For small topped bites, choose thin melba toast. If you want something you can eat without a topping too, compare sesame crackers or crispbread. Don’t judge by the seeds on the front alone: the Van der Meulen varieties listed by Albert Heijn pair higher fibre with more salt per 100 g, and it’s worth checking the allergen information for sesame products.
You want to compare fibre and salt per 100 g, rather than relying on words such as ‘wholegrain’ or visible seeds. Of the two Van der Meulen varieties listed by Albert Heijn, the wholemeal melba toast has the highest levels of both fibre and salt.
You want to serve small sweet or savoury toppings and need a thin toast base for them. If you also want to serve something without a topping, a cracker is a different product shape to consider.
You want to know which allergens are listed on the current packaging before you buy. The sesame products reviewed list wheat or other cereals containing gluten as well as sesame; check each product for any other declarations too.
First decide whether you want a thin base for toppings or a cracker you can eat on its own. Then compare the nutritional information and allergens for the varieties that suit how you plan to use them.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Especially useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients too. | If I’m keeping an eye on fibre, I also want to see how much salt the variety contains. For around 33% of consumers, this nutritional comparison would be the main consideration. |
| Toppings and texture | Check whether the shape suits small toppings or eating without a topping; compare a stated sesame percentage only if it’s available for both products. | I look for a different shape for small topped bites than for a cracker I’ll eat on its own. For around 27% of consumers, toppings and texture would come first. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients list and check both the ‘contains’ and any ‘may contain’ statements. | If I need to avoid an allergen, I want to check the packaging for that exact variety before deciding. For around 20% of consumers, this would be their first priority. |
| Packaging and availability | Check the quantity, packaging and whether the variety you want is available where you shop. | If I want to enjoy the toast over several coffee breaks, the packaging needs to suit that too. For around 20% of consumers, this and availability would carry the most weight. |
Those words alone don’t tell you how much fibre and salt a toast contains. According to the product information at Albert Heijn, Van der Meulen Wholemeal Melba Toast contains 9.7 g of fibre and 1.9 g of salt per 100 g; the sesame variety contains 5 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g.
Compare the same values per 100 g, then consider the portion you want to serve.
Sesame is an allergen in its own right. The products reviewed also list wheat or other cereals containing gluten, and allergen information may vary between varieties.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging every time you buy, even if you’ve bought the product before.
According to Brood.net Professionals, the use of iodised baker’s salt is not a general legal requirement in the Netherlands. So, the word ‘toast’ doesn’t tell you which type of salt a particular product contains.
If this matters to you, check the ingredients list on the packaging in question.
Bolletje has sesame varieties in the bagel cracker and crispbread categories among the products reviewed. The brand says its Bagel Crackers Sesame can be eaten with or without a topping.
The sesame and wholemeal melba toast varieties reviewed offer two options for a thin toast base for small toppings.
Albert Heijn’s online category is a useful place to compare product types such as melba toast and seeded crackers.
These products suit the cracker option or make a crunchy snack that’s ready to eat. The cheese sandwich isn’t a neutral toast base for your own toppings.
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A thin sesame cracker to consider if you’d like something to eat with or without a topping alongside your coffee.
Compare fibre and salt per 100 g on the current packaging, and check the allergen information if it’s relevant to you.
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For anyone looking for a sesame cracker that Bolletje says can be eaten with or without a topping.
Bolletje lists 7.6% roasted sesame seeds and wheat, barley and sesame as allergens. Check the current packaging before buying.
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A ready-made cheese sandwich for anyone who isn’t looking for plain toast to top themselves.
If you’re comparing it with sesame products, check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
No. According to the product information at Albert Heijn, Van der Meulen Wholemeal Melba Toast contains 9.7 g of fibre and 1.9 g of salt per 100 g, compared with 5 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g for the sesame variety. So, compare fibre and salt together, using the same basis.
Don’t rely on the category name alone. The sesame products reviewed list sesame and also contain wheat or other cereals containing gluten. For a specific variety, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Don’t assume so. Brood.net Professionals says the use of iodised baker’s salt is not a general legal requirement; in 2008, the Staatscourant published an agreement on its use. Check the ingredients list of the toast you want to buy.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you choose. For Bolletje Bagel Crackers, the product information at Joybuy says to store them in a cool, dry place and keep the pack tightly closed after opening.
