Who is this choice for?

If you want a classic biscuit selection

You’re looking for a crisp, crumbly biscuit to enjoy with coffee, tea or hot chocolate on St Nicholas’ Eve. A spritz biscuit is a better fit than a biscuit chosen mainly for its nutritional values.

If you’re sharing biscuits with several guests

You want to know how many biscuits are in a pack and how to compare different pack sizes. Net weight and number of servings are more helpful than the price of a pack alone.

If you’re taking guests’ dietary needs into account

You’ll need to check in advance which ingredients or allergens are relevant to your guests. Even with a gluten-free digestive, you should still check the full packaging information.

What should you consider when choosing?

First decide whether you’d like to serve a classic spritz biscuit or a digestive. Then compare the nutritional information, quantity and allergens that matter to your guests on each pack.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this most important to?
Texture Choose deliberately between a crisp, crumbly spritz biscuit and a sturdier digestive; a chocolate coating also changes the ingredients. If the biscuit selection is mainly there to offer a familiar spritz biscuit, that texture matters more to me than the nutrition table. Around 25% of consumers prioritise the classic spritz experience.
Quantity to share Compare net weight, servings and price per kilo; also check how the pack should be stored once opened. When I’m serving several guests, I want to estimate how many packs I’ll need without being misled by the size of the packaging. Sharing is the first consideration for around 33% of consumers.
Fibre and wholegrain Check the fibre per 100 g and the ingredients list; compare sugars, fat and the information per serving too. If I’m considering a wholemeal digestive, I want to compare the stated fibre content without treating the biscuit’s name as a nutritional claim. This comparison is the priority for around 25% of consumers.
Allergens Read the latest ingredients and allergen information, including any warnings about cross-contamination; with a gluten-free variety, check the other ingredients too. If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know whether the biscuit I’ve chosen suits their dietary needs. Around 17% of consumers give this check the highest priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘digestive’ describes an effect

    The product name doesn’t mean the biscuit aids digestion. For McVitie's Digestives Pure Chocolade, Jumbo’s product information explicitly states that the ingredients in the biscuit don’t contain any substances that do this.

    Choose based on flavour, texture and the nutritional information provided, not on an assumed effect suggested by the name.

  • Assuming gluten-free means free from other allergens

    According to Jumbo, Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade contain milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.

    Check all the ingredients and allergen information on the latest packaging for the guest in question, not just the ‘gluten-free’ label.

  • Relying on online product information as the final allergen check

    Ingredients and allergens can vary between products and varieties. Albert Heijn also warns that online product information may change.

    Use a product page to compare biscuits, then check the packaging again before serving them.

Brands to consider

Verkade

Worth considering if you’re comparing Nobo Sprits Original with a milk chocolate variety.

  • According to Verkade, Nobo Sprits Original contains, among other ingredients, wheat flour and milk derivatives; the product lists 1.1 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The Nobo milk chocolate variety has different ingredients and allergens. Check the variety you’re actually buying.

Albert Heijn

A useful reference if you’re comparing round butter spritz biscuits in a larger pack.

  • According to Albert Heijn, AH Roomboter ronde spritsen come in a 400 g pack and contain 27% butter concentrate.
  • This product contains wheat, milk and egg. Albert Heijn recommends checking the packaging, as online ingredient and allergen information may change.

Jumbo

Offers examples of both a wholemeal digestive and a gluten-free digestive with milk chocolate.

  • Jumbo Digestive Volkoren lists 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The wholemeal variety contains gluten and wheat. According to Jumbo, the gluten-free chocolate variety contains milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts.

McVitie's

A useful reference if you’re looking for a plain digestive with a stated quantity of wholemeal wheat flour.

  • For McVitie's Digestives Original, Jumbo lists 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The Original contains wheat and may contain milk. Check chocolate varieties separately, as their ingredients and allergens may differ.

Digestives on Joybuy

This digestive is an option if you’d like to serve a biscuit rather than a classic spritz biscuit. Before choosing, check that the product suits your guests’ dietary needs.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g pack

McVities Digestive Original 400 g

A digestive to consider if you’d like to share a biscuit rather than a spritz biscuit on St Nicholas’ Eve.

The pack contains 400 g. For this Original variety, the product information lists 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.

Contains wheat and cereals containing gluten, and may contain milk. If allergens are a concern, check the latest packaging.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does a digestive aid digestion?

The name ‘digestive’ isn’t a reason to assume that the biscuit aids digestion. For McVitie's Digestives Pure Chocolade, Jumbo’s product information states that the ingredients in the biscuit don’t contain any substances that aid digestion. If you’re choosing a biscuit, compare the ingredients and nutritional values listed.

What should I choose if a guest eats gluten-free?

Choose a product clearly labelled gluten-free, then check the other ingredients and allergens too. According to Jumbo, Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade contain milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts. Read the packaging of the product you’re going to serve.

How should I store spritz biscuits and digestives once opened?

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve chosen and seal the pack securely after opening. Verkade recommends storing Nobo Sprits Original in a dry, preferably cool place; for Digestive Volkoren, Jumbo recommends sealing the pack securely after opening and storing it in a dark place.

Where can I check allergens and nutritional values?

Check the ingredients list, allergen information and nutrition table on the latest packaging for the spritz biscuit or digestive. For pre-packed foods, Your Europe explains the EU rules on food information, including allergen information. When comparing products, make sure you’re looking at the right variety and comparing values per 100 g or per serving.