A large pack of speculaas is best suited to a shared biscuit tin at home, while individually portioned biscuits are easier to divide up in advance. Don’t treat either option as a complete plan for a long run: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, you also need to consider how many carbohydrates you’ll need, what you’ll drink and when you’ll eat during prolonged exercise. Compare the pack size and nutritional information per portion, and try any biscuit portion during a training run first.
You’re looking for something for the biscuit tin that could fit alongside an eating and drinking plan you’ve tried out in advance. During longer periods of exercise, carbohydrate intake and drinking are separate considerations, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
You want enough speculaas to share at home, but not everyone in the family has the same needs around training. Pack weight, portion sizes and how to store the biscuits after opening all affect how useful a large pack will be.
You want to know which allergens are listed on the specific pack before sharing the biscuits. This is especially important if someone needs to avoid wheat, soya, almonds or other nuts.
First decide whether the speculaas is mainly for your home biscuit tin or for a pre-measured portion around your run. Then check the pack’s nutritional information, when you plan to eat it and its ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition during long runs | Check the carbohydrates per portion and plan your drinks separately; try your chosen amount during a training run. | If I want to take something on a long run, the amount needs to fit with my existing eating and drinking plan. Around 36% of consumers make this their priority. |
| Portion size and timing | Check the portion size and how long you have before your run. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against large portions just before exercise. | I don’t want to eat a large portion just before setting off if I don’t know how it will sit. For around 29% of consumers, timing and how well food is tolerated are the most important factors. |
| Stocking up and packaging | Compare the net weight, number of portions or biscuits, and storage instructions after opening. | At home, I want to share biscuits without leaving an opened pack around for too long. For around 21% of consumers, suitability as a family-sized pack is the priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the specific pack. | When I share biscuits with others, I need to be able to check first which ingredients they need to avoid. This is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
The pack weight doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates your chosen portion provides or what you’ll drink along the way. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, eating during exercise can be relevant during prolonged activity, as well as drinking enough.
Plan your food and drink around the length of your training session. If you’re considering a portion of speculaas, try it on a training run rather than for the first time during a race.
AH Bakkers speculaas and Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas both list 22 g of fat per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against having large portions or high-fat foods just before exercise, as they can stay in your stomach for longer.
Think about when you’re eating your meal, and choose a small snack based on what you’ve found you can tolerate during training.
A pack for the biscuit tin isn’t necessarily convenient to take with you or divide into set portions. AH lists around 48 portions in its 600 g pack; Lotus Biscoff is also available in packs with individually portioned biscuits.
Think about how many biscuits you actually want to divide up, and follow the chosen product’s storage instructions after opening.
A large pack means portioning it yourself at home and sealing it carefully if you don’t use it all at once.
Lotus describes Biscoff as suitable for vegans, but also lists wheat and soya. Other speculaas products may contain different ingredients or carry different warnings.
Before buying and eating, read the label on the exact pack you’re using, even if you already know the brand.
These examples show how pack sizes and portioning can vary. The information applies to the products mentioned, not every product from each brand.
Alongside standard packs, Lotus Bakeries lists Pocket Pack, XL and Mega Pack formats. This gives you a choice between a pack for home and biscuits that are portioned in advance.
AH Bakkers speculaas comes in a 600 g pack for sharing at home.
Jumbo Bakkers Speculaas also comes in a 600 g pack and is intended as an everyday supply of speculaas.
ALDI describes a seasonal 2-pack of filled speculaas, weighing 2 x 250 g and made with almonds and almond paste. This is a different type of product from standard baker’s speculaas.
Lidl describes Bakkers speculaas as crisp speculaas biscuits in a 600 g pack.
This selection includes baker’s speculaas for home and smaller packs you can portion out yourself. Choose a pack size that suits your biscuit tin; when it comes to eating around a long run, your own eating and drinking plan remains a separate consideration.
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For anyone who wants to count out biscuits in advance rather than choose a large pack for the biscuit tin.
Joybuy describes this 250 g pack as containing around 32 biscuits. Check the portion you want to have and read the current packaging for allergen information; Lotus lists wheat and soya for Biscoff.
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A 600 g pack for anyone who mainly wants to share speculaas at home and decide on the portion sizes themselves.
If you’re having it around a training session, check the nutritional information per portion and the ingredients and allergens on the pack.
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A pack for home if you’d rather buy less than 600 g and portion out the biscuits yourself.
The pack contains 450 g. Check the label for nutritional information and allergens when deciding on a biscuit portion.
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For anyone who wants to serve small pieces of speculaas at home rather than choose a large pack of standard baker’s speculaas.
The pack contains 300 g. Use the label to work out any portion; the pack weight alone doesn’t tell you the nutritional value of an individual portion.
No, a family pack on its own isn’t a plan for eating and drinking during a long run. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, carbohydrate intake during exercise can help during prolonged activity. How much you eat and when should also fit with your drinking plan and what you’ve found you can tolerate during training.
A large portion just before setting off isn’t ideal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a meal around two to three hours before exercise and warns that large portions and high-fat foods eaten just beforehand can stay in your stomach for longer. Try any small snack during a training session first.
Both suppliers describe their products as 600 g packs containing around 48 portions. Also compare the current ingredients, nutritional information per 100 g and portion size on the packaging; the same pack size doesn’t make the products identical in every respect.
Always read the allergen information on the specific pack. Lotus lists wheat and soya for Biscoff; for the baker’s speculaas mentioned here, Albert Heijn and Jumbo list wheat/gluten and warnings about possible almonds or nuts. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the requirements for allergen labelling.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn recommends keeping AH Bakkers speculaas in a sealed tin after opening; Jumbo says to store its Bakkers Speculaas in a cool, dry place.
