For a New Year’s breakfast, start by choosing a mix whose organic status you can check on the packaging. Then compare the grain base, allergen information and any ingredients you need to add yourself: an organic wheat mix, a multigrain mix and a buckwheat mix each suit different preferences. Organic doesn’t automatically mean gluten-free or allergen-free, and making plant-based pancakes also depends on how you prepare them.
You don’t want to rely on words such as ‘natural’ or ‘multigrain’ when choosing a mix for your New Year’s breakfast. Check the packaging for the organic designation, the EU organic logo where applicable, and the ingredients list.
You’re choosing deliberately between a mix made with wheat flour, a blend of different grains or one based mainly on buckwheat. If you’re making brunch for a group, check how many pancakes the pack says it will make and what else you’ll need to add.
You want to assess the dry mix, possible traces and batter ingredients separately. An organic designation alone doesn’t answer questions about allergens or plant-based preparation.
Start with the organic designation, then decide which grain base and preparation method suit your breakfast. Skal Biocontrole states that the EU organic logo is mandatory for prepacked foods produced in the EU and sold as organic. Always check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose, too.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic designation | Look for the EU organic logo where applicable and read the organic designation on the current packaging. | If I’m specifically looking for an organic mix, I want to be able to recognise the designation on the pack rather than rely on the product name. For around 36% of consumers, this would be the most important selection criterion. |
| Allergens and preparation | Read both ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements, and check which ingredients you need to add to the batter. | If I’m cooking for someone with an allergen restriction or avoiding animal ingredients, the whole preparation needs to meet their needs. This would be the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Grain base | Compare the first ingredients and, where stated, the proportion of the main grain. | If I want to use mainly wheat, a multigrain blend or buckwheat, the ingredients will determine which pack I choose. This preference would come first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Breakfast planning | Check the stated yield and any extra ingredients you’ll need before shopping for a group. | For brunch, I want to know whether one pack and the other ingredients I have will be enough for the planned portions. Preparation would be the main consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Organic multigrain mixes can contain wheat, spelt, rye or oats. Even a mix with buckwheat as its main ingredient may carry warnings about possible traces.
For the mix you choose, read the ingredients, the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements, and any specific dietary claims on the current pack.
Preparation instructions vary from one product to another. Some mixes call for milk and eggs; plant-based preparation requires different additions.
Before you shop, check which ingredients and quantities your pack calls for, then decide how you want to prepare the pancakes.
Albert Heijn lists Leev’s organic spelt mix as discontinued. A product description alone doesn’t tell you whether you can buy a mix for New Year.
Check availability in good time with the shop where you plan to order or do your shopping.
PLUS states that Koopmans Bio Multigrain batter isn’t meant to be eaten raw and must be thoroughly cooked.
Follow the preparation instructions on the current pack and cook the pancakes through.
These product ranges give you an idea of the differences you may find in grain bases, preparation methods and labelling. Check the packaging of the product you choose; a brand being mentioned here doesn’t mean all its products are available.
Albert Heijn describes a 400 g organic multigrain mix made with spelt, rye and wheat.
Jumbo describes a 400 g organic pancake mix made with organic wheat flour.
According to the product information, Koopmans Bio Multigrain contains wheat, oats, maize and buckwheat.
According to PLUS, Smaakt’s organic buckwheat pancake mix contains 90% buckwheat flour, as well as tapioca flour.
Leev’s organic spelt pancake mix is a 500 g blend made mainly with spelt flour and buckwheat flour.
Look for the organic designation and, where applicable, the EU organic logo on the packaging. According to Skal Biocontrole, the logo is mandatory for prepacked foods produced in the EU and sold as organic. Also read the ingredients list on the pack you choose.
No, organic status doesn’t tell you that. The multigrain mixes mentioned here contain ingredients such as wheat, spelt, rye or oats, while PLUS lists possible traces of peanuts, soya, nuts and sesame for Smaakt’s buckwheat mix. If you need to avoid an allergen, check the information on the current packaging of the specific mix.
You can, if the dry mix and preparation method are suitable, but organic status alone doesn’t guarantee this. Koopmans describes its Bio Multigrain mix as plant-based and provides a recipe using a plant-based drink and apple purée; the standard preparation instructions use milk and eggs. So check both the mix and everything you add to it.
It depends on the mix you choose and how you plan to prepare the pancakes. Check the pack for the milk or plant-based drink, eggs or egg alternative, and cooking fat you’ll need. Also check the stated yield before deciding how many packs to buy for your guests.
