If you want one filled biscuit
A kano suits a planned sweet snack break if you’d rather have one filled biscuit than several biscuits. The butter kanos described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo have stated portion sizes of 45 g and 55 g respectively.
Which snack suits you?
If you prefer to choose one biscuit at a time
Individual digestives are a good fit if you want to pick up one biscuit at a time while you play. Albert Heijn gives a portion size of 15 g for its plain digestive; Jumbo lists one McVitie's Digestives Original biscuit as 14.7 g.
If you need to check ingredients and allergens
If you have specific dietary requirements, the exact variant matters more than the type of biscuit. The kanos reviewed list several allergens, while Albert Heijn describes Schär Digestive Landtaler as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free. Check the full label for this variant too.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a filled biscuit or individual biscuits. Then compare the nutritional information and the amount you’ll actually eat. If you have dietary requirements, checking the ingredients and allergens comes first.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Filling and biscuit type | Check whether you’re choosing a filled kano or individual biscuits, and look at the stated portion size. | I’d rather have one filled biscuit for a planned snack break than keep reaching for individual biscuits. Around 31% of consumers put filling and the snacking experience first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars, saturated fat, fibre and salt per 100 g, then check the amount per portion. | What matters to me is the nutrients in the amount I actually eat, not just what’s on the front of the pack. For around 31% of consumers, nutritional information comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings about traces on the exact pack. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know first whether this variant is suitable. This is the most important factor for around 15% of consumers. |
| Packaging and availability | Check the pack size, stated portions and whether the variant you want is available at your chosen shop. | I want a pack that suits the number of snack breaks I have planned and that I can actually buy. Around 23% of consumers put packaging and availability first. |
Common mistakes
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Judging a digestive by its name alone
The name doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fat, fibre or salt a particular biscuit contains. A wholemeal variant can also differ from a plain digestive in these respects.
Compare the nutritional information for each variant per 100 g, then check the portion you plan to have.
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Assuming allergens based on the type of biscuit
The kanos reviewed list ingredients including wheat, milk, egg, soya and almond. A digestive labelled gluten-free may still contain other allergens; for the Schär variant reviewed, Albert Heijn lists soya and possible traces of egg and lupin.
Before buying, read the label on the exact variant, including any warnings about traces.
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Assuming a product page means it’s currently available
A product description can help you compare biscuit types and packaging, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you can order that variant now. For example, the Jumbo page for Aviateur Filled Kanos stated that the product was no longer in its online range.
Check whether the pack you want is available at the shop where you plan to buy it.
Brands to compare
Albert Heijn
The range reviewed includes own-brand plain and wholemeal digestives, butter kanos and a Schär digestive.
- The product descriptions make it possible to compare a filled biscuit with several types of digestive.
- Ingredients and nutritional information can change, so check the pack you buy.
Jumbo
The product information reviewed covers own-brand butter kanos and McVitie's Digestives Original.
- Jumbo describes its kanos as five 55 g portions and lists one biscuit as a portion for the McVitie's Digestives Original reviewed.
- According to the relevant Jumbo page, an Aviateur Kanos variant described previously was no longer in its online range.
McVitie's
Digestives Original is an option if you’d rather have individual biscuits than a filled kano.
- For the Digestives Original described by Jumbo, one biscuit is listed as a 14.7 g portion.
- The Original reviewed contains wheat and may contain milk; check the label if you avoid these ingredients.
Schär
Digestive Landtaler is a separate biscuit option if you’re specifically looking for a product labelled gluten-free.
- Albert Heijn describes the variant reviewed as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free.
- The same product information lists soya and possible traces of egg and lupin. Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from all allergens.
Aviateur
Filled Kanos are a different type of biscuit from an individual digestive.
- The variant described by Jumbo has an almond paste filling.
- The relevant Jumbo page stated that this variant was no longer in its online range. Check current availability before counting on it.
Digestives at Joybuy
These products are on the biscuit side of the choice: a Digestive Original and a milk chocolate variant. Compare them with a kano in terms of biscuit type, ingredients and the amount you want to have.
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McVitie's Digestive Original 400 g
An individual digestive for anyone who’d rather snack on biscuits than have one filled kano while gaming.
400 g pack. If you avoid wheat or milk, check the ingredients and any warnings about traces on the label.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
A milk chocolate digestive for anyone who’d like a biscuit with a chocolate coating to enjoy or share.
266 g pack. Check the nutritional information and, if you have allergies, read the label carefully, particularly for milk, soya and wheat. If portioning out individual biscuits matters to you, check the amount per biscuit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare a kano with a digestive?
First compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then look at the amount you’ll actually eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the figures per 100 g to compare products. The 45 g and 55 g kano portions listed by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are larger than the roughly 15 g biscuit portions for the digestives reviewed.
Does the name digestive tell me anything about its nutritional value?
No. The name doesn’t give you the full picture of sugars, fat, fibre and salt. Read the nutritional information for the specific variant, and compare plain and wholemeal digestives on more than one nutritional value.
Are plain kanos and digestives gluten-free?
The plain kanos and digestives reviewed contain wheat, so they aren’t gluten-free options. Albert Heijn does describe the Schär Digestive Landtaler reviewed as gluten-free and wheat-free; check the current pack for other allergens too.
Can I rely on the type of biscuit if I’m vegan or lactose-free?
No, check the exact variant. Albert Heijn labels its plain and wholemeal digestives reviewed as vegan and lactose-free, while the butter kanos reviewed contain milk and egg. Check the pack again when you buy it.
How should I store an opened pack?
Follow the storage instructions on your pack. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo product pages reviewed recommend storing the biscuits in a cool, dry place; for the kanos and digestives described, Albert Heijn advises keeping them in a sealed tin after opening.