Families with milk and eggs at home
A plain mix is a good choice if you already have the required ingredients. Before you shop, check what you’ll need for the batter and cooking.
Who are the different mixes suitable for?
Parents who want to prepare fewer ingredients
A complete mix that only needs water means fewer ingredients for the batter. According to product information from PLUS and Albert Heijn, you’ll still need butter or oil for cooking the complete mixes mentioned.
Shoppers looking for a specific recipe
If you’re looking for wholemeal flour, compare wholemeal mixes. If someone needs to avoid gluten, look for a mix labelled gluten-free and check the packaging for other allergens too.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check what you already have at home and how much preparation you want to do. Then look at the ingredients and allergens for the people who’ll be eating the pancakes.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients to buy | Check whether you need to add milk, eggs and cooking fat, and which of these you already have. | I already have most of the ingredients at home and want to buy as little extra as possible for the batter; around 33% of consumers would prioritise limiting additional shopping. |
| Preparation | Check whether the batter needs water, or milk and eggs as well. Separately check what you’ll need for cooking. | On a busy school day, I want to measure out fewer ingredients; around 27% of consumers would prioritise easy preparation. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the latest label, even on a gluten-free mix, and ask the school about its rules for bringing in and sharing food. | If the pancakes are for school, I want to know which allergens they contain and what rules apply; around 27% of consumers would put this first. |
| Wholemeal ingredients | Check the product description and ingredients list. Consider allergens separately from whether the mix is wholemeal. | I’m specifically looking for a mix made with wholemeal flour, without assuming it’s gluten-free; around 13% of consumers would prioritise wholemeal ingredients. |
Common mistakes
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Only looking at the packet of mix
For AH plain and PLUS plain mixes, Albert Heijn and PLUS also list milk, eggs and cooking fat as required ingredients.
Read the preparation instructions and add any ingredients you still need to your shopping list.
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Assuming ‘complete’ means ‘allergen-free’
Adding water tells you how to prepare the mix, not what allergens it contains. The complete mixes from PLUS and Koopmans mentioned here also contain ingredients that are relevant allergens.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the latest packaging, even if you only add water to the batter.
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Confusing wholemeal with gluten-free
The wholemeal mixes from Albert Heijn and PLUS mentioned here list wheat or other cereals containing gluten.
If gluten needs to be avoided, choose a product labelled gluten-free and check the label for other relevant allergens too.
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Relying solely on online product information
When packing food for school, it’s important to check the ingredients on the packet you’ve bought and your school’s rules.
Check the packaging when you buy it and before you prepare the mix, and ask the school about its rules for bringing in or sharing food.
Brands to compare
Albona
ALDI sells a plain pancake mix from Albona.
- According to ALDI, you make this mix with milk and eggs.
- Check the packet you buy for the ingredients and allergens in this particular mix.
PLUS
The PLUS range described here includes plain, complete and wholemeal mixes.
- According to PLUS, the plain mix needs milk and eggs, while PLUS Complete only needs water added to the batter.
- PLUS Wholemeal lists wholemeal wheat flour and wholemeal oat flour; wholemeal does not mean gluten-free.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells plain and wholemeal mixes under its own brand.
- According to Albert Heijn’s preparation instructions, its 400 g plain mix needs three eggs and 800 ml of milk.
- The ingredients in AH Wholemeal include wholemeal wheat flour and wheat gluten.
Koopmans
Koopmans offers, among other products, a complete mix and a mix labelled gluten-free.
- According to the product information at Albert Heijn, Koopmans Complete 400 g needs 700 ml of water for the batter.
- The gluten-free Koopmans mix described by PLUS may contain egg and milk; check the packaging for the person who’ll be eating it.
Belbake
Lidl describes an original pancake mix from Belbake.
- According to Lidl, the packet contains 400 g of mix, enough for around 12 pancakes.
- Before buying, check the packet to see which ingredients you need to add and which allergens are listed.
Pancake mixes at Joybuy
These Koopmans products offer different ways to make pancake batter: a complete mix, a wholemeal mix and a shaker bottle. For your back-to-school shop, check the additions required for each product and read the latest packaging.
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Koopmans Pancakes Complete 210 g
A complete mix to consider if you want to prepare fewer ingredients for the batter.
Pack size: 210 g. Check the preparation instructions and allergen information on the latest packaging before packing pancakes for school.
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Koopmans Wholegrains Pancake Mix 400 g
An option to consider if you’re specifically looking for a wholemeal pancake mix.
Pack size: 400 g. Check which ingredients you need to add, and consider the allergens separately from the wholemeal description.
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Koopmans Shaker Pancakes 175 g
A shaker bottle to consider if you’d like to mix the batter in the packaging.
Pack size: 175 g. Before buying, check which liquid you need to add and read the allergen information on the label.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check pancake mix labels for allergens?
Yes, check the label on the packet you’re using. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that prepacked products must include allergen information; cereals containing gluten, eggs and milk are among the relevant allergens.
Is wholemeal pancake mix gluten-free too?
No, wholemeal doesn’t mean gluten-free. The wholemeal mixes from Albert Heijn and PLUS described here list wheat or other cereals containing gluten. If gluten needs to be avoided, look for a product labelled gluten-free and check for other allergens too.
Which mixes need fewer ingredients added to the batter?
For the complete mixes from PLUS and Koopmans described here, you add water to the batter; you’ll still need butter or oil for cooking. According to their preparation instructions, the plain mixes from Albert Heijn and PLUS also need milk and eggs.