Office teams keeping an eye on sugar
You’re looking for something to enjoy with a tea or coffee and want to compare the sugar content. When choosing sweet alternatives, also check which ingredients have been used, such as maltitol.
Who is this choice relevant to?
People buying snacks for a shared office stash
You’re choosing for several colleagues. That makes the allergen information for the option you select, and any cross-contamination warnings, just as important as its nutritional value.
Teams looking for an everyday snack
You don’t just want to put out a different biscuit. Fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread are also options to consider for your regular supplies, as the Voedingscentrum points out.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the office wants to replace a biscuit with tea or coffee, or is looking for an everyday snack. You’ll then need to check the sugar content, suitability for colleagues and the nutritional value of the snack as a whole.
Regular spritz biscuits
When: for a familiar biscuit break if cutting down on sugar isn’t your main purchasing goal.
The trade-off: the regular spritz biscuits mentioned contain 28 g and 24.2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively, according to Albert Heijn and Verkade.
Lower-sugar biscuit alternative
When: if you want to keep the biscuit break but prioritise sugar content.
The trade-off: ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’ don’t mean the same thing. Check for polyols and allergens too.
A different everyday snack
When: if keeping the office stocked with regular snacks matters more than finding a spritz-style replacement.
The trade-off: fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts or wholemeal bread make for a different kind of snack. If you’re stocking a shared stash, remember to check allergens and storage requirements too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per portion. Don’t assume ‘sugar-free’ means the same as ‘no added sugars’. | If I’m buying something sweet to have with coffee, I want to know how much sugar a portion contains. For around 42% of consumers, low sugar is the top priority when making this choice. |
| Shared supplies | Read the allergen information for the flavour you choose and check the current packaging for any ‘may contain’ warnings. | When several colleagues are choosing from the same stash, I want to be able to take their allergies into account. For around 33% of consumers, suitability is the top priority. |
| Everyday snack | As well as sugars, compare ingredients, fibre, saturated fat, salt and portion size. Consider other types of snacks too. | When stocking up for everyday snacks, I want to look beyond the sugar line on a biscuit packet. Around 25% of consumers put their choice of everyday snack first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘no added sugars’ means ‘sugar-free’
Verkade says San Francisco Zero contains no added sugars, but it still has 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. So the wording on the front doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product contains.
Check the ‘of which sugars’ line in the nutrition table, both per 100 g and per portion.
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Overlooking allergens once the sugar content suits you
The spritz biscuits and biscuit alternatives mentioned contain various allergens, including wheat, milk, egg, soya and nuts. Ingredients can vary between varieties.
Check the allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings on the exact product you’re buying for the office.
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Not taking polyols into account
Some lower-sugar biscuit alternatives contain maltitol. According to the Voedingscentrum, consuming large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems.
Read the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging. If you’re stocking a shared stash, offer an alternative without polyols too.
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Using low sugar as the only way to compare snacks
The amount of sugar doesn’t tell you how much fibre, saturated fat or salt a product contains. The Voedingscentrum notes that snacks can differ in all these areas.
Compare the full nutritional information and portion size when putting together regular office supplies.
Brands to compare
Verkade
Verkade offers a regular spritz biscuit, NoboSprits Original, and a separate biscuit with no added sugars, San Francisco Zero. They aren’t two versions of the same biscuit with identical ingredients.
- Verkade lists 24.2 g of sugars per 100 g for NoboSprits Original and 1.7 g per 100 g for San Francisco Zero.
- According to Verkade, San Francisco Zero contains maltitol, wheat, milk and soya. Check the packaging you choose if allergens or polyols are a consideration.
Céréal
Céréal biscuits are worth comparing if a lower-sugar biscuit alternative is your priority; their features vary by flavour.
- Jumbo lists 0.4 g of sugars per 100 g for the Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces variety.
- The same product information lists polyols and allergens, including almond, wheat, egg, milk and soya. Check the current packaging for the variety you choose.
Albert Heijn
At Albert Heijn, you can compare regular spritz biscuits with products in the range the retailer describes as ‘sugar-conscious’. That label doesn’t mean the individual products are all alike.
- Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen, of which 25 g per 100 g are added sugars.
- Before buying, check the current ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for the specific product.
Products for different snack occasions
These Joybuy products show different ways to switch up the office biscuit break: crispbread or crackers, a muesli bar and an oat biscuit. They aren’t all spritz biscuits or sugar-free biscuits. For each product, check that the current nutritional information and allergen details suit your office supplies.
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Wasa High-Fiber Crackers, 300 g
A crunchy alternative for offices that don’t necessarily want a biscuit with their coffee. These are crackers, not spritz biscuits, so compare the current nutritional information and allergens before adding them to a shared stash.
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Wasa Sourdough Rye Crackers, 235 g
For anyone considering a rye cracker instead of a sweet biscuit. These aren’t spritz biscuits either, so check the current packaging for nutritional information and allergens before sharing them with colleagues.
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Hero B'Tween Muesli Bar Zero White Chocolate, 120 g
A muesli bar for a different kind of snack break from spritz biscuits or other biscuits. Before comparing sugar content, read the nutritional information per 100 g and per bar. Check the ingredients for polyols and read the allergen information too.
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Bolletje Light Whole Grain Crackers, 190 g
A cracker option instead of a traditional biscuit. If you’re comparing crackers with spritz biscuits or other snacks, check the current nutritional information. For a shared stash, read the allergen information too.
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Panpan Low GI Sugar-Free Oat High Fiber Biscuits, 216 g
An oat biscuit for anyone looking for something closer to a spritz biscuit for their snack break. Don’t take ‘Sugar-Free’ in the product name as confirmation that the biscuit contains no sugars: the nutritional information available also lists sugars. Check the current table and allergen information before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Are regular spritz biscuits sugar-free?
The regular spritz biscuits compared here aren’t sugar-free. Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen, while Verkade lists 24.2 g per 100 g for NoboSprits Original. For any other variety, check its own nutrition table.
What’s the difference between ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’?
‘No added sugars’ doesn’t mean a product contains no sugars. Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for San Francisco Zero, which the brand offers with no added sugars. The ‘of which sugars’ line shows the figures in the nutrition table for the variety you’ve chosen.
What should I look for in biscuits containing maltitol for the office?
As well as the sugar content, check the ingredients, portion information and allergen details. Maltitol is a polyol; according to the Voedingscentrum, consuming large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems. Offering an alternative without polyols gives colleagues another option.
What can I put out every day if I’m not looking for another biscuit?
Fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and wholemeal bread are snack options recommended by the Voedingscentrum. For a shared stash, choose items that are practical to store. For packaged products and nuts, check the information that’s relevant to colleagues with allergies.