Who is this choice relevant to?

Breakfast eater keeping an eye on fibre

You want to compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g, rather than relying solely on the colour or the ‘wholemeal’ label on the front of the pack.

Fan of generous savoury toppings

You’re looking for a size and texture to suit your toppings. A larger rusk or a seeded option may be worth considering, although the product name doesn’t tell you how well it holds heavier or moist toppings.

Shopper who checks ingredients

You’re looking for rusks for everyday use and want to check which grains, other ingredients and allergens are in your chosen option before you buy.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide what matters most for your savoury breakfast: fibre, the type of topping, a familiar everyday pack, or information about ingredients and allergens.

What to consider What should you check? Who will find this most important?
Fibre and grain base Compare fibre per 100 g and check which types of flour are listed in the ingredients. I want to choose rusks for my savoury breakfast based on their fibre content, without relying solely on the packaging. Around 37% of consumers would put fibre first when choosing.
Size and toppings Check the size and ingredients, such as seeds, then decide separately whether the rusks will suit your toppings. If I want to add generous toppings, I’m looking for rusks that are easy to use with them. For around 27% of consumers, this combination of size and toppings would come first.
Packaging and availability Check the number of rusks in the pack and whether your preferred option is available at the shop where you buy your groceries. For everyday breakfasts, I want to be able to pick up a familiar pack of rusks without having to switch to another option. Availability would be the main consideration for around 27% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack, including any ‘may contain’ statement. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to be able to check each option individually. For around 9% of consumers, this would be the first requirement when choosing.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘wholemeal’ means ‘made exclusively with wholemeal flour’

    According to the Consumentenbond, rusks labelled as wholemeal may also contain white flour. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you exactly which grain base you’re buying.

    Read the ingredients list and compare fibre per 100 g if that matters to you.

  • Judging a seeded option by just one feature

    Seeds don’t tell you everything about the nutritional information. PLUS lists 15 g of fat and 0.71 g of salt per 100 g for its spelt rusks with seeds and kernels.

    For the options you’re considering, compare fat, salt, fibre and energy on the same per-100 g basis.

  • Guessing allergens from the product name

    Ingredients and warnings vary between rusks. Wheat and egg are present in the options described; sesame or other gluten-containing grains may also be relevant for some options.

    Check the current packaging for the exact option, including any ‘may contain’ statement.

  • Assuming ordinary salt means the rusks contain baker’s salt

    The word ‘salt’ on a pack of rusks doesn’t mean the product was made with iodised baker’s salt. The Voedingscentrum points out that even bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt.

    If you want to know whether a particular product contains baker’s salt, check the product-specific information or ask the manufacturer.

Brands to compare

Always compare individual rusk options: ingredients and nutritional values don’t automatically apply to every product from the same brand.

Bolletje

Bolletje offers several types of rusks, including a dark wholemeal option with oats and seeds.

  • The dark wholemeal option described contains 10 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Check the grains and allergens for each option; wheat, oats, barley and sesame are among those relevant to the dark wholemeal option.

AH

Albert Heijn’s own brand offers plain and wholemeal rusks, which you can compare by ingredients and nutritional values.

  • Albert Heijn lists 4.2 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Plain Rusks and 9 g per 100 g for AH Wholemeal Rusks.
  • The options described contain wheat and egg; check the current packaging for the option you choose.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers plain rusks, among other options, for anyone looking for a standard pack for breakfast.

  • Jumbo lists 3.1 g of fibre and 0.50 g of salt per 100 g for its plain rusks.
  • The option described contains wheat and egg; check the allergen warnings on the packaging too.

PLUS

PLUS offers plain rusks and spelt rusks with seeds and kernels, so you can compare different ingredients and textures.

  • PLUS lists 3.1 g of fibre per 100 g for its plain rusks and 5.8 g per 100 g for the spelt option described.
  • The spelt option also contains 15 g of fat and 0.71 g of salt per 100 g, as well as ingredients including wheat/spelt, egg, barley and sesame.

Goud Gebakken

ALDI lists plain and wholemeal rusks under this name.

  • The plain pack described contains 13 rusks.
  • Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging for the pack you choose.

Rusks for a wholemeal or seeded option

These Bolletje options are worth considering if you’re looking for wholemeal rusks for a savoury breakfast or want to try a larger rusk with seeds. If you like generous toppings, check for yourself whether your chosen option works well with them.

Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, 10 pieces

Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, 10 pieces

An option to consider if you want to compare fibre and are looking for a larger size to go with savoury toppings.

This dark wholemeal option is listed as containing 10 g of fibre per 100 g. Check the current allergen information, including for wheat, oats, barley and sesame; the larger size doesn’t prove how well the rusks hold heavier or moist toppings.

View at Joybuy
Bolletje wholemeal rusks, 13 pieces

Bolletje wholemeal rusks, 13 pieces

A wholemeal option to consider for breakfast with toppings.

Only compare its fibre with other rusks once you’ve checked the per-100 g value on the packaging. For this option, also check the allergen information for wheat and egg, and look out for any sesame warning.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘medium sliced’ help you choose rusks?

No, it isn’t a standard size description for Dutch rusks. Rusks are a dry, twice-baked type of bread; for your savoury breakfast, it’s better to check the size, ingredients, fibre per 100 g and allergens.

Does ‘wholemeal’ on a pack of rusks mean they contain no white flour?

Not necessarily: according to the Consumentenbond, rusks labelled as wholemeal may also contain white flour. Read the ingredients list if the grain base matters to you, and always compare fibre per 100 g.

Which allergens should I check in rusks?

Check the allergens for the exact option: the products described include ingredients such as wheat and egg, while seeded options may also contain sesame or other gluten-containing grains. Before eating, read the current packaging, including any ‘may contain’ statements.

How can I keep rusks crunchy after opening?

Store rusks in a dry place and seal the pack or storage tin tightly. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your product.