Families with fussy eaters
With a plain mix, you can top each person’s pancakes differently. It’s a practical option if not everyone at the table wants the same toppings.
Which option is right for you?
Cooks looking to include wholemeal
If you want wholemeal flour for your pancake night, check the ingredients list. Don’t confuse it with multigrain: the word alone doesn’t tell you how much of the flour is wholemeal.
Planners checking convenience or ingredients
A shaker bottle can cut down on the separate preparation steps. If you have dietary restrictions, check the ingredients and allergens in both the mix and the toppings separately.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re looking for a familiar taste, explicitly wholemeal flour, minimal preparation or a mix that suits a dietary restriction. Then compare the yield and what else you’ll need to add to the batter.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| A compromise at the table | Check the ingredients in both mixes and decide whether you want to make plain and wholemeal pancakes side by side. | If not everyone wants wholemeal, I can cater for different preferences with two small batches; around 31% of consumers prioritise this compromise above all else. |
| Explicitly wholemeal | Look for wholemeal flour in the ingredients list; only compare fibre content when the quantity and preparation stage are the same. | I want to know whether the mix actually contains wholemeal flour, even if another flavour doesn’t appeal to everyone. For around 25% of consumers, choosing wholemeal comes first. |
| A familiar base | Check the stated yield and what you need to add to the batter. | With different people around the table, I want one plain base that I can top with sweet or savoury ingredients; this is the main priority for around 19% of consumers. |
| Minimal preparation | Check whether the mix needs water, milk, eggs or other additions, and how many pancakes the pack makes. | On a busy evening, I want to get as few ingredients ready as possible, as long as the yield suits my group; around 13% of consumers put this convenience first. |
| Diet and allergens | Check the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings; if you need to avoid gluten, look for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free. | If someone at the table needs to avoid certain ingredients, I need to know before cooking whether both the mix and the toppings are suitable. For around 12% of consumers, this check comes before all the other choices. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming multigrain means fully wholemeal
Multigrain tells you which types of grain may have been used, but not how much of the flour is wholemeal. That distinction matters if wholemeal flour is your main reason for choosing a mix.
Read the ingredients list and check which types of flour are explicitly labelled as wholemeal.
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Looking only at the packaging
A packet mix and a shaker bottle may differ in yield and in the ingredients you need to add yourself. That means not every pack will suit the same group or preparation time.
Before buying, check the stated number of pancakes and the preparation instructions.
You may need several shaker bottles for a larger group.
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Confusing plant-based preparation with being allergen-free
Preparing a mix in an alternative way doesn’t change the ingredients in the dry mix. Toppings may also contain ingredients that someone at the table needs to avoid.
Check the allergen information for your chosen mix and review the toppings separately.
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Choosing a small shaker bottle for a large group
Joybuy states that the Koopmans Shaker Pancakes Complete makes 4 to 6 pancakes. That quantity may work out differently for a whole table than a packet mix.
Decide how many pancakes you want to make and choose the number of packs accordingly.
Brands to consider
Koopmans
The range reviewed includes a wholemeal mix, a complete shaker bottle and a gluten-free option. They differ in preparation and ingredients, among other things.
- According to Albert Heijn, a pack of the Koopmans wholemeal mix reviewed makes enough for 13 to 15 pancakes.
- According to Joybuy, the complete shaker bottle contains wheat, milk and egg. Check the current packaging if you have dietary restrictions.
AH
Albert Heijn offers both a plain and a wholemeal pancake mix, so you can choose based on the type of flour and preparation method you prefer.
- According to Albert Heijn, the plain mix reviewed makes around 12 pancakes.
- A feature of the dry wholemeal mix doesn’t automatically tell you about the finished dish: check what you add during preparation, too.
PLUS
PLUS offers a pancake mix in a bottle, among other options. This format is particularly worth considering if you want to compare its preparation steps with those of a packet mix.
- According to PLUS, the bottle mix reviewed should be shaken for one minute after adding the ingredients.
- A bottle format doesn’t tell you whether a product suits dietary restrictions; check the ingredients and allergens for the option you choose.
Albona
ALDI describes the Albona pancake mix reviewed as a multigrain baking mix. Multigrain isn’t the same as an explicitly wholemeal option.
- The pack described by ALDI contains 400 g of mix.
- Check the ingredients if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal flour, and ask the retailer about current availability.
Pancake mixes on Joybuy
Here, shaker bottles and packet mixes are shown side by side. Choose based on how you want to prepare your pancakes, and check whether the quantity in each pack suits the number of people you’re serving.
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Koopmans Pancakes Complete 210 g
For a small batch of pancakes when you want to add very few ingredients. According to the Joybuy product information, this shaker bottle needs 350 ml of water and makes 4 to 6 pancakes. If you have dietary restrictions, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
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Koopmans Shaker Pancakes 175 g
A shaker bottle to consider if you want to make a smaller batch. Bear in mind that this option needs milk, and check how many bottles you’ll need for your group.
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Koopmans Original Pancake Mix 400 g
A packet mix to consider if you want to make pancakes with different toppings for several people. Before cooking, check which milk, eggs and other ingredients you’ll need.
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Koopmans Wholegrains Pancake Mix 400 g
Check the ingredients list if you’re choosing this mix specifically for its wholemeal flour: the product name alone doesn’t tell you how much of the flour is wholemeal. Also check which ingredients you’ll need to add during preparation.
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Xiaoyeqingzhu High-Calcium Pancake Mix with Milk Flavor 100 g
This pack contains 100 g of mix. Check the preparation instructions and stated yield on the packaging to see whether the quantity suits your group; don’t infer nutritional value from the product name.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose plain or wholemeal pancake mix for a fakeaway night?
Choose plain if you want one familiar base for a range of toppings, or explicitly wholemeal if the type of flour is your main priority. If people around the table have different preferences, you can make both types separately and share the toppings.
Can I make pancake mix plant-based?
For the AH plain mix reviewed, Albert Heijn describes a plant-based preparation option. Check the preparation instructions, ingredients and allergen information for your chosen mix, and assess the toppings separately.
Is a mix containing wheat or oats suitable if I need to eat gluten-free?
Don’t rely on the grain name alone. Choose a mix explicitly labelled gluten-free on the current packaging and check the ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warning. Do the same for the toppings.
Do I need to add milk and eggs?
It depends on the mix. Albert Heijn lists milk and eggs for the AH plain mix reviewed, while according to Joybuy the Koopmans Shaker Pancakes Complete only needs 350 ml of water. So read the instructions on your chosen pack before getting the other ingredients ready.