Who is this choice relevant to?

Party organiser with a strict sugar target

You’re looking for biscuits with as little sugar as possible, so you compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion. The ingredients, including any polyols, matter too.

Party planner who wants to hand them out easily

You want to know in advance how many biscuits you’ll need for the group. Small portions or individually wrapped packs can make handing them out easier, but they don’t tell you how much sugar the biscuits contain.

Organiser who takes guests’ needs into account

You ask about allergies and dietary requirements in advance, and check the allergens, ingredients and any warnings for each biscuit variety.

What should you look for when choosing?

Biscuits with no sugars, a reduced-sugar variety and an everyday party biscuit suit different needs. First decide which sugar target matters most for your party, then check whether the portions and ingredients are suitable for your guests.

Biscuits with no sugars

A good choice when: a low listed sugar content matters more than a familiar biscuit flavour. Jumbo lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Coconut and 0.4 g for Céréal Almond Speculoos.

Things to consider: these varieties contain polyols; check the allergens for your chosen variety too.

Reduced-sugar cake or cake bar

A good choice when: a reduction compared with a reference product is enough and individually portioned packaging is convenient.

Things to consider: Jumbo compares its Reduced-Sugar Breakfast Cake with its own plain variety, but it still lists 22.7 g of sugars per 100 g.

Regular party biscuits

A good choice when: flavour or a familiar treat matters more than reducing sugar.

Things to consider: Albert Heijn lists 38 g of sugars per 100 g for Lotus Biscoff XL Speculoos. So don’t treat this variety as a reduced-sugar biscuit.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar content Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per biscuit; also check which product a ‘less sugar’ claim is comparing it with. For my party, I mainly want to know how much sugar is actually in a biscuit, even if the pack says ‘less sugar’. This is the main priority for around 42% of consumers.
Portions and serving Check how many biscuits there are, the portion size and whether they’re individually wrapped. When I’m serving a group, I want to be able to work out in advance how many each person will get. For around 33% of consumers, portioning is the main concern.
Allergens and sweeteners Read the allergen information and ingredients list for your chosen variety, including any polyols. With a range of guests at the table, I want to know whether the ingredients and warnings are suitable for them. This check matters most to around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Relying only on ‘less sugar’

    The claim compares a product with a reference product; it doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product actually contains. Jumbo lists both a reduction compared with its own plain variety and 22.7 g of sugars per 100 g for its Reduced-Sugar Breakfast Cake.

    Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, then use the stated portion size to work out how much sugar is in each portion you serve.

  • Assuming ‘no sugars’ means ‘no sweeteners’

    The Céréal varieties reviewed contain polyols. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that large amounts of polyols can cause intestinal discomfort.

    Check the ingredients and warnings on the pack, especially if guests might have more than one biscuit.

  • Offering the same biscuit to every guest

    A low sugar content doesn’t tell you anything about allergens. According to Jumbo, the Céréal Almond Speculoos reviewed contains, among other things, almonds, egg, milk, soya and wheat.

    Ask about allergies in advance and check the label of every variety you plan to serve before buying.

  • Presenting regular speculoos as a low-sugar choice

    Lotus Biscoff XL Speculoos is suitable for vegans and comes in small bags, according to Albert Heijn, but it contains 38 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Choose these biscuits only if you specifically want regular speculoos, not as a substitute for a lower-sugar variety.

Brands and where to shop

These examples show product ranges you can compare. The nutritional information and allergens apply to the specific variety mentioned, not to an entire brand or range.

Céréal

Biscuit varieties for anyone who mainly wants to compare the stated sugar content.

  • Jumbo lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for Céréal Coconut and 0.4 g per 100 g for Almond Speculoos.
  • The varieties contain polyols; ingredients and allergens vary from one biscuit to another.

Albert Heijn

A shopping option with a category for sugar-conscious biscuits, including Céréal varieties.

  • The category includes chocolate chip biscuits and sugar-free almond speculoos, among other products.
  • Check the current nutritional information and allergens on each pack you choose, rather than relying on the category name.

Jumbo

A shopping option for Céréal biscuits and Jumbo’s own reduced-sugar breakfast cake bar.

  • Jumbo Reduced-Sugar Breakfast Cake contains six portions and is listed as having at least 30% less sugar than Jumbo Plain Breakfast Cake Bar.
  • The same breakfast cake bar contains 22.7 g of sugars per 100 g; ‘less’ doesn’t mean ‘none’.

Lotus Biscoff

A regular speculoos option when flavour and individually wrapped treats matter more than reducing sugar.

  • According to Albert Heijn, the XL Speculoos pack contains ten bags with two biscuits in each and is suitable for vegans.
  • Albert Heijn lists 38 g of sugars per 100 g for this variety; it isn’t a reduced-sugar biscuit.

Goud Gebakken

ALDI own-brand cake biscuits, including a reduced-sugar variety.

  • ALDI lists a variety with 30% less sugar and six individually wrapped biscuits.
  • Before buying, compare the nutritional information and allergens on the pack with your guests’ needs.

Biscuits on Joybuy for your party

These oat biscuits are one option to assess for their stated sugar and sweetener content before serving them at a birthday party.

Panpan oat biscuits, 216 g pack

Panpan oat biscuits 216 g

Consider these biscuits only if the nutritional information on the pack matches your sugar target and your guests’ needs.

The product listing says ‘Sugar-Free’, while the nutritional information provided states 11.7 g of sugars per 100 g. So don’t rely on the product name alone. Also check the listed maltitol (E965), the allergens and the amount per biscuit before deciding on portions.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘less sugar’ mean the same as ‘no sugars’?

No. ‘Less sugar’ compares a product with a reference product. You should also check how much sugar the variety you choose contains per 100 g and per portion. Jumbo lists 22.7 g per 100 g for its Reduced-Sugar Breakfast Cake, compared with 0 g for Céréal Coconut and 0.4 g for Céréal Almond Speculoos.

Can I serve biscuits with no sugars to every guest?

Not without checking the ingredients. Biscuits with no sugars can still contain allergens; according to Jumbo, the Céréal Almond Speculoos mentioned contains, among other things, almonds, egg, milk, soya and wheat. Ask guests about allergies in advance and read the allergen information on the pack.

Why do some biscuits with sweeteners carry a warning about excessive consumption?

The warning may relate to polyols in the product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large amounts of polyols can cause intestinal discomfort. So read the ingredients and warnings for the variety you choose, and consider how many biscuits you’ll be serving.

What else should I check for a children’s party?

Ask in advance about the children’s allergies and dietary requirements. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also recommends taking into account foods that children may avoid for religious reasons when choosing party treats. Then check the packaging of the biscuits you plan to serve.