For a school lunch, start by choosing the sealed portion you want to pack: one biscuit, a pack of two biscuits or an individually wrapped slice of ontbijtkoek (spiced breakfast loaf). Then check the current label and the school’s rules; packing your own lunch is also different from bringing in a treat for the class. Only then compare pack sizes and the cost per portion you’ll actually use.
A sealed pack can go straight into a bag, with no need to portion it out. Do check what’s inside: Jumbo says its Lotus Biscoff XL packs contain two biscuits each, while the Peijnenburg pack contains individually wrapped slices.
Individual packaging is no substitute for checking the label. For the Lotus Biscoff and Peijnenburg varieties mentioned, wheat and soya, and rye respectively, are relevant. Also check what rules the school has for the lunch or activity in question.
The number of biscuits in a box doesn’t tell you how many sealed portions you can pack. A pack containing two biscuits counts as one portion to take with you if you pack the whole thing; compare packs by the portions you’ll actually use.
First, make sure the product suits the pupil and complies with the school’s rules. Then choose the number of biscuits per pack and, finally, compare how many usable lunch portions you’ll get from the pack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant if |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and school rules | Check the current label for any allergens relevant to the pupil. For a shared activity, ask which school rules apply. | If an allergy or school rule is a factor, I want to know whether these biscuits are suitable before packing them. An estimated 40% of consumers put this check first. |
| Portion and packaging | Count the biscuits or slices in each sealed pack and check the portion size on the packaging. | If you want to pack a set portion without leaving opened leftovers, you need to know what’s in one pack. For an estimated 30% of consumers, this ready-to-pack portion is the main consideration. |
| Stock and cost per portion | Compare the number of sealed portions you’ll use, not just the number of biscuits in the box. | If I pack lunches regularly, I don’t want to buy more than I’ll use. Cost and pack size are the deciding factors for an estimated 30% of consumers. |
A sealed pack may contain two biscuits. Jumbo says this is the case for Lotus Biscoff XL; ALDI also describes its Biscotto chocolate biscuits as packed in pairs.
Before buying, check both the number of packs and how many biscuits are in each one. Choose a twin pack if two biscuits are the portion you want to pack.
A product page or packaging you saved earlier isn’t necessarily the pack you’ll be putting in the lunch bag now. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods.
Check the current label for any relevant allergens and take individual requirements into account. If you have questions about a class activity, check the school’s rules too.
A pack of six individually wrapped biscuits and a dispenser of 150 individually wrapped biscuits provide very different amounts of stock. The number of usable lunch portions is what makes the comparison meaningful for you.
Compare the cost per sealed portion you’ll actually pack. Start with a smaller pack if you haven’t settled on the portion size yet.
A large pack also needs storage space and may leave you with leftovers.
According to the Dutch Association for Public Education, schools can have rules about treats. Rules for handing out food to a class don’t automatically apply to your own lunch.
Check the school handbook or ask if you’re packing food for a class, activity or shared supply.
Speculoos biscuits in a choice of sealed portions: Jumbo lists ten XL packs with two biscuits per pack; Albert Heijn lists a dispenser containing 150 individually wrapped biscuits.
An alternative from a different product category: according to Jumbo, the plain ontbijtkoek (spiced breakfast loaf) comes with ten individually wrapped 28 g slices.
ALDI describes its Koekhappers spiced or ontbijtkoek as a pack containing six individually wrapped cakes.
ALDI describes a pack of twenty chocolate biscuits, packed in pairs.
These Joybuy products offer biscuits in twin packs or other portion-sized packs. For each product, consider how many biscuits you want to pack at a time; a sealed pack doesn’t always contain just one biscuit. Always check the current label and any school rules for the pupil.
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A good fit for a lunch where the intended portion is a pack of two biscuits.
If you need to avoid allergens, check the current label, paying particular attention to wheat, milk, soya and any statement about nuts.
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An option if you want to pack mini biscuits in sealed portions. If portion size is important to you, check how many biscuits are in each individual pack.
Before packing, read the current label for any allergens relevant to the pupil.
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The two individual packs are handy when you want to pack something sealed. Check how many biscuits are in each pack before choosing it as a regular lunch portion.
Check the current label, particularly if wheat or soya is relevant to the pupil.
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Consider this option if a separate pack of speculaas biscuits would suit the lunch. Check how many biscuits are in each pack; don’t assume each biscuit has its own wrapper.
If you need to avoid allergens, read the current label and follow any relevant school rules.
Yes, the pack is individually wrapped, but the biscuits inside aren’t wrapped separately. For example, Jumbo lists Lotus Biscoff XL as two biscuits per pack. Choose this type of pack if two biscuits are the portion you want.
Yes, read the current label before packing the biscuit. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be listed on the label of prepacked foods. The Lotus Biscoff variety mentioned contains wheat and soya; Peijnenburg Naturel lists rye and may contain milk and nuts.
Not necessarily: bringing a treat for the class and packing your own lunch are different situations. According to the Dutch Association for Public Education, schools can have rules about treats. Check your own school’s rules to find out what applies to a lunch or shared activity.
Compare the sealed portion you’ll actually pack. With a twin pack, that’s one pack containing two biscuits; with individually wrapped ontbijtkoek, it’s one slice. This lets you compare portion sizes and costs per lunch without treating different packaging formats as if they were the same.
