People keeping an eye on fibre
You want to offer speculaas as a treat and compare the fibre content of different biscuits in this category. You also consider sugar, fat and portion size.
Who are these choices relevant to?
Organisers who need to consider allergens
Some people taking part need to avoid gluten or other allergens. Before handing out treats, you want to be able to check their ingredients and any ‘may contain’ information.
Organisers who want to prepare portions in advance
You’re looking for biscuits that are easy to hand out, or you want to bake your own and choose the shape and portion size. The ingredient information needs to remain clear for every portion.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether an allergen restriction limits your choice. Then compare the nutritional profile and choose a pack or baking shape that suits the way you’ll be handing out the treats.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and nutritional value | Compare fibre and sugar per 100 g; check the portion size and the rest of the nutritional information too. | If I choose speculaas as a treat, I want to know which option in this biscuit category contains more fibre, rather than relying on the front of the pack alone. This is the main consideration for around 50% of consumers. |
| Gluten and other allergens | Check the current ingredients list, the gluten-free label where needed, and any ‘may contain’ information. | If someone taking part in the hunt needs to avoid certain allergens, I want to be able to choose a suitable treat and keep it clearly separate. This is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Handing out treats and baking your own | Check the number of biscuits or portions and the type of packaging; if baking your own, check the ingredients in any decorations too. | I want to be able to portion the biscuits in advance or make a suitable shape myself, without losing track of the portions when handing them out. This matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes when handing out treats
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Looking only at the fibre content
A higher fibre value, by itself, tells you nothing about the rest of the nutritional value or the portion size.
Compare speculaas per 100 g and per portion. Alongside fibre, check sugar, saturated fat and salt too.
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Sharing a large pack without allergen information
When biscuits are handed out individually, it may be less clear to participants which ingredients and potential traces apply to their portion. According to Jumbo, the classic Jumbo speculaas assessed contains wheat and gluten and may contain almonds and nuts.
Keep the original packaging with the treats. If you portion them yourself, clearly state which ingredients and allergens are present.
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Assuming gluten-free means higher in fibre
Gluten-free status and fibre content are different things. Albert Heijn lists 1.6 g of fibre and 27 g of sugar per 100 g for AH Gluten-free Speculaas.
Look for the gluten-free label when that restriction is relevant, and compare nutritional values separately.
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Forgetting the mix and decorations when baking your own biscuits
The baking mix and any decorations you add also determine the ingredients in the finished treat. For the Koopmans Speculaas Cookie Kit, Jumbo states that the dough must not be eaten raw and must be heated all the way through.
Check the ingredients of everything you use, bake the dough according to the instructions, and keep that information available when handing out the biscuits.
Brands and ranges compared
Lotus Biscoff
The Lotus Biscoff 6 Grains product assessed is a speculoos biscuit in a pack of 10 × 2 biscuits.
- Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists 4.7 g of fibre per 100 g and 52% grains for this product.
- According to the product information, this product contains gluten and soya and may contain traces of milk, mustard, nuts and peanuts. Check the current label if anyone taking part needs to avoid allergens.
Albert Heijn
The Albert Heijn range assessed includes both AH Gluten-free Speculaas and BioToday Spelt speculoos. They are different products for different selection criteria.
- Albert Heijn lists 1.6 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Gluten-free Speculaas and 6 g per 100 g for BioToday Spelt speculoos.
- According to the product information, BioToday Spelt speculoos contains spelt, oats, rye, barley and wheat, among other ingredients, and may contain nuts and sesame. A higher fibre value does not replace an allergen check.
Jumbo
The Jumbo products assessed include classic packs of speculaas and a Koopmans baking mix for anyone who wants to make their own biscuits.
- Jumbo lists a 600 g pack and 1.0 g of fibre per 100 g for Bakkers Speculaas. For Speculaasbrokken, Jumbo lists 2.0 g of fibre per 100 g.
- According to Jumbo, both classic products assessed contain wheat and gluten and may contain almonds and nuts. The dough made with the baking mix assessed must be heated all the way through.
Speculaas biscuits on Joybuy
These speculaas biscuits are suitable if you want to portion out treats for an Easter egg hunt. For your chosen pack, check the portions, nutritional information and allergens on the current label.
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Hellema Smoeltjes Speculaas, 8 biscuits, 200 g
An option for sharing eight speculaas biscuits among participants. If anyone has an allergen restriction, check the current label for wheat, milk, egg and possible traces of peanuts and nuts. Only compare fibre with other biscuits once you know whether the nutritional values are given per 100 g or per portion.
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Bolletje Ball of Shaking Bellies Speculaas, 300 g
For anyone who wants to decide how many speculaas biscuits to include in each portion. Consider how many portions you want to make from the pack. If anyone has an allergen restriction, check the label for wheat and possible traces of peanuts and milk; when comparing fibre, use only nutritional values with a clearly stated basis.
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g'woon Almond Speculaas, 400 g
For anyone who wants to portion out biscuits from a 400 g pack. Carefully check the current ingredient information if anyone taking part needs to avoid wheat, almonds, milk, egg, soya or other nuts; look out for possible traces of peanuts and other nuts too. If fibre content is one of your selection criteria, compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis.
Frequently asked questions
Is higher-fibre speculaas suitable for digestive problems?
A higher fibre value does not make speculaas a treatment for digestive problems. Use the fibre content to compare biscuits with one another; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables, fruit, wholegrain cereal products, pulses and nuts among important sources of fibre.
What should I check if someone needs to eat gluten-free?
Choose speculaas clearly labelled as gluten-free, and check the current label for other relevant allergens too. Albert Heijn states that AH Gluten-free Speculaas is produced in a completely gluten-free environment, but that the product contains egg and may contain traces of sesame, almond, hazelnut and walnut.
Should I check the allergen information for speculaas ordered online too?
Yes. According to the European Commission, the same mandatory information must be available for food sold online as for food sold in a physical shop. Check the ingredients and allergen information before ordering, and keep the current packaging with the biscuits when you hand them out.
Can I bake speculaas as an activity during the Easter egg hunt?
Yes, as long as you check the ingredients and allergens you use and bake the dough all the way through. For the Koopmans Speculaas Cookie Kit, Jumbo states that the dough must not be eaten raw and must be heated all the way through; the mix contains wheat and may contain egg, milk and rye.