If you’re cooking for a large group in a holiday home, buying several standard packs of pancake mix is a practical option if you’re already bringing milk, eggs and cooking fat. A complete mix can shorten your shopping list, as you only need to add water to make the batter. If someone in your group eats gluten-free, plan for a separate mix and check its ingredients and preparation instructions too.
If you’re cooking for several adults and children, work out how many packs you need based on the yield shown on the pack you choose. The supermarket options reviewed are mostly individual packs of around 400 g, such as those from ALDI, PLUS and Jumbo.
If you want to bring fewer individual ingredients, look for a complete mix that only needs water for the batter. Koopmans and PLUS offer options like this; also check what you’ll need to cook the pancakes.
Plan for a gluten-free mix separately from the standard packs. The product information for Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij lists milk and eggs as ingredients to add. Check the label on the pack you’re taking, too, and take possible cross-contact into account when preparing the pancakes.
First, work out how many pancakes you want to make and which ingredients are already available at the holiday home. Then check the yield for each pack you’re considering and, if anyone has dietary requirements, check the latest ingredients and allergen information.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Enough portions | Check the pack weight and stated yield, then choose the number of packs to suit your group. | If I’m cooking for everyone at once, I don’t want to run out of batter halfway through. Having enough batter is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Fewer individual ingredients | Check whether the mix needs water, milk or eggs, and what else you’ll need for cooking. | With limited fridge or kitchen space, I don’t want to bring more than I need. Around 29% of consumers put using fewer individual ingredients first. |
| Dietary needs and allergens | Check the latest label, even for a gluten-free mix, and decide whether you’ll need to prepare it separately. | If someone in my group needs to avoid an ingredient, I want to know which pack and preparation method are suitable. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| A small extra batch | Check the contents of a shaker bottle and the instructions for using prepared batter. | If not everyone is eating at the same time, I want to be able to make a small batch without mixing up another large bowl of batter. This convenience matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
A standard pack may also need milk, eggs and cooking fat. Without these ingredients, you won’t be able to make the pancakes in the holiday home according to the pack instructions.
Make a shopping list for each mix you choose and use the stated yield to work out how many packs you need.
The PLUS shaker bottle reviewed contains 200 g of mix and needs milk. It’s best suited to making a small, separate batch.
For a group meal, first work out how much batter you’ll need. If you use the bottle, follow the instruction to use the prepared batter straight away.
The Koopmans gluten-free mix reviewed needs milk and eggs; the gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether those ingredients are present. If you’re cooking for everyone together, contact with standard batter may also be a concern.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the latest pack. If needed, use separate, clean utensils and prepare the pancakes at a different time.
Compare the different options within each brand. Standard, complete and gluten-free mixes may need different ingredients and preparation.
Koopmans offers standard, complete, multigrain and gluten-free pancake mixes, among other options.
Albona is an ALDI own brand, with options including plain and multigrain mixes in packs of around 400 g.
Jumbo’s range includes plain, complete and wholemeal pancake mixes, among other options.
PLUS offers plain and complete mixes in 400 g packs, as well as a 200 g bottle of plain mix, among other options.
Albert Heijn’s range includes its own-brand mixes alongside pancake mixes from other brands, including complete and wholemeal options.
These two 400 g packs are suitable for a group meal if you can bring milk, eggs and cooking fat, or already have them at the holiday home. Choose the number of packs based on the yield of the product you select. If you want a batter mix that only needs water, look for a complete mix.
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A pack to take along when you’re cooking for a crowd and already have milk and eggs on your shopping list.
Also bring cooking fat or oil, and check the yield and preparation instructions on the pack.
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A standard pack for a group meal if you have the extra ingredients needed to make the batter.
As well as the mix, plan to bring milk, eggs and cooking fat or oil. Use the yield on the pack to work out how many packs to take.
Use the yield stated on the pack you’re actually buying to work it out. Koopmans says its Compleet mix makes around 8 to 10 pancakes per pack. The size of the pancakes and how many each person eats will determine how many packs you need for the meal.
A complete mix is useful if you don’t want to bring milk and eggs for the batter. The Koopmans and PLUS complete mixes reviewed need water. Check the pack to see what else you’ll need for cooking, and read the allergen information.
No, the gluten-free label doesn’t mean that. According to the product information, Koopmans Pannenkoeken Glutenvrij needs milk and eggs. Check the latest label for any other allergens relevant to your group, too.
Use online product information to plan your shopping, but also read the label on the pack you take with you. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed in the ingredients of pre-packed foods.
Follow the instructions for the mix you’ve chosen. PLUS says that batter made with milk in its plain shaker bottle should be used straight away and not stored. Don’t assume the same instruction applies to other products.
