gluten needs to be avoided, but check the current packaging for other allergens too.

What should guide your choice?

First, choose the type of biscuit that suits the occasion. Then check whether the ingredients in that specific variety are suitable for everyone who’ll be there.

Filled kano biscuits

A good choice when: You’re looking for a distinctly sweet, filled treat. PLUS describes the Aviateur Kano biscuits reviewed as containing 46% almond paste filling.

Things to consider: This variety contains wheat, soya, milk and almond, among other ingredients, so check the allergens carefully.

Regular digestives

A good choice when: You’d like to serve a plain biscuit with coffee or tea rather than a filled one.

Things to consider: The regular varieties reviewed from Verkade, AH and McVitie's contain wheat. Don’t assume the information for Original also applies to chocolate varieties.

Gluten-free digestive

A good choice when: You need a gluten-free biscuit and the label on your chosen variety meets the individual’s requirements.

Things to consider: The Schär Digestive Landtaler reviewed contains soya and may contain egg and lupin. Gluten-free doesn’t mean allergen-free.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
A filled treat Decide whether you want a filled biscuit, then check the ingredients in the kano you’ve chosen. For a shared celebration, I specifically want to serve a clearly filled biscuit. For around 30% of consumers, that choice of treat comes first.
Easy to hand out If you’re buying biscuits for several people, compare pack sizes and portion sizes. When I put biscuits out with tea, I’d rather hand out plain biscuits than filled ones. For around 40% of consumers, a simple biscuit break is the top priority.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any warnings about traces. If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in that particular variety first. For around 30% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority.

What should you look out for?

  • Assuming the word ‘digestive’ means it’s suitable for a particular diet

    The regular digestives reviewed contain wheat. The gluten-free Schär variety also contains other allergens: it contains soya and may contain egg and lupin.

    Start with the ingredients someone needs to avoid, then read the full label on the exact pack you’re considering.

  • Treating a kano as a plain, unfilled biscuit

    PLUS describes the Aviateur Kano biscuits reviewed as containing 46% almond paste filling. They’re a different type of product from the plain wheat biscuits reviewed.

    Decide whether you want a filled treat or a biscuit to serve with coffee or tea. Only compare nutritional information for the varieties you’re actually considering.

  • Relying on an old shop listing or pack

    Jumbo lists a 325 g pack of Aviateur biscuits as no longer available in its online range. This doesn’t tell you whether other pack sizes are available, or whether they’re stocked by other retailers.

    Check the variety you want with your chosen retailer and read the packaging again when it arrives, especially if allergens are a concern.

Brands to compare

Aviateur

For filled kano biscuits: PLUS describes the 230 g pack reviewed as containing 46% almond paste filling.

  • The PLUS product page provides ingredients, allergen and nutritional information for this variety.
  • Don’t assume every retailer stocks the same pack or has it available. Check the label before serving too.

McVitie's

Digestive Original is listed as a wheat biscuit in a 400 g pack on the Joybuy product page.

  • The Original variety gives you a specific product to compare with a filled kano biscuit.
  • Original contains wheat and may contain milk. Chocolate varieties have their own ingredients and nutritional information.

Verkade

Albert Heijn lists Digestive Original as a wheat biscuit; the pack reviewed contains 400 g.

  • The product information lets you compare this specific Original variety with others.
  • The variety reviewed contains wheat and may contain milk. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.

AH

Albert Heijn describes AH Digestive volkoren as a biscuit made with wheat flour and containing 37% wholemeal wheat flour, in a 400 g pack.

  • The listed ingredients and pack size help you compare this variety with other digestives.
  • The product page describes this variety as vegan and lactose-free, but also lists wheat and possible traces of barley, oats and rye.

Schär

Albert Heijn sells the Digestive Landtaler reviewed as a gluten-free and wheat-free biscuit.

  • The specific gluten-free label makes this variety relevant if a regular wheat biscuit isn’t suitable.
  • This variety contains soya and may contain egg and lupin. Check the full label.

Regular digestives at Joybuy

This regular digestive is an option if you’d like to serve a plain biscuit with tea or share biscuits around the time of the parade.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g pack

McVities Digestive Original 400 g

A wheat biscuit for anyone who’d like to serve a plain biscuit with tea.

The pack contains 400 g. According to the product information, this variety contains wheat and may contain milk. If you have an allergy, check the label on the pack you receive.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are kano biscuits and digestives the same type of biscuit?

No. PLUS describes the Aviateur Kano biscuits reviewed as containing 46% almond paste filling, while the Verkade and McVitie's digestives reviewed are wheat biscuits. So choose between a filled treat and a plain biscuit, depending on the occasion you have in mind.

Can I serve a regular digestive as a gluten-free option?

Not based on the product name: the regular varieties reviewed from Verkade, AH and McVitie's contain wheat. The Schär Digestive Landtaler reviewed is sold as gluten-free, but contains soya and may contain egg and lupin. Be sure to read the full label on this variety too.

Which allergens should I look out for in kano biscuits?

The Aviateur Kano biscuits reviewed contain wheat, soya, milk and almond, among other ingredients, and may contain egg. If you’re serving guests with allergies, use the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re going to serve.

How should I store biscuits until the parade?

Follow the storage advice on the pack you’ve chosen. The product information for the McVitie's Digestive Original reviewed recommends keeping it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, heat and moisture, and keeping the pack sealed after opening.