Hosts who are mindful of sugar
You want to serve chocolate biscuits with tea or coffee, so you compare the sugar claim with the nutritional information per 100 g and, where available, per biscuit.
Who is this choice important for?
Hosts with guests who have allergies
You need a separate option whose current ingredients and allergen information you can check. A lower sugar content tells you nothing about whether it contains wheat, milk or soya, for example.
Hosts who want to serve biscuits easily
You want to know in advance how many biscuits are in a pack and whether you’ll put them out as a separate option or buy enough for the whole group.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide which sugar claim you’re looking for. Then check the ingredients and the number of biscuits before planning what to serve at your get-together.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and nutritional value | Read the exact sugar claim and compare sugars, carbohydrates and polyols per 100 g and per biscuit. | If I want to serve less sugar, I want to know what the claim on these biscuits means without losing sight of the other nutritional values. For around 40% of consumers, this comparison would be the top priority. |
| Quantity and portions | Check how many biscuits are in the pack and decide whether you’re planning a separate plate or an option for all your guests. | For my get-together, I want to put out enough biscuits without assuming a small pack will be enough for the whole group. Around 30% of consumers would put ease of serving first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients, allergens and any warning about polyols on each pack. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check what’s in the biscuit before serving it. Checking the ingredients would be the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘less sugar’ means ‘sugar-free’
These claims aren’t interchangeable. Albert Heijn lists Céréal Chocolate chip cookie as containing 0 g of sugars and 61 g of carbohydrates per 100 g; Jumbo lists Céréal Choco Delight Puur as containing 0.5 g of sugars and 60 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
Read both the front of the pack and the full nutritional information, and compare portions on the same basis.
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Skipping the allergen check
The Céréal biscuits described contain allergens or state that other allergens may be present. A sugar claim doesn’t make a biscuit suitable for someone with a food allergy.
Keep the current pack with the biscuits so guests can check the ingredients and allergens for themselves.
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Constantly topping up a plate of biscuits sweetened with polyols
The product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo mentions maltitol or other polyols and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
It’s better to serve sensible portions and leave the pack available for anyone who wants to check the ingredients.
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Assuming one pack will be enough for all your guests
The Céréal packs described each contain 12 biscuits. If everyone needs to be able to choose this option, one pack may not be enough.
Decide in advance whether this is a separate option or part of what you’re offering all your guests, then work out how many biscuits you’ll need.
Brands and ranges to consider
Céréal
Product pages on Albert Heijn and Jumbo list two different chocolate biscuits with low stated sugar values.
- Albert Heijn describes its Chocolate chip cookie as ‘sugar-free’, with 0 g of sugars per 100 g and 12 biscuits per pack.
- Jumbo lists Choco Delight Puur as containing 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Both products described contain polyols, so you’ll need to check the allergens separately.
Verkade
According to Albert Heijn, San Francisco zero is a biscuit with no added sugar.
- The 267 g pack lists 31 servings, which you can take into account when planning quantities.
- This is a tea biscuit, not a chocolate biscuit. According to the product information, it contains wheat, milk and soya.
Albert Heijn
The supermarket has a separate category for biscuits aimed at people who are mindful of sugar, including a Céréal chocolate biscuit.
- The product page lets you check the claim and nutritional information for the specific biscuit.
- Assess each product individually: being in a category for biscuits aimed at people who are mindful of sugar doesn’t mean every biscuit contains chocolate or has the same sugar value.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does a ‘sugar-free’ chocolate biscuit also contain no carbohydrates?
No. Albert Heijn lists Céréal Chocolate chip cookie as containing 0 g of sugars, but 61 g of carbohydrates and 26 g of polyols per 100 g. So, as well as checking ‘of which sugars’, look at the other values in the nutritional information.
Can I serve biscuits containing maltitol to every guest?
You can’t tell from the sugar claim alone. The product information for the Céréal biscuits described warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Let guests check the pack and take their own ingredient preferences into account.
Should I check the allergens again if I’ve bought these biscuits before?
Yes. Check the pack you’ve actually bought when you’re serving the biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains which allergens must be listed on food labels; the ingredients and warnings on the current product are what matter for your guests.
How should I store the biscuits until the get-together?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the biscuit you’ve chosen. For Verkade San Francisco zero, Albert Heijn advises storing it in a dry place, preferably somewhere cool. That advice applies to that tea biscuit and isn’t automatically the right storage advice for a chocolate biscuit.