Which biscuit is right for you?

Fans of filled biscuits with their coffee

If you’re after a classic kano filled with almond paste to enjoy with coffee or tea, it’s a different type of biscuit from a digestive. Jumbo and Albert Heijn describe their kanos as filled biscuits.

Shoppers looking for unfilled digestives

If you want a wheat biscuit without almond paste filling, you can compare digestives by their nutritional value and ingredients. Albert Heijn’s product descriptions distinguish these biscuits from kanos.

Shoppers who read labels carefully

If particular ingredients or allergens matter to your choice, check each pack individually. The ingredients and allergens listed vary between the kanos and digestives covered here.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want a filled kano or an unfilled digestive. Then compare products of the same type by their nutritional value and ingredients.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Biscuit type and filling Read the product description and check whether almond paste is included. Jumbo lists 38% almond paste in its butter kano; Albert Heijn lists 40% filling in its butter kano. With my coffee, I specifically want a filled kano, not an unfilled biscuit. Around 40% of consumers give biscuit type and classic flavour top priority.
Nutritional value and portion size Compare sugars, saturated fat and fibre per 100 g, then consider the portion you’ll eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that nutritional values on labels are given per 100 g. When choosing between packs of biscuits, I want to compare like with like. For around 30% of consumers, comparing nutritional values comes first.
Ingredients and allergens Check the current ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning. A claim such as lactose-free says nothing about all the other ingredients. I need to know whether a pack contains ingredients I avoid, even if I like the type of biscuit. For around 30% of consumers, this check is their first priority.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking a kano for a digestive

    A kano filled with almond paste and an unfilled wheat biscuit differ in both filling and biscuit type. So the brand name or where it sits on the biscuit shelf won’t tell you what you’re getting.

    Choose the type of biscuit you want first, then compare the options within that category.

  • Going by the word ‘digestive’ alone

    Nutritional values and ingredients vary between digestives too. A chocolate variety is also different from an unfilled digestive.

    Check the nutritional information per 100 g and make sure you know which variety is on the pack.

  • Overlooking a ‘may contain’ warning

    The biscuits covered here list different allergens. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly stated on the label.

    Whenever you buy a new pack, read the allergen information and check for any warnings about possible traces.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

The own-label range includes both a butter kano and a digestive, making it easy to tell the two biscuit types apart.

  • Albert Heijn states that its butter kano has a 40% almond paste filling.
  • AH Digestive is labelled vegan and lactose-free, but contains wheat. Check the current packaging if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.

Verkade

Verkade Digestive Original is a wheat biscuit for anyone looking for an unfilled digestive.

  • The nutritional information listed by Albert Heijn gives 3.6 g of fibre and 17 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The product information also mentions wheat and possible traces of milk; check the label when you buy it.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes its kano as a butter biscuit with almond paste.

  • According to the product description, the biscuit is 38% almond paste.
  • The listed ingredients include almond, egg, milk, soya and wheat, among others; check the warnings on the packaging too.

Aviateur

PLUS describes the Aviateur kano as a biscuit filled with almond paste.

  • PLUS’s product description lists a 46% almond paste filling.
  • The ingredients information includes wheat, soya, milk and almond, among others; egg may also be present.

Heerlijck Banket

ALDI describes Heerlijck Banket’s kanos as patisserie biscuits shaped like canoes.

  • This description helps you identify the product as a kano rather than a digestive.
  • Check the packaging for ingredients and allergens before choosing this variety.

Digestives at Joybuy

These products represent the digestive side of the choice: an Original variety and a milk chocolate variety. If you’re specifically looking for an unfilled biscuit, check the difference.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g pack

McVities Digestive Original 400 g

For anyone looking for the Original variety of a digestive rather than a filled kano. The pack contains 400 g; check the label if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.

View at Joybuy
McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate, 266 g pack

McVitie’s Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g

For anyone who wants a digestive with milk chocolate, rather than an unfilled Original variety. The pack contains 266 g; check the label if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are kanos the same as digestives?

No. Jumbo and Albert Heijn describe the kanos covered here as biscuits filled with almond paste, while the digestives are wheat biscuits. So first decide whether you want a filled biscuit or a digestive.

Which of the two AH biscuits covered here contains less sugar and saturated fat?

According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Digestive contains less sugar and saturated fat per 100 g than AH Roomboter kano’s: 16 g versus 37 g of sugars, and 1.8 g versus 9.6 g of saturated fat, respectively. This comparison applies only to those two products; check the current packaging.

Is a vegan or lactose-free digestive also free from other allergens?

No, those claims don’t mean that all allergens are absent. Albert Heijn labels its Digestive as vegan and lactose-free, but also lists wheat, so check the full allergen information on the current packaging.

How should I store an opened pack of kanos or digestives?

Store the biscuits according to the instructions on the packaging. For the butter kanos and digestive covered here, Albert Heijn recommends keeping them in a sealed tin after opening; also check the best-before date.