For an office lunch you’re planning ahead, a standard pancake mix is the practical choice: with a complete mix, you need to add fewer ingredients, while a wholemeal mix may offer a different way to prepare them. If you want to make sourdough pancakes, allow time to prepare a starter and use a suitable pancake recipe; Jumbo says its bread starter takes 3 to 6 days to prepare. Keep pancakes chilled after cooking, both while transporting them and at the office.
You want to make pancakes for colleagues without having to source lots of extra ingredients. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet only requires you to add water. Be sure to check how many pancakes you’ll need for the group.
You want to know in advance which grains and allergens the mix contains, and what you’ll need to add when preparing it. For AH Mix voor pannenkoeken volkoren, Albert Heijn lists a variation made with a plant-based drink; check the mix ingredients and your chosen preparation method separately.
You’d rather work with sourdough yourself than prepare a mix quickly. Bear in mind that a new starter takes several days to prepare: Jumbo says its bread starter takes 3 to 6 days, but this isn’t a ready-made pancake mix.
First decide whether sourdough is a must. Then match the ingredients you’ll need, the number of portions and when you’ll cook the pancakes to your office lunch plans.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and portions | Check what you need to add to the mix and how many pancakes one pack makes. Albert Heijn says Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet requires only water and makes approximately 10 pancakes. | If I’m cooking for several colleagues, I want to plan the ingredients and quantities in advance. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this straightforward preparation. |
| Ingredients and preparation | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, and check separately what you need to add to the mix. A variation made with a plant-based drink doesn’t, by itself, tell you everything about the full preparation. | For a shared lunch, I want to check whether the mix and preparation suit my colleagues’ preferences. Ingredients and preparation choices are the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Sourdough and planning | If a mix is advertised as sourdough, check that sourdough is actually stated on the packaging and in the ingredients. If you’re making your own starter, choose a suitable pancake recipe too; Jumbo’s 3 to 6-day preparation time applies to a bread starter. | If I specifically want to make sourdough pancakes, I’d rather allow more time than mistake a standard mix for a sourdough one. This sourdough preference is a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
The grains listed don’t tell you whether sourdough was used in the mix. So you can’t automatically assume a standard mix is a sourdough variety.
If sourdough is essential, check the description and ingredients on the current packaging before you order.
The milk, eggs or other ingredients you add may be just as important to the people sharing your lunch as the dry mix itself. Albert Heijn lists a variation made with a plant-based drink for its wholemeal mix.
Read both the label and the full preparation instructions, and choose your additional ingredients accordingly.
For an office lunch, it’s not just when you cook that matters; it’s also how long the pancakes are left out of the fridge while you’re travelling and at the office. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises not leaving leftovers out of the fridge for more than 2 hours.
Cool the pancakes quickly, seal them in a container and arrange to keep them chilled during transport and until lunchtime.
Koopmans offers several pancake mixes, including complete mixes and shaker bottles. For an office lunch, how each variety is prepared and how many pancakes it makes matter more than its name alone.
The own-brand range includes several types of pancake mix. AH Mix voor pannenkoeken volkoren is worth considering if you want to choose the type of grain and how you prepare the pancakes.
Jumbo offers a plain pancake mix and also publishes information on making sourdough. These are two different ways to prepare for lunch.
These mixes are options to help you plan how to prepare your office lunch and how many portions you’ll need. If you specifically want sourdough, check the current packaging and ingredients for each product before choosing it as a sourdough variety.
Image unavailable
For anyone considering a mix made with different grains for an office lunch. The pack contains 400 g; check the label for ingredients to add, allergens and yield before planning how much to make.
Image unavailable
For a lunch where you want to keep the number of extra ingredients to a minimum. This Complete variety contains 210 g; check the preparation instructions and yield for this specific pack before deciding how many you need.
Image unavailable
For anyone considering a shaker bottle and wanting to work out the quantity in advance for their lunch group. This variety contains 175 g; check which liquid you need to add and how many pancakes the bottle makes.
Image unavailable
For anyone who wants to use a standard pancake mix and choose which ingredients to add. The pack contains 400 g; check the preparation instructions, allergens and yield before cooking for colleagues.
Yes, as long as you cool them quickly, seal them in a container and keep them chilled during transport. Don’t leave them unrefrigerated for long. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises not leaving leftovers out of the fridge for more than 2 hours; when planning, allow for the time spent travelling and at the office too.
Starting a new culture using Jumbo’s sourdough guide won’t work for lunch tomorrow: Jumbo says it takes 3 to 6 days. The guide is for a bread starter, so you’ll also need a suitable pancake recipe.
Yes, Albert Heijn lists a plant-based drink as an alternative way to prepare its wholemeal mix. Check the current packaging for the full instructions and allergen information, and make sure any other ingredients you add suit everyone sharing the meal.
