Hosting for coffee or tea
You’d like to serve a biscuit with coffee or tea when guests visit at Christmas. A spritz biscuit could be right for you if you’re mainly considering its crisp texture and how you plan to serve it.
Who are you choosing biscuits for?
Buying for several guests
You’re shopping for more than one occasion. In that case, the pack size and the number of biscuits or servings it contains are more useful for comparing products than the packaging format alone.
Buying for a guest with dietary needs or allergies
You need to be able to check the ingredients and allergens in the product you choose. A standard spritz biscuit or digestive isn’t automatically suitable for someone who needs to eat gluten-free or avoid a particular allergen.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the occasion, quantity or ingredients are the main priority for your guests. Then compare the packs of the products you’ve shortlisted.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Occasion | Check the exact spritz biscuit product, its ingredients and the number of biscuits in the pack. | For Christmas coffee, I want to choose a biscuit I’ll enjoy serving with a cup. This occasion is the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Quantity | Compare the weight and the stated number of biscuits or servings. | When more guests are coming, I want to know how many biscuits are in a pack. Around 30% of consumers say quantity is their top priority. |
| Allergens and gluten-free requirements | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ warning. If you need a gluten-free option, look for an explicit claim. | If I’m buying for someone with an allergy or who needs to eat gluten-free, I need to check the specific pack. This comes first for around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Taking ‘digestive’ as a nutritional claim
The name and a mention of fibre don’t tell you everything about a biscuit’s nutritional value. The Consumentenbond warns that claims on the front of a pack may give an incomplete picture.
Compare the nutritional information for the exact products, per 100 g and, if provided, per serving. Also look at sugars, saturated fat and salt.
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Assuming all spritz biscuits have the same ingredients
Verkade lists vegetable oils and milk ingredients among the ingredients in Nobo Sprits Original; Albert Heijn states that AH Spritsen contain 29% butter. Ingredients therefore vary by product.
If butter or a particular allergen matters to your choice, read the label on the pack you’re buying.
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Confusing ‘gluten-free’ with ‘allergen-free’
Jumbo states that its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.
Even if a product is explicitly labelled gluten-free, check for any other allergens that could affect your guest.
Brands compared
Verkade
Nobo Sprits Original is a 150 g pack of spritz biscuits.
- For this product, Verkade states 1.1 g of fibre and 28.71 g of fat per 100 g.
- The ingredients include wheat and milk ingredients; don’t assume other Verkade biscuits have the same ingredients.
McVitie's
Digestives Original is a standard digestive in a 400 g pack.
- Jumbo’s nutritional information lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g for this product.
- This product contains wheat and may contain milk. Consider any fibre claim alongside the rest of the label.
Jumbo
The own-brand range includes both a standard 400 g Krokante Digestive and a 165 g pack of Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade.
- The product names distinguish a standard digestive from an explicitly labelled gluten-free chocolate option.
- The gluten-free chocolate option contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.
Albert Heijn
AH Spritsen are butter spritz biscuits, sold as 10 biscuits in a 200 g pack.
- Albert Heijn states that this product contains 29% butter.
- The product information lists milk, lactose and wheat, as well as other possible allergens. Check the pack for your guest.
Biscotto (ALDI)
ALDI’s Biscotto own-brand range includes both digestive biscuits and butter spritz biscuits.
- The products shown include 400 g packs of digestive biscuits and 175 g packs of butter spritz biscuits.
- Check which product is available at the time and in the shop where you’re buying.
Digestives on Joybuy
If you’d like to serve a standard digestive in a 400 g pack when guests visit at Christmas, this product fits the bill.
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McVitie's Digestive Original 400 g
A standard digestive in a 400 g pack, ideal for serving on several occasions.
Jumbo’s nutritional information for McVitie's Digestives Original lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g. The biscuits contain wheat and may contain milk; check the pack if this matters to your guests.
Frequently asked questions
Does the name ‘digestive’ tell you everything about its nutritional value?
No, the name alone doesn’t indicate the biscuit’s nutritional value. Jumbo lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g for McVitie's Digestives Original, while Verkade lists 1.1 g per 100 g for Nobo Sprits Original. Also compare the other nutritional information and the serving size of the products you’re considering.
Can I choose a standard spritz biscuit or digestive for someone who needs to eat gluten-free?
Don’t choose based on the type of biscuit alone: the standard spritz biscuit and digestive products mentioned contain wheat. Look for a product explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check the other ingredients and allergens on the pack too.
How should I store an opened pack of biscuits until Christmas guests arrive?
Seal the opened pack securely and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For its Krokante Digestive, Jumbo recommends an airtight biscuit tin or a securely resealed pack once opened.