If toast is only taken from the office biscuit tin occasionally, choose a small pack of around 100–120 g so you don’t have to open too much at once. For colleagues who help themselves to toast on different days, a larger pack with individual sachets may be more practical. Also check that the flavour goes well with the toppings, and read the current label if you have allergies or other dietary requirements.
If you’re filling the tin for a few colleagues or the occasional meeting, a 100–120 g pack can help avoid having lots of toast open at once. For example, Jumbo lists Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel at 120 g, while Lidl offers party toast in the 100–150 g weight range.
If colleagues help themselves on different days, it’s worth looking for individual inner packs. Albert Heijn lists AH Melba toast naturel in a 240 g pack containing 12 packs of 6 pieces of toast.
If the toast needs to suit colleagues’ dietary requirements, check the allergens and salt content on the current label for each product. Also look for a mention of baker’s salt or iodised salt if iodine is one of your selection criteria. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt.
First, work out how much toast is usually eaten between restocking. Then compare how much needs to be opened at a time, and check the flavour and label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Amount opened | Compare the pack weight and check whether it contains individual inner packs. | If toast is only taken from the tin occasionally, I don’t want to be left with a large pack that’s already open. Around 40% of consumers prioritise limiting leftovers. |
| Stock for the team | Count the inner packs and work out how often the tin is restocked. | When colleagues help themselves to toast on different days, I want to have enough in stock without opening everything at once. For around 30% of consumers, keeping the team supplied comes first. |
| Label information | Check the allergens, salt content per 100 g and, where relevant, whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | If I’m putting out toast for colleagues with specific dietary requirements, I need to be able to check what’s in it. Around 20% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
| Flavour and presentation | Choose between plain toast and a seasoned variety; also consider the shape if it matters for the toppings. | When choosing toppings for a meeting, I want to know whether the toast itself adds flavour. Around 10% of consumers give flavour and presentation top priority. |
This description doesn’t tell you how much toast is in the pack. Dutch retailers stock a range of pack sizes and products with individually portioned inner packs.
Compare the exact weight, the number of inner packs and how much toast the office is likely to get through.
A 240 g pack isn’t necessarily more practical for a tin that’s used infrequently. What also matters is whether you can open smaller portions separately.
If demand is low, choose a smaller pack or, with a larger pack, check how much toast you need to open from each inner pack.
Ingredients vary between toast products. Dutch toast doesn’t automatically contain iodine from baker’s salt either: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use this salt.
Check the current label for allergens and, if iodine is relevant, for baker’s salt or iodised salt.
Opened toast can lose its crunch when exposed to moisture.
Top up the tin with a small amount and keep the rest tightly sealed. Albert Heijn recommends storing its melba toast in a closed tin after opening.
AH Melba toast naturel is worth considering if individual portions matter: Albert Heijn lists a 240 g pack, divided into 12 packs of 6 pieces of toast.
Jumbo lists Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel at 120 g, as well as other melba toast varieties from the brand.
At Jumbo, you can compare products including Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel at 120 g and Haust Krokant Toast at 100 g.
ALDI lists Sun Snacks Melba Toast Naturel at 240 g, along with toast products in other pack sizes.
Bolletje Ciabatta Snack Crackers Tomaat & Kruiden are an alternative if you’re looking for seasoned crackers in small portions, rather than plain melba toast.
These Joybuy products have a low listed pack weight and are particularly worth considering if there’s little demand for the office biscuit tin. If you’ll be using them gradually, check the packaging to see whether the toast is divided into individual portions.
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A small pack for a tin that isn’t used every day.
The listed pack weight is 100 g. Check whether it contains individual portions if you don’t want to open the whole pack at once.
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For a small office stock cupboard if you’re looking for round melba toast to serve with toppings.
The listed pack weight is 100 g. Check the packaging to see whether you can open individual portions.
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A small pack to consider if rice toast is what you’d like to offer in the office biscuit tin; this isn’t melba toast.
The listed pack weight is 65 g. The allergen information for this product is contradictory, so check the current label before offering it to colleagues with allergies.
Don’t use ‘half loaf’ to compare toast packs. Check the listed pack weight and whether there are individual portions: Jumbo, for example, offers 120 g of melba toast, while Albert Heijn lists a 240 g multipack with 12 individual packs.
Only open what you need and keep the rest sealed. Albert Heijn recommends storing its melba toast in a closed tin after opening; Jumbo says its Haust toast should be kept away from moisture and heat.
No, don’t assume it does just because it’s toast. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt.
Don’t assume they are. The product information for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel and AH Melba toast naturel lists gluten-containing ingredients. If colleagues need to avoid gluten, always check the current label for the exact variety you’re buying.
