Festival-goer keeping an eye on sugar
You’re looking for a crunchy snack base and want to compare the sugar content per 100 g and per planned portion, without relying solely on the front of the pack.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Festival-goer who wants to consider fibre
You’re looking for crispbread for a long day at a festival and also want to check the fibre or protein content. You don’t want to overlook salt or ingredients either.
Festival-goer who needs to check allergens
You want to know which grains and allergens a variety contains before buying it. This can vary from product to product, so always check the latest packaging.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start by comparing products per 100 g. Then check the portion you plan to take with you and any features that could affect your choice.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing sugars | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and work out what that means for your planned portion; don’t assess a claim separately from the nutrition information. | If I want to eat less sugar, I want to know how much is in my snack portion rather than relying on a claim alone. Around 39% of consumers put this sugar comparison first. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare fibre and salt on the same basis, per 100 g, and take into account how many crispbreads you’ll have and any toppings. | On a long festival day, I want to consider fibre without unknowingly choosing a lot of salt. Around 23% of consumers give this balance top priority. |
| Taking it with you | Check the storage instructions and packaging; pack moist toppings separately. | I want to take crispbread with me without it going soggy or crumbling before I eat it. This is the main concern for around 23% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients list and the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging. | If I need to avoid certain grains or allergens, the packaging determines whether a variety is suitable for me. Around 15% of consumers give this check top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Relying on ‘less sugar’ alone
A claim about sugars doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt the crispbread contains, and says nothing about allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority emphasises that nutrition claims must be accurate, but a claim doesn’t replace the rest of the product information.
Compare the nutrition information per 100 g and check the ingredients and allergen information too.
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Comparing by cracker only
Crackers can vary in weight. That means the amount of sugars per cracker doesn’t necessarily tell you which product contains less sugar per 100 g.
Compare products per 100 g first, then consider how many crackers you actually want to eat.
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Using fibre as your only criterion
The nutrition information listed by Jumbo for Wasa High-Fiber gives 26 g of fibre, but also 1.2 g of salt per 100 g. Ingredients and allergens matter too.
Consider fibre, sugars and salt together, and check that the ingredients suit your needs.
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Assuming all crispbread contains iodine from baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t assume that crispbread contains it.
If iodised salt is relevant to your choice, check the ingredients of the specific product.
Brands to compare
Wasa (Wasabröd)
The Wasa Sesame and Wasa High-Fiber varieties listed by Jumbo show why it’s worth comparing individual products, even within the same brand.
- For every 100 g, Jumbo lists 1.0 g of sugars and 11 g of fibre for Wasa Sesame; for Wasa High-Fiber, it lists 2.0 g of sugars and 26 g of fibre.
- Jumbo lists 1.2 g of salt per 100 g for both varieties. Check the allergens for each individual variety too.
Ryvita
Ryvita Original Crispbread is another option to compare if you can check the latest Dutch packaging and availability.
- Ryvita’s UK product information lists 2.4 g of sugars and 13.4 g of fibre per 100 g for Original Crispbread.
- Don’t use these UK values as nutrition information for a Dutch pack without checking it first; also check the grains and allergens listed.
Jumbo
Jumbo provides nutrition information for its wholegrain crispbread, as well as for various Wasa varieties.
- For Jumbo Wholegrain Crispbread, Jumbo lists 2.4 g of sugars, 10.9 g of fibre and 0.71 g of salt per 100 g.
- According to Jumbo, the product contains wheat and rye. Check the packaging for the latest information about other allergens too.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s crispbread category includes both own-brand products and products from other brands.
- You can look at the varieties individually before making your choice.
- Compare the nutrition information for the specific products; being listed in the same category tells you nothing about their relative sugar content.
Lidl
Lidl lists a 250 g wholegrain crispbread and states that this item is only available in store.
- You can check the latest product information on the packaging in store.
- Compare sugars, fibre, salt and allergens on the label before comparing this variety with other products.
ALDI
ALDI lists several types of crispbread under the name Goud Gebakken, including wholegrain and rustic varieties.
- The different varieties give you a range of products to look at in store.
- To compare sugars, fibre, salt or allergens, check the nutrition information on the pack you choose.
Crispbread and snacks on Joybuy
The products below include both plain crispbread and a filled crispbread snack. Choose a plain variety if you want to add your own toppings; the cheese sandwich is another option if you’d prefer a filled snack to take with you. When comparing sugar content, always check the nutrition information on the latest packaging.
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Wasa Cheese Sandwich, 3 x 31 g
A filled crispbread snack for anyone who doesn’t want to take their own toppings. The pack contains three 31 g portions; check the sugars and salt on the latest label, and check the allergens if they’re relevant to your choice.
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Wasa High-Fiber Crackers, 300 g
A plain option to consider if you want to compare fibre as well as sugars. The pack is 300 g; before buying, check the salt content and the ingredients and allergen information too.
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Wasa Rustic Crispbread, 215 g
A plain crispbread base for anyone who wants to choose their own toppings. The pack is 215 g; compare the sugars and salt per 100 g on the label, and check the information about rye and any other relevant allergens.
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Bolletje Whole Grain Crispbread, 265 g
A wholegrain crispbread base for anyone who wants to take fibre into account when choosing. The pack is 265 g; before comparing sugars and salt, check what quantity the values on the label refer to. Check the allergens too.
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g'woon Wholemeal Crispbread, 375 g
A wholegrain crispbread base for anyone who wants to put together their own snack. The pack is 375 g; check what quantity the sugar and salt values on the label refer to. If you have allergies, carefully read the latest ingredients and allergen information, particularly the information about egg and milk.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘less sugar’ tell you everything about the nutritional value of crispbread?
No. A claim refers to the property it mentions, not the full nutritional value. As well as checking ‘of which sugars’, look at the fibre and salt values, the ingredients and how much you plan to eat.
Does ‘sugar-free’ mean the same as ‘less sugar’?
No, these are different nutrition claims. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority emphasises that such claims must be accurate. Use the nutrition information per 100 g and the portion size to compare products for your needs.
Can I choose any crispbread if I need to avoid gluten?
Not without checking the label. The Wasa and Jumbo varieties described contain wheat, rye or other gluten-containing grains. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information for each variety.
Does Dutch crispbread always contain iodine from baker’s salt?
No, you can’t assume that. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients of the specific crispbread.
How can I keep crispbread crunchy at a street festival?
Keep it dry and pack moist toppings separately until you’re ready to eat. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the variety you take with you.