Home cooks who want to choose the ingredients
You want to make the batter yourself and don’t mind checking what else you’ll need besides the mix. PLUS lists milk, eggs and butter or oil for its plain mix; instructions may vary between varieties.
Which option is right for you?
Parents who need to check allergens
You’re choosing a snack for a child for whom ingredients or possible cross-contamination matter. The standard varieties we reviewed list wheat or other gluten-containing cereals, among other ingredients. Check the packaging of your chosen variety before packing anything for school or an after-school club.
Parents who want less preparation
You want to make the batter with fewer separate ingredients, or would rather reheat a pancake that’s already been cooked. According to PLUS, PLUS Complete needs water and fat or oil for frying; ready-made pancakes are not pancake mix.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want to make batter or reheat pancakes. If you’re choosing a mix, compare the instructions, allergen information and specific variety.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Additional ingredients | Check what the instructions say you’ll need besides the mix; PLUS Plain lists milk, eggs and butter or oil. | I want to know in advance what I’ll need to have at home to make the batter. For around 27% of consumers, checking against what they already have in the cupboard comes first. |
| Allergens and local requirements | Check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ information on the packaging; ask the school or after-school club about its requirements. | If I’m packing something for a child with an allergy, the variety I choose needs to suit their needs. This check is the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Preparation | Check whether you’ll be making batter with additional ingredients, preparing a complete mix with water, or reheating a pancake that’s already been cooked. | After school, I want as few steps as possible before the pancake is on the table; around 20% of consumers prioritise ease of preparation. |
| Wholemeal variety | Check the exact product name and nutritional information; don’t use ‘wholemeal’ as a substitute for checking allergens. | I’d also like to consider a wholemeal variety, so I check exactly which mix I’m picking up. This product choice is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Preparing a standard mix and a complete mix in the same way
PLUS lists milk, eggs and butter or oil for its plain mix, while the instructions for PLUS Complete call for water and fat or oil for frying.
Check the instructions for the specific variety before you go shopping.
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Assuming wholemeal means gluten-free
Koopmans Wholemeal lists wheat and oats. So the ‘wholemeal’ label doesn’t tell you whether a mix is suitable if gluten needs to be avoided.
Check the latest allergen information for the product you’re buying.
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Relying only on online product information
A product’s ingredient and allergen information can change. If your child has an allergy, check the packaging of the variety you’ve bought.
Read the label just before use, and ask about local requirements if you’re packing a snack for school or an after-school club.
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Treating ready-made pancakes as a mix
A dry mix needs to be made into batter; the ready-made pancakes described by ALDI only need reheating. These are therefore two different ways of preparing pancakes.
First decide whether you want to cook pancakes yourself or simply reheat them, then assess the relevant type of product.
Brands compared
ALDI / Albona
Albona sells a plain dry mix in a 400 g pack.
- ALDI Netherlands lists this variety on its brand page.
- Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose.
PLUS
PLUS sells, among other options, a plain mix and a complete mix in 400 g packs.
- The instructions for PLUS Plain call for milk, eggs and butter or oil; PLUS Complete calls for water and fat or oil for frying.
- According to PLUS, PLUS Complete contains wheat, milk and egg. Check the packaging of the variety you choose.
Jumbo
Jumbo sells a plain dry mix in a 400 g pack.
- Jumbo lists wheat flour, buckwheat flour and wholemeal oat flour as ingredients.
- The product information lists gluten, oats and wheat, and says it may also contain egg and milk, among other allergens.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells a plain variety in a 200 g bottle.
- The bottle offers a different way to prepare pancakes from a dry mix in a pack.
- Albert Heijn lists wheat and egg for this variety and recommends checking the latest packaging.
Koopmans
Koopmans sells, among other options, complete and wholemeal pancake mixes.
- According to Koopmans, the complete mix is prepared with water.
- The wholemeal variety lists wheat and oats; if your child has an allergy, check all the information on the packaging.
Lidl / Belbake
Belbake sells an original pancake mix in a 400 g pack.
- Lidl Netherlands says the pack makes around 12 pancakes.
- Check the packaging of the variety you choose for ingredient and allergen information.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose a mix containing wheat if a child needs to eat gluten-free?
A mix that lists wheat as an ingredient isn’t suitable for avoiding gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wheat as a gluten-containing cereal; check the ingredients and allergens on the latest packaging of the variety you choose.
What’s the difference between a standard and a complete pancake mix?
For the varieties mentioned here, the main difference is what you add to make the batter: PLUS Plain calls for milk and eggs, while PLUS Complete is prepared with water, according to PLUS. PLUS also lists butter or oil for frying with both methods; always check the instructions on the pack you choose.
How should I store an opened dry pancake mix?
Follow the storage and use-by instructions on the packaging of the specific mix. Check them again after opening so you can follow the guidance for your variety.