To make sourdough pancakes for your picnic, choose a recipe that uses an active starter or discard, and allow for the extra ingredients and preparation. If you’d rather keep things simple at home, compare complete and standard pancake mixes by checking what else you need to add, how many pancakes they make and what’s on the label. Cool cooked pancakes quickly, and plan how to transport any products that need to stay chilled.
Already have an active starter or some discard, and don’t mind making your own batter? You can follow a sourdough recipe rather than treating a standard mix as a sourdough product. My Food Blog’s recipe uses eggs and milk as well as starter.
If you want to make a small batch at home without using lots of separate ingredients, consider a shaker bottle or complete mix. Albert Heijn says its Koopmans Complete Pancake Shaker Bottle requires 350 ml of water and makes four to six pancakes.
If your choice depends on gluten, milk, eggs or the grains used, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy. Koopmans and PLUS product information shows that a multigrain mix can contain different grains from a gluten-free mix. Gluten-free, on its own, doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk or eggs.
Best for: you already have an active starter or discard and want to use it in a sourdough recipe.
Bear in mind: My Food Blog’s recipe also calls for other ingredients; a starter isn’t a ready-made pancake mix.
Best for: you want to plan the preparation around the ingredients you have at home and the number of pancakes you need.
Bear in mind: complete and standard mixes don’t require the same additions. And the name of a standard mix doesn’t mean it contains sourdough.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough or standard mix | Check whether the exact product mentions sourdough or starter. If you want to bake with your own starter, see what other ingredients the recipe calls for. | I specifically want to use my starter and don’t mind extra preparation; around 38% of consumers would prioritise sourdough. |
| Preparation and quantity | Compare the ingredients you need to add and the yield stated on each pack. Remember to leave time for the pancakes to cool before you set off. | I want to make a small batch at home quickly, without getting lots of separate ingredients ready. Around 37% of consumers would put convenience first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ statement on the current pack. Don’t assume that multigrain means gluten-free. | I need to know before baking whether the pack meets my dietary requirements; around 25% of consumers would make checking the label their top priority. |
My Food Blog’s sourdough recipe uses a separate starter. A standard pancake mix doesn’t become a sourdough product just because you’re considering it for the same picnic.
If you want to buy a packaged sourdough product, check that the label on that exact product mentions sourdough. If you already have a starter, compare the preparation involved in a recipe with that of a mix.
The additional ingredients vary by product. The Koopmans shaker bottle sold by Albert Heijn requires water, while PLUS says its Complete mix needs water and cooking fat.
Read the preparation instructions before you shop, and adjust the quantity to suit your picnic group.
A multigrain mix may contain wheat and oats. The gluten-free Koopmans mix described by PLUS states that it may contain eggs and milk.
Check both the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy, including any warnings about traces.
A picnic calls for some thought about cooling and transport, not just cooking.
Cool the pancakes quickly and pack them in a clean, sealed container. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag for products that need to stay chilled.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises throwing away products that are normally kept in the fridge if they have been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
Koopmans offers a range that includes a standard mix, a complete shaker bottle, an organic multigrain mix and a gluten-free option.
Jumbo’s own-brand Naturel mix is an option if you’re looking for a standard pancake mix.
PLUS sells a Complete mix that you prepare with water.
ALDI describes a 400 g pack of its own-brand Albona multigrain pancake mix.
Lidl describes Belbake Pannenkoekenmix Origineel as a 400 g mix.
These Joybuy products are pancake mixes for making pancakes at home for a picnic. Choose the option that suits you, and check the pack to see what ingredients you need to add. Don’t assume these mixes are sourdough products unless the label confirms it.
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A complete mix for making pancakes at home for a smaller picnic group. Before planning the rest of your shopping, check the preparation instructions, yield and allergen information on the pack.
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A Wholegrains option for anyone who wants to make their own picnic pancakes. Check the exact pack to see what ingredients you need to add and which grains and allergens it lists.
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A standard mix for making your own batter at home and choosing the additional ingredients yourself. Compare the preparation instructions and allergen information on the pack with those for a complete mix.
Not unless the label on that mix confirms it. My Food Blog’s sourdough recipe uses a separate starter. If you want to bake with one, follow a suitable recipe and make sure you have the other ingredients it calls for.
It depends on the pack you choose. Albert Heijn says the Koopmans Complete Pancake Shaker Bottle requires 350 ml of water; PLUS states that its Complete mix needs 700 ml of water and cooking fat. Check the instructions on the pack you plan to use.
Don’t assume so. The organic Koopmans multigrain mix described by PLUS contains wheat and oats. If you’re specifically looking for a gluten-free mix, check for that wording and read the rest of the allergen information on the exact pack.
Cool them quickly and transport them in a clean, sealed container. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag for products that need to stay chilled, and throwing them away if they have been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s Storage Guide, you can keep pancakes in the fridge for two days or in the freezer for three months. Cool leftovers quickly and store them in a sealed container.
