Which option is right for you?

Home cooks short on preparation time

You want to make a hot lunch at home without measuring out lots of ingredients. A complete mix or shaker bottle can make mixing easier, but you’ll still need a pan and time to cook the pancakes.

Lunch buyers specifically looking for sourdough

You want sourdough to be an actual part of the product or recipe. Wholemeal and multigrain don’t tell you that; Meesterlijk by Robèrt’s recipe does use a sourdough starter.

Buyers who need to check ingredients and allergens

You want to know before buying whether the ingredients and allergens in a particular packet are suitable for your dietary requirements. Check the current packaging, even if you’ve already read the product information online.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want to eat lunch straight away or cook at home. Then consider whether sourdough, ingredient restrictions or the quantity you need will determine your choice.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this important for?
Eat straight away or cook at home Dry mix still needs to be mixed and cooked. Choose a ready-to-eat lunch product if you can’t cook at home. If I want to take my lunch with me straight away, batter that still needs to go in the pan is no use to me. For around 40% of consumers weighing up these lunch options, being able to eat straight away comes first.
Actual sourdough Look for an explicit mention of sourdough or sourdough starter; wholemeal and multigrain are not proof of this. I want to make sourdough pancakes, so I don’t choose based on the name of the flour alone. Actual sourdough is the main priority for around 30% of these consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packet, including any information about traces. If certain ingredients aren’t suitable for me, I need to be able to check the specific packet before using it. Around 20% of these consumers give this check the highest priority.
Quantity and what you’ll need Compare the stated number of pancakes and check whether you need to add milk, eggs or cooking fat. For a lunch for one, I want to know how much I’ll make and what I’ll need to have at home. For around 10% of these consumers, getting the right quantity matters most.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking dry mix for a lunch you can take away straight away

    Even a complete pancake mix still needs to be prepared and cooked.

    Choose a mix if you can cook at home; otherwise, look for a ready-to-eat lunch product.

  • Assuming wholemeal, multigrain or organic means sourdough

    On their own, these labels don’t tell you that a pancake mix is made with sourdough.

    Check whether the product or recipe explicitly mentions sourdough or a sourdough starter.

  • Judging allergens by the product name alone

    Mixes vary in their ingredients and may also include relevant information about possible traces.

    If you have dietary restrictions, always check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.

Brands with relevant pancake mixes

Koopmans

Koopmans offers original, complete, multigrain and gluten-free pancake mixes for cooking at home, among other options.

  • Koopmans says you add milk, eggs and butter to Pannenkoeken Origineel yourself; water is all you need to make the batter for Pannenkoeken Compleet.
  • A multigrain or gluten-free variety isn’t automatically a sourdough mix. Check the ingredients and preparation instructions on each packet.

PLUS

PLUS offers a plain mix in a bottle, a complete mix and a wholemeal mix, among other options.

  • According to PLUS, the complete mix requires water and cooking fat for the pan; the wholemeal mix is made with milk and eggs.
  • The plain mix in a bottle is mixed with milk. PLUS says to use the batter straight away and not store it; check the current packaging information too.

Albona

Albona is an ALDI own brand that offers a multigrain pancake baking mix, among other products.

  • ALDI’s product information lists a multigrain mix for cooking at home.
  • Don’t take the multigrain label as proof of sourdough; check the specific packet for ingredients and allergens.

Belbake

Belbake is a Lidl own brand that offers an original pancake mix, among other products.

  • Lidl says the original 400 g packet makes around 12 pancakes.
  • The word ‘original’ tells you nothing about sourdough. Check the packaging for ingredients and allergens.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use pancake mix if I want to buy lunch now?

Not if you want to take your lunch away or eat it straight away: dry pancake mix still needs to be mixed and cooked. In that case, look for a ready-to-eat lunch product instead of a baking mix.

Does wholemeal or multigrain mean a mix contains sourdough?

No, those words don’t tell you whether sourdough has been used. Check whether sourdough or a sourdough starter is explicitly mentioned in the ingredients or recipe.

What should I check on a pancake mix if I have dietary restrictions?

Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging for the specific product. Don’t rely on the product name alone or on information you saw online earlier.

Can I keep prepared batter until later in the day?

Follow the instructions for the mix you’ve chosen. PLUS says that batter made with its plain mix in a bottle should be used straight after mixing with milk and must not be stored.