Home cook comparing products
You make pancakes from scratch and compare pack size, number of servings and what else you need to add to the batter.
Who should consider the differences?
Family planner short on preparation time
You want fewer separate ingredients or steps. In that case, a complete mix, shaker bottle or ready-made frozen option may fit your plans better than a plain mix.
Careful label reader
You check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product. What’s on the packaging matters more than the product name alone.
What should you look for when choosing?
Making the batter yourself
When it works: A dry mix is a good fit if you want to make pancakes yourself and have time for the preparation steps.
Trade-off: Depending on the product, you may need to add ingredients as well as the mix.
Ready-made from the freezer
When it works: This option suits you if you’d rather heat up pancakes than make the batter.
Trade-off: You’ll need freezer space, and you’re comparing a prepared product rather than a dry pancake mix.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Extra ingredients to buy | Check which ingredients you need to add to the mix and how many servings the pack makes. | If I need to buy milk, eggs or cooking fat, I want to know before I go shopping. For around 28% of consumers, these extra ingredients are the first thing to consider. |
| Ease of preparation | Check whether the product needs water, milk or other additions, and what preparation steps are involved. | I want to make pancakes without lots of separate ingredients or preparation. Around 22% of consumers put convenience first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients list, allergens and any ‘may contain’ information on the current packaging. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, the exact product must meet my requirements. Around 22% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Grain choice and nutritional information | Check the flours and nutritional information for the specific product; only compare prepared products on the same preparation basis. | I want to know which grains are in my mix and what the nutritional information says about this product. For around 11% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
| Heating from frozen | Check that you’re choosing a ready-made product, and read the storage and heating instructions. | I want to heat up pancakes rather than make the batter myself, and I have freezer space. For around 17% of consumers, the convenience of reheating matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Looking only at the pack size
A pack of dry mix doesn’t tell you on its own which ingredients you’ll need for the batter. According to Albert Heijn’s preparation information, for example, AH BASIC also requires milk, eggs and liquid margarine.
Read the preparation instructions and check which ingredients you already have at home.
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Confusing complete mix, shaker bottles and frozen pancakes
Koopmans says its complete mix is made with water, its shaker bottle mix is made with milk, and its ready-made frozen pancakes just need heating. These are different types of product.
First decide whether you want to make pancakes yourself or heat them up. Then check the instructions for the exact product.
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Relying on the product name to check allergens
A label such as ‘plain’ or ‘complete’ doesn’t tell you all the ingredients and allergens. ‘May contain’ information may also be important.
Before buying, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Brands to compare
Albona / ALDI
ALDI sells, among other products, a 400 g plain dry mix under its Albona brand.
- A familiar own-brand option to compare with other plain mixes.
- Check the preparation instructions: according to ALDI, this mix needs milk and eggs.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists both a plain mix and a complete pancake mix.
- The two preparation options let you choose between adding ingredients yourself and using a complete mix.
- Check the ingredients and preparation instructions for each product; information for the plain mix doesn’t automatically apply to the complete one.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists own-brand options such as plain, multigrain and wholemeal, as well as complete mixes.
- The different options make it possible to compare recipes and preparation methods.
- Check the information on the specific pack; the preparation instructions for AH BASIC don’t apply to every AH product.
Koopmans
Koopmans offers dry mixes, a complete mix, a shaker bottle and ready-made frozen pancakes.
- According to Koopmans, Pannenkoeken Compleet needs only water, while the shaker bottle mix needs milk.
- The frozen pancakes are a prepared product, not a dry mix. Check the ingredients and serving information for each product.
Belbake / Lidl
Lidl lists a 400 g pack of Belbake original pancake mix for in-store purchase.
- According to Lidl, the pack makes around 12 pancakes, which can help you plan servings.
- Check the packaging of the product you’re buying for the ingredients to add and allergen information.
Pancake mixes on Joybuy
These products are dry pancake mixes, including a shaker bottle, a complete option and mixes for making the batter yourself. First decide how you want to prepare your pancakes; ready-made frozen pancakes are a different type of product.
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Koopmans Shaker Pancakes 175 g
A shaker bottle is worth considering if you want to do less mixing yourself. Check the packaging to see what you need to add and how many pancakes you can make.
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Koopmans Wholegrains Pancake Mix 400 g
This option may suit you if you want to check which grains are used. Read the ingredients list on the exact pack, and check which extra ingredients you’ll need too.
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Koopmans Original Pancake Mix 400 g
This dry mix is a good fit if you want to make the batter yourself. Koopmans says its Original mix is prepared with milk, eggs and butter; follow the quantities on the packaging for this product.
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Koopmans Pancakes Complete 210 g
A complete mix is a good choice if you want to buy fewer separate ingredients for the batter. According to Koopmans, Pannenkoeken Compleet needs water; check the instructions and allergens on this pack.
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Xiaoyeqingzhu High-Calcium Pancake Mix with milk flavour 100 g
This small pack may suit you if you don’t need a large bag of mix. Check the preparation method, serving information and nutritional information on the label; the words ‘High-Calcium’ alone don’t tell you how much calcium it contains.
Frequently asked questions
What else do I need at home besides pancake mix?
It depends on the mix: some products need milk, eggs or cooking fat, while Koopmans says Pannenkoeken Compleet needs only water. Read the preparation instructions on the pack you choose.
Are frozen pancakes the same as pancake mix?
No. With a mix, you make and cook the batter yourself; ready-made frozen pancakes are already prepared and just need heating. Koopmans lists a microwave and a pan among the ways to heat its frozen pancakes.
How do I check allergens in pancake mix?
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the exact product, including any ‘may contain’ information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels.
What if the ingredients listed online differ from the packaging?
Check the current packaging before use. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information may change when a product is updated.