A stall serving one classic pancake
Want to serve a familiar pancake, and can you bring and use milk, eggs and cooking fat? An original mix is a good starting point. Be sure to check the ingredients and the yield of the pack you choose.
Which option is right for your stall?
A stall offering a wholegrain alternative
If visitors specifically ask for wholegrain, you can offer this flour option alongside your classic pancake. Keep the descriptions separate: wholegrain does not mean gluten-free.
A stall with limited preparation facilities or a specific dietary request
If bringing separate ingredients is difficult, a complete mix could be a good solution. A gluten-free request, however, calls for a separate product and preparation process. These meet different needs; one mix does not automatically replace the other.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide which pancake you want to sell as your main option. Then consider whether demand for a different type of flour, less preparation or gluten-free cooking calls for a separate mix.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Classic base | Check which extra ingredients are needed and how many pancakes each pack is said to make. | If I mainly want to serve a familiar pancake, I need to be able to prepare it using what I bring to the stall. Around 36% of consumers give this classic option top priority when choosing. |
| Wholegrain option | Check which types of flour are listed on the pack and what proportion is wholegrain flour. | If I promise visitors a wholegrain alternative, I want to know that the mix I choose is labelled as such. For around 29% of consumers, the wholegrain option comes first. |
| On-site preparation | Compare the preparation instructions and the number of pancakes each pack makes. | With little room for separate ingredients, I want to be able to make the batter easily without losing track of how much I need. Limited preparation is the biggest consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Gluten-free requests and allergens | Check the latest product information, toppings and how you will prepare and serve the pancakes. | If I ask for a gluten-free pancake, it needs to be clear what the product being sold contains and how it is prepared. For around 14% of consumers, suitability for their diet is the top priority. |
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must be available to customers for unpackaged pancakes sold to them. So assess not only the dry mix, but also the ingredients you add and the toppings you offer.
Common preparation mistakes
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Describing wholegrain as gluten-free
According to Jumbo, its Mix voor Pannenkoeken Volkoren contains, among other ingredients, wholemeal wheat and oat flour, and lists gluten as an allergen. A wholegrain option is therefore not a gluten-free one.
Use separate descriptions and check the packaging, added ingredients and toppings before selling.
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Overestimating the yield of a small pack
A shaker bottle may suit a small batch, but you will need more individual packs if you want to make lots of pancakes. Joybuy says that its 210 g Koopmans shaker bottle makes 4 to 6 pancakes.
Work out in advance how many packs you will need for the quantity you expect to make, and allow for the yield stated by the manufacturer for your chosen variety.
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Checking only the allergens in the dry mix
Milk, eggs, cooking fat and toppings affect what you ultimately sell. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, customers must be informed about allergens in unpackaged food.
Keep a record of the ingredients used in each recipe and make sure customers can get the relevant allergen information before buying.
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Confusing easy preparation with a fully equipped stall
Even if you only need to add water to make the batter, you must handle food safely when selling at a market or event. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that anyone who prepares and sells food several times a year must follow a food safety plan based on HACCP.
Before you buy, check how you will manage handwashing, cleaning and the necessary temperature control at your stall.
Brands to compare
Koopmans
Koopmans offers original, complete and gluten-free pancake mixes, among others. Compare the preparation method and ingredients for each variety.
- For Pannenkoeken Origineel, Koopmans lists milk, eggs and butter as ingredients to add; for Pannenkoeken Compleet, the brand says you only need water.
- According to Koopmans, its gluten-free mix meets the AOECS standard. This product-specific claim says nothing about the other varieties or how the mix is prepared at your stall.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s own-brand wholegrain mix is a specific option to consider alongside a classic mix.
- For its 400 g wholegrain mix, Jumbo lists a composition of 75% wholemeal wheat flour, 20% wholemeal oat flour and 4.2% wholegrain buckwheat flour.
- According to Jumbo, this variety contains gluten, oats and wheat. Do not use it as a gluten-free option.
Albert Heijn
The range includes own-brand mixes with different descriptions, including plain, wholegrain, multigrain and complete.
- These different descriptions can help you decide which packs to look at for a classic or alternative flour option.
- Check the ingredients, preparation instructions and allergens on each pack you choose; the range description alone is not enough.
Belbake (Lidl)
Lidl includes a Belbake original pancake mix in its baking range.
- Lidl says this original mix makes around 12 pancakes.
- Check the pack for the ingredients needed and allergen information before choosing this mix for a stall recipe.
Pancake mixes for different stall needs
These Joybuy products include a classic mix and varieties for a small batch or a different grain composition. A shaker bottle that only needs water calls for different preparation from a shaker that needs milk. If you want to describe a mix as wholegrain, check the ingredients on the pack you choose.
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Koopmans Pancakes Complete, 210 g
For a small batch when you want to bring as few separate ingredients as possible. Joybuy says to add 350 ml of water to this shaker bottle, which makes 4 to 6 pancakes. Check the ingredients and allergens before serving the finished recipe.
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Koopmans Original Pancake Mix, 400 g
A classic mix for a stall that can bring and use milk, eggs and cooking fat. Koopmans says its original variety makes 11 to 13 pancakes per pack. When planning, check the ingredients for your finished recipe too.
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Koopmans Shaker Pancakes, 175 g
This shaker pack is handy for mixing a small amount of batter on site, as long as you can bring milk. Check the preparation instructions and yield on the pack before choosing this variety for the quantity you plan to make.
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Koopmans Wholegrains Pancake Mix, 400 g
Consider this variety if you want to offer a different grain composition alongside a classic pancake. Check the current pack for the types of flour used and how you can describe the mix, especially if visitors specifically ask for wholegrain. Remember to allow for any ingredients you add yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to provide allergen information for homemade pancakes at a Christmas market?
Yes. You must tell customers about allergens in unpackaged pancakes sold to them. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists 14 allergen groups. Your information should cover the mix used as well as the ingredients and toppings in the recipe you sell.
Are wholegrain pancakes gluten-free too?
No. Wholegrain and gluten-free are different descriptions. According to Jumbo, its Mix voor Pannenkoeken Volkoren contains wholemeal wheat and oat flour, and lists gluten as an allergen. For a gluten-free request, check the mix you choose as well as the preparation method and toppings.
Which mix needs few separate ingredients on site?
A complete mix can reduce preparation: according to Koopmans, you only need to add water to Pannenkoeken Compleet. For the 210 g shaker bottle, Joybuy says to add 350 ml of water and that it makes 4 to 6 pancakes. Check that this yield suits the quantity you want to prepare.
What do I need to arrange if I sell pancakes at markets several times a year?
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, you must follow an HACCP food safety plan if you prepare and sell food at markets or events several times a year. Beforehand, check how you will manage handwashing, cleaning and temperature control at the venue.