Only choose a croissant with an explicit wholemeal label if wholemeal is a must-have for your lunch spread: visible seeds or the word ‘multiseed’ are no proof. The AH Meerzaden croissant lists wheat flour as its first ingredient, so you shouldn’t treat this variety as wholemeal. For a group lunch, also check the nutritional information per portion and the allergen information for the product you choose.
Wants to be able to show that the wholemeal part of the office lunch is actually labelled as wholemeal. Start by checking the croissant you choose; a separate wholemeal roll may be an alternative if the croissant doesn’t carry that label.
Buys several portions and needs to choose between croissants that are ready to serve and those that need to be prepared. The number of items, available oven space and serving time all affect which product format will work best.
Needs information about the allergens in the exact variety chosen before buying. For unwrapped croissants, it’s important to ask the seller for this information, as there may not be individual packaging to check.
First decide whether wholemeal is essential, or whether the croissant can accompany a separate wholemeal lunch option. Then choose a product format and number of portions to suit your office, and check the allergens for each variety you select.
When: if the croissant itself needs to be the wholemeal part of the lunch.
Consider: check the specific product for a wholemeal label. If it doesn’t have one, a separate wholemeal roll can serve that purpose.
When: if you’d like a croissant with seeds and wholemeal isn’t essential.
Consider: multiseed doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal; Albert Heijn lists wheat flour as the first ingredient in the AH Meerzaden croissant.
When: if you want to add variety alongside a separate wholemeal lunch option.
Consider: a plant-based label doesn’t tell you whether the croissant contains wholemeal flour or provide complete allergen information.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for a wholemeal label on the croissant you choose, and compare fibre per portion and per 100 g. | If I want to buy a wholemeal lunch option, I shouldn’t judge by a croissant’s colour or seeds. For around 33% of consumers, being able to verify that a product is wholemeal is the top priority. |
| Portions and preparation | Check the number of items, the product format and any preparation instructions. | For a group lunch, I want to serve enough portions at a time when the available oven space allows it. For around 27% of consumers, practicality is the main priority. |
| Allergens | Read the allergen information for every variety you choose; for unwrapped products, ask the seller. | If colleagues have allergies, I want to know which information applies to their croissant before placing the order. This is the most important buying consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Variety | Check each variety separately and compare its nutritional information per portion. | If the croissant doesn’t need to be the wholemeal part of the lunch, I want to offer variety alongside a separate wholemeal option. Around 20% of consumers put this choice first. |
Seeds don’t tell you whether the flour in a croissant is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a product that isn’t made entirely from wholemeal flour can’t be labelled as wholemeal.
Check the specific croissant’s packaging or product page for a wholemeal label, then read the ingredients and fibre content.
The AH Meerzaden croissant lists, among other things, cereals containing gluten and milk. Allergen information isn’t always available on packaging for unwrapped products; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says the seller must make this information available in another way.
Before buying, ask for the allergen information for every variety you’re considering for your colleagues.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average figures of 1.1 g of fibre and 5 g of saturated fat for a 45 g croissant. These figures aren’t nutritional information for every individual croissant.
Compare the current nutritional information for the varieties you choose on the same basis, for example per 100 g and per portion.
A bake-at-home or frozen croissant needs different preparation from one that’s ready to serve. For a group lunch, getting the quantities, oven space and timing wrong can leave you with unused products.
Work out how many portions you need in advance, and check the product format and preparation instructions before ordering.
The AH Meerzaden croissant is a seeded croissant whose product information lists its ingredients and nutritional values.
Jumbo offers regular, butter and plant-based croissants, among other options, in a range of pack sizes.
Lidl describes a multiseed croissant available in store.
ALDI offers a fresh butter croissant sold individually.
Dirk offers croissants as part of a range that includes rolls.
No, the word ‘multiseed’ doesn’t prove that a croissant is wholemeal. The AH Meerzaden croissant lists wheat flour as its first ingredient. If you want a wholemeal option, look for an explicit label on the packaging or in the product specification; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that a product must be made entirely from wholemeal flour to carry that label.
Ask the seller about the allergens in the specific croissant before buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for unwrapped products must be given to consumers in a way other than on packaging.
They can work well if you have enough time and oven space to prepare the croissants you’ve chosen according to their instructions. Before ordering, also check how many are in each pack and make sure the preparation fits your serving time.
No, you can’t assume that for every croissant. The ingredients list for the AH Meerzaden croissant includes iodised salt; if this matters to you, check the ingredients list for any other variety you’re considering.
