Who are you choosing for?

For a table with several dishes

A plain digestive can be served on its own with coffee or tea. Check the pack size if several guests will be sharing them.

For guests with dietary requirements or allergies

If a guest needs to avoid gluten or a specific allergen, the label on the pack you actually buy is what matters. A standard wheat digestive won’t necessarily be suitable.

For a distinctly sweet treat

A chocolate digestive or a filled kano pastry suits a different occasion from a plain biscuit. So decide first whether you want to serve a biscuit or a treat in its own right.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide what role the biscuit will play on the table. Then check the packaging for any ingredients and allergens that matter to your guests.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Plain biscuits and pack size Choose a plain digestive and compare the pack size with the number of guests and the other brunch dishes. If I want to offer a simple biscuit alongside other dishes, I’ll mainly look for a plain variety in a suitable pack size. For around 36% of consumers, this simple role at the table comes first.
Gluten and other allergens If you need a gluten-free option, look for one explicitly labelled gluten-free; check the other allergens on the pack too. When a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I don’t want to rely on the product name alone. For around 29% of consumers, this check is their main priority.
Wholemeal or a dessert base Check the ingredients of a wholemeal variety, or choose a biscuit that’s suitable for the dessert you’re making. Wholemeal wheat is not gluten-free. If I want to make crumbs for a dessert or specifically serve a wholemeal digestive, that will determine my choice. For around 21% of consumers, this use is the most important factor.
Chocolate or a filled pastry Choose between a chocolate-coated digestive and a separate filled kano pastry; compare the ingredients if guests need to avoid anything. If I’m deliberately looking for a sweeter treat, whether it has chocolate or a filling makes a difference. This flavour preference comes first for around 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming kano pastries and digestives are the same kind of biscuit

    Albert Heijn describes its butter kano pastries as filled pastries with almond paste and almonds. A plain digestive is a wheat biscuit, so the two products have different roles on the table.

    Choose digestives if you’re looking for a dry biscuit, and kano pastries if you want to serve a filled pastry on its own.

  • Confusing wholemeal or vegan with gluten-free

    Jumbo Digestive Wholemeal contains wheat. A plain digestive labelled vegan or lactose-free may also contain wheat.

    If you need a gluten-free option, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the other allergens as well.

  • Serving a 0%-sugar variety without checking the label

    Albert Heijn says that AH Digestive 0% sugar contains sweeteners and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check whether this variety suits your guests’ preferences rather than treating it as a general substitute for a plain digestive.

  • Relying on a range you checked earlier

    The pack or variety available to buy may change between planning your brunch and doing the shopping.

    Check your chosen shop shortly before buying, and read the label on the pack when it arrives.

Brands worth comparing

Compare the specific variety, not just the brand name: ingredients and allergens can differ within the same range.

Albert Heijn

The range includes plain and 0%-sugar digestives, as well as butter kano pastries as a separate product type.

  • AH Digestive is sold in a 400 g pack and, according to Albert Heijn, is vegan and lactose-free.
  • The plain variety contains wheat; AH Digestive 0% sugar carries a warning about excessive consumption.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers plain and wholemeal digestives, making it easy to compare varieties of the same type of biscuit.

  • The plain and wholemeal varieties are sold in 400 g packs.
  • The wholemeal variety contains wheat, so it isn’t a gluten-free option.

PLUS

PLUS offers a plain digestive and a separate dark chocolate variety.

  • PLUS labels its 400 g plain variety as vegan and lactose-free.
  • The plain variety contains wheat; guests avoiding milk or soya should also check the label on the chocolate variety.

Lidl / Sondey

Lidl lists a 400 g plain digestive as a store product; Sondey is a brand of biscuits and snacks.

  • The stated pack size makes it easy to compare with other plain varieties.
  • For dietary requirements or allergens, check the packaging in store.

ALDI / Biscotto

Biscotto is an own brand under which ALDI sells digestive biscuits.

  • ALDI describes the 400 g pack as containing around 27 wheat biscuits.
  • For guests with dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you buy.

Verkade

Verkade Digestive Original is a branded variety you can compare with own-brand digestives.

  • This variety is an option if you’re specifically looking for a Verkade digestive.
  • The variety described by Albert Heijn contains wheat and may contain traces of milk; check the range at your chosen shop.

Digestives on Joybuy

These two digestives suit different roles on the brunch table: one is a plain biscuit, while the other is made with milk chocolate. Kano pastries and gluten-free biscuits aren’t included in this product selection.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g

For anyone looking to serve a plain digestive with coffee or tea; the pack contains 400 g. If you need to avoid wheat or gluten, you’ll need a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free. If you have allergies, check the label on the pack you buy.

View on Joybuy
McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate, 266 g

McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate, 266 g

For anyone looking to serve a milk chocolate digestive alongside a plain biscuit; the pack contains 266 g. This isn’t a plain or gluten-free variety. If you need to avoid milk, soya or wheat, check the label on the pack you buy.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are kano pastries digestive biscuits?

No. Albert Heijn describes its kano pastries as filled butter pastries, while a plain digestive is a wheat biscuit. Serve kano pastries as a separate treat if you’re not looking for a dry biscuit.

Which digestive should I choose for a guest who needs to eat gluten-free?

Choose a digestive explicitly labelled gluten-free, such as Schär Digestive Landtaler, and check the label on the pack you buy. Jumbo says its wholemeal digestive contains wheat; with Schär, soya and possible traces of lupin and egg are also worth checking.

Do I still need to check allergens on the packaging?

Yes. Before serving, check the label on the pack you actually bought, especially if a guest needs to avoid a specific ingredient. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the labels of prepacked foods.

Is a 0%-sugar digestive suitable for every guest?

No. That label doesn’t automatically make the product suitable for everyone. Albert Heijn says that AH Digestive 0% sugar contains sweeteners and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect; check the ingredients before choosing this variety.

How should I store the biscuits and other brunch foods?

Follow the storage instructions on the biscuit packaging and seal an opened pack well. For perishable brunch foods, the Nutrition Centre recommends, among other things, setting your fridge to 4 °C and keeping raw and cooked foods separate.