If you already have milk, eggs and cooking fat at home, a plain mix is a good choice for a Valentine’s Day meal that uses those ingredients. If you’d rather add fewer ingredients, consider a complete mix: the PLUS and Koopmans varieties described here use water, but you’ll still need cooking fat. For both types, check the recipe and allergen information on the packaging.
If you already have milk, eggs and cooking fat at home, you can choose a plain mix without buying those ingredients specially for your Valentine’s Day meal. Just check the preparation instructions on the pack you choose.
A complete mix can be handy for a small batch if you don’t want to add milk and eggs. You’ll still need cooking fat, so have some ready and check how many pancakes the pack makes.
If you need to avoid particular ingredients or allergens, check the specific variety. According to Koopmans, its Origineel mix contains wheat and rye; other mixes and varieties may have a different composition.
First decide which ingredients you want to add and how many pancakes you need. Then check the composition of the variety you’ve chosen, especially if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients you have at home | Which milk, eggs and cooking fat the recipe calls for. | If I already have the ingredients at home, I want to know whether I can use them to make the plain mix I’ve chosen. For around 40% of shoppers, using ingredients they already have is the main priority. |
| Fewer additions | Whether the mix is complete and what you’ll need besides water. | For a Valentine’s Day breakfast that takes little preparation, I’d rather not add milk and eggs to the batter; around 30% of shoppers say this simplicity matters most to them. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The current ingredients list and allergen warnings for the specific variety. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, a suitable composition matters more than convenience or taste. For around 20% of shoppers, checking the label is the first priority. |
| Quantity and flavour | The number of pancakes listed on the pack and any added flavours. | If I have a particular flavour or quantity in mind for the occasion, the pack needs to suit my plans; around 10% of shoppers say this matters most. |
For the plain varieties described here, milk and eggs are part of the preparation. So if you’ve only set out a pack of mix, you may not be ready to get started.
Before you buy, check what you need to add and put those ingredients on your shopping list.
You may also need cooking fat; check the recipe for the variety you’ve chosen.
Ingredients and allergens vary between varieties. Koopmans lists wheat flour and rye flour, among other ingredients, for its Origineel mix.
Check the current label every time you buy, including allergen warnings. If you need a gluten-free option, only choose a variety whose packaging explicitly says so.
The complete mixes from PLUS and Koopmans described here are made with water, but you’ll still need cooking fat for frying.
Check the preparation instructions and have a bowl or shaker and a frying pan ready too, depending on the mix you choose.
Albona is ALDI’s own brand, which offers a plain pancake mix.
PLUS offers both a plain mix and a complete pancake mix.
Koopmans offers an original mix, a complete mix and other individual pancake mix varieties.
Albert Heijn offers several types of pancake mix under its own brand.
Lidl lists an original pancake mix from the Belbake brand.
These Koopmans mixes offer different ways to make pancakes for your Valentine’s Day celebration: with water, with milk in a shaker, or using a mix that also requires eggs. Compare the recipe and pack size before you choose.
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An option for a small batch if you want to add water to the mix. Check the instructions to see how much cooking fat you’ll need, and refer to the current packaging for allergen information.
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An option if you’re specifically looking for a multigrain variety. Remember that you’ll need milk, eggs and cooking fat, and check the grains and allergens on the label.
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An option for a small batch if you want to make the batter in a shaker. This variety requires milk; check the preparation instructions and allergen information on the packaging.
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An option if you want to make a classic mix and can add milk, eggs and cooking fat. Check the label for the current ingredients and allergen information.
It depends on the variety: PLUS says its Naturel mix requires milk, eggs and cooking fat. Check the recipe on the packaging of the mix you choose before getting the ingredients ready.
No. For the complete varieties from PLUS and Koopmans described here, you’ll also need cooking fat. Check the preparation instructions on your pack, as ‘complete’ doesn’t cover everything you’ll use when frying.
Don’t choose based on the product category alone: ingredients vary between mixes. According to Koopmans, its Origineel mix contains wheat and rye. Before using it, check the current ingredients list and allergen warnings on the specific pack.
