If you already need to buy milk and eggs, a plain mix that needs these ingredients could be a good fit for your first food shop. If you want to make the batter with water alone, look for a complete mix. Choose a wholemeal option if the ingredients list actually includes wholemeal flour. Whichever option you choose, check the allergens and what else you’ll need for cooking.
If you’re still setting up your kitchen, you’ll need to consider more than just the pack of mix. The PLUS plain mix we looked at also needs milk, eggs and cooking fat; with PLUS Complete, you use water for the batter and cooking fat for the pan.
If you’d rather not measure out milk and eggs for the batter, a complete mix is worth considering. Check the instructions on the pack you choose: you may still need butter or oil for the pan.
If wholemeal flour, gluten or other allergens affect your choice, compare the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. Another mix from the same brand may have a different composition.
Start with what you already have at home, then check the instructions and finally read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re planning to buy.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Extra ingredients | Check which milk, eggs and butter or oil the instructions for your chosen mix call for. | If my kitchen is still bare, I want to buy everything I need in one trip. For around 36% of consumers, these extra ingredients are a priority. |
| Ease of preparation | Check whether water is all you need for the batter and what you’ll need for the pan. | I want to make the batter without measuring out milk and eggs; around 29% of consumers prioritise keeping preparation steps to a minimum. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and statements such as ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ on the exact pack. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the label on this particular product must give me the information I need. For around 21% of consumers, checking this is a priority. |
| Wholemeal ingredients | Look for wholemeal flour in the ingredients list; ‘multigrain’ in the product name isn’t enough. | I want to know which grains are actually in the mix, not just what it says on the front of the pack. Around 14% of consumers prioritise wholemeal ingredients. |
The PLUS plain mix we looked at needs milk, eggs and cooking fat. With PLUS Complete, you use water for the batter, but still need butter or oil for the pan.
Compare the instructions with your shopping list and check which ingredients you already have.
The product name doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the mix contains.
Read the ingredients list. PLUS states that its wholemeal mix contains 75% wholemeal wheat flour and 20% wholemeal oat flour.
Ingredients and potential allergens vary between products. Even a mix labelled gluten-free may list other allergens.
Before using it, check the latest ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack.
A pack of dry pancake mix and ready-made frozen pancakes need different preparation and storage.
First, check which product category you’re looking for in your first food shop, so you can compare like with like.
The AH range includes several types of pancake mix, including plain and complete options.
Jumbo sells plain and complete pancake mix, among other options, in 400 g packs.
Albona is an ALDI brand with a plain pancake baking mix and a multigrain option, among other products.
PLUS sells plain, complete and wholemeal pancake mixes.
Lidl’s range includes a 400 g pack of Belbake Original Pancake Mix.
Koopmans sells original, complete, wholemeal and gluten-free-labelled pancake mixes, among other options.
It depends on the option: the PLUS plain mix we looked at needs milk, eggs and cooking fat, while PLUS Complete needs water for the batter and butter or oil for the pan. Check the instructions on your chosen pack before finalising your list.
For the PLUS, Jumbo and Koopmans complete mixes we looked at, you use water for the batter; the PLUS plain mix we looked at needs milk and eggs. You may still need butter or oil for the pan, even with a complete mix.
Read the ingredients and allergen statements on the exact pack, including warnings such as ‘may contain’. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label of pre-packed foods, so don’t rely on the brand or product name alone.
Store the mix in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Before using it, check the pack for signs of spoilage, such as a musty or rancid smell, or insects.
