Buyers for a busy breakfast buffet
If you want to make lots of pancakes from one batch of batter, a clear recipe is essential: how much mix and how many additional ingredients do you need for each batch?
Who is this choice relevant to?
Breakfast teams with little preparation time
If your team wants to keep the number of separate ingredients to a minimum, the preparation method matters. A complete mix that only needs water calls for a different approach from a basic mix that needs milk and eggs.
Those responsible for buffet information
When pancakes are served unpackaged, the label, the recipe actually used and the information provided to guests must all match. This applies even when a mix is easy to prepare.
What should you look for?
First, work out how much batter the breakfast team makes at a time and which ingredients it uses. Then check the preparation instructions and allergen information for each option you are considering.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients per batch | Check how much mix, milk, how many eggs and how much cooking fat the recipe calls for to make your desired quantity of batter. | If I’m making lots of pancakes in a row, I want to know in advance which ingredients need to be ready for each batch. Around 33% of consumers put this ingredient planning first. |
| Preparation during service | Check which liquid is needed, how many portions the pack makes and whether mixed batter needs to be used straight away. | When preparation time is limited, I want to be able to make the batter without lots of separate steps. For around 27% of consumers, ease of preparation is the main priority. |
| Allergen information | Check the current label and include any added ingredients and toppings in the information provided at the buffet. | When serving pancakes unpackaged, I want to give guests accurate information about the pancake they’ll find on the buffet. This is the main priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| An additional option | Check the grains, preparation method and allergens for each additional mix separately. | If I offer another type of pancake as well as plain, the team needs to be able to keep the recipes and buffet information separate. Around 13% of consumers prioritise having this extra choice. |
Common mistakes
-
Treating a basic mix as a complete recipe
The instructions for PLUS plain pancake mix also call for 800 ml semi-skimmed milk, three eggs and butter or oil per 400 g pack. Make sure these ingredients are available when the team prepares the batter.
For each mix you choose, note down the full list of ingredients and the quantities needed for one batch.
-
Forgetting about allergens in a complete mix
Using fewer separate ingredients in the preparation doesn’t mean the mix is allergen-free. Jumbo lists wheat, milk and egg among the ingredients in its complete mix.
Check the label of the product you buy and include toppings and other additions in the buffet information too.
-
Preparing a shaker bottle well in advance
According to PLUS’s instructions, batter from its shaker bottle must be used straight after mixing with milk and must not be stored.
Use this bottle for pancakes you’ll make as soon as the batter is mixed.
-
Assuming every branch stocks the same products
Lidl lists its Belbake Original Pancake Mix as an in-store product. If you’re planning a regular buffet, it’s important to be able to buy the mix you’ve chosen.
Check availability and pack size with the branch or supplier your hotel uses.
Brands compared
Compare the specific mix and its preparation instructions, not just the brand name: a basic mix, a complete mix and a shaker bottle each call for a different approach.
Koopmans
Koopmans offers several types of pancake mix. Its Original Pancake Mix is an example of a mix to which you add ingredients yourself.
- Koopmans says you’ll need milk, eggs and butter, and that a pack of Original makes 11 to 13 pancakes.
- For other Koopmans mixes, follow their own preparation instructions and check their labels; these may differ from those for Original.
Albert Heijn huismerk
AH Plain Pancake Mix is an own-brand option if you’re looking for a classic pancake.
- The plain version is available in a 400 g pack.
- Check which ingredients you need to add for the specific version you choose.
Jumbo huismerk
Jumbo Complete Pancake Mix is a 400 g option that needs water to prepare.
- A complete mix means fewer separate ingredients need to be set out for the batter.
- The ingredients listed for this Jumbo mix include wheat, milk and egg.
PLUS huismerk
PLUS offers a plain mix in a packet, a complete mix and a plain mix in a shaker bottle.
- According to PLUS, its complete mix needs water and cooking butter or oil, while its plain mix in a packet needs milk, eggs and cooking fat.
- PLUS says batter from the shaker bottle must be used straight after mixing with milk.
ALBONA / ALDI
ALBONA offers pancake mixes including plain and multigrain options.
- The plain mix comes in a 400 g pack.
- If you choose the multigrain mix, check the grains and preparation instructions for that specific version.
Belbake / Lidl
Belbake Original Pancake Mix is a Lidl option for making classic pancakes.
- Lidl lists a 400 g pack that makes around 12 pancakes.
- Lidl lists this as an in-store product, so check availability at your chosen branch.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does a hotel need to provide allergen information for pancakes on the breakfast buffet?
Yes. If pancakes are served unpackaged, information about the allergens they contain must be available where guests are served the product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights this requirement for unpackaged food. Base the information on both the mix used and any additions, such as milk, eggs and toppings.
How does a complete mix change the preparation process?
A complete mix can reduce the number of ingredients you need to add to the batter. PLUS says its complete mix needs water and cooking butter or oil, while its plain mix needs milk, eggs and cooking fat. Always follow the instructions for the version you choose.
Can you prepare shaker-bottle batter in advance?
Not with the PLUS shaker bottle covered here: its product instructions say the batter must be used straight after mixing with milk and must not be stored. So only prepare these portions just before cooking.
Are all complete pancake mixes free from milk and egg?
No. Jumbo’s complete mix lists milk and egg among the ingredients, along with wheat. Check the current label for every product you buy; the preparation method alone won’t tell you which allergens the mix contains.