For your first student kitchen, start by choosing a mix whose organic credentials you can check on the packaging. Then compare the grains used, any ingredients you need to add yourself and the allergen information. A wheat, multigrain or buckwheat mix may suit different preferences.
If organic production is a deciding factor for you, look for the relevant mark on the packaging. Skal Biocontrole explains that the EU organic logo is compulsory on pre-packed organic consumer products in the EU.
When doing your first food shop for your kitchen, it’s worth checking whether you’ll also need milk, eggs and cooking fat, as well as the mix. Preparation instructions vary by product.
If you’re comparing wheat, multigrain or buckwheat, check the ingredients list alongside the allergen information. The main grain alone won’t tell you which other ingredients or possible traces are listed on the label.
Start by checking the organic label on the packaging. Then see what else you’ll need to make the batter, and whether the grains used and allergen information suit your preferences.
| What to look for | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic label | Look for the EU organic logo on the packaging and check the product description. | If I specifically want to buy organic, I want to be able to recognise the label on the pack; around 42% of consumers make this their top check. |
| Other ingredients to buy | Check the preparation instructions to see what you need to add yourself, and look at the stated yield if it’s given for your pack. | With an empty student kitchen, I don’t want to find out halfway through cooking that I’m missing ingredients. For around 33% of consumers, knowing everything they need to buy is the main concern. |
| Grains and allergens | Read the ingredients list and check both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements. | If I’m looking for a particular type of grain or need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in the mix I choose; around 25% of consumers give this top priority. |
For Jumbo and Koopmans organic mixes, among others, you’ll also need milk, eggs and cooking fat. The ingredients and quantities vary from one mix to another.
Before you shop, compare the instructions on the pack you’ve chosen with what you already have at home.
The multigrain mixes mentioned contain gluten-containing grains. The Smaakt buckwheat mix lists possible traces of peanuts, soya, nuts and sesame. An organic label doesn’t remove these considerations.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current label of the version you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists Koopmans Bio Meergranen as discontinued, while PLUS features the product on its product page. So a listing at one retailer doesn’t tell you whether you can order it from another.
Just before ordering, check availability and the exact product version at your chosen retailer.
Voedingscentrum advises against tasting raw batter because it may contain harmful pathogens.
Cook the pancake through before tasting it, and wash your hands after handling raw batter.
For these specific organic mixes, the main differences are the grains used, the preparation instructions and the allergen information. Always check the packaging of the version you’ve chosen before buying.
AH Biologisch Mix voor pannenkoeken meergranen is a 400 g mix containing spelt, rye and wheat, among other ingredients.
Jumbo Biologisch Pannenkoekenmix is a 400 g mix made with organic wheat flour.
Koopmans Bio Meergranen is a 400 g mix containing wheat, oats, maize and buckwheat, among other ingredients.
Smaakt Bio Boekweit Pannenkoekenmix is a 400 g mix containing 90% buckwheat flour, according to the ingredients list, as well as tapioca flour.
For a pre-packed mix, look for the EU organic logo and the organic product label. According to Skal Biocontrole, this logo is compulsory on pre-packed organic consumer products in the EU.
It depends on the mix you choose: the instructions for Jumbo Biologisch call for 1.000 ml milk, 2 eggs and cooking fat, while Koopmans Bio Meergranen requires 900 ml milk, 4 eggs and butter or oil. Read the instructions on your own pack before you shop.
No. You can’t tell whether a mix is gluten-free just from an organic label or buckwheat being the main ingredient. Check the gluten-free label and the full ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the version you choose.
Wait until the pancake is cooked through before tasting it. Voedingscentrum advises against tasting raw batter because it may contain harmful pathogens.
