Anyone comparing labels while revising
You want to choose a biscuit based on fibre, saturated fat, sugars and salt per 100 g, rather than just its name. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing labels per 100 g.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Anyone planning a treat break
You’d like a biscuit with your coffee or tea, but don’t want to keep eating from an open packet during a revision session. Setting aside a portion in advance makes it easier to stick to your choice.
Anyone looking for a pack to last several revision sessions
You’re considering pack size and availability at the shop where you do your food shopping. Also compare the label for the variety you choose: branded and supermarket own-label products don’t automatically have the same nutritional values.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, compare the nutritional information for the specific spritz or digestive biscuits per 100 g. Then decide how much you’d like to have during one revision session and which pack size suits you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre, saturated fat, sugars and salt per 100 g on the exact packs. | If I have a biscuit while revising, I want to know how the varieties differ in what they contain. Around 40% of consumers put nutritional information first when making this choice. |
| Portion and treat break | Check the stated portion size and set aside the amount you want before you start. | For a short break, I want to enjoy a biscuit mindfully without continuing to eat from the packet. Portion size and taste are the main considerations for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack size and availability | Check the pack weight and whether the variety you’ve chosen is available at the shop where you want to buy it. | If I’m buying biscuits for several revision sessions, I want a suitable pack size that I can actually find. Pack size and availability matter most to around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Judging by the word ‘digestive’
The product name doesn’t tell you how much fibre, saturated fat, sugars or salt a particular digestive biscuit contains. Comparing per portion can also be misleading if the stated portions differ.
Follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice to compare labels per 100 g, then decide how many biscuits you’d like to have.
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Continuing to eat from an open packet
It’s easy to lose track of how many biscuits you’ve had while revising. For exam weeks, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of eating and drinking regularly rather than snacking constantly.
Set aside a portion before your revision session and close the packet again.
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Assuming the biscuit type tells you about allergens
Ingredients vary between varieties. PLUS lists wheat and gluten for its Digestive biscuits; for Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn lists milk and wheat, and possible traces of nuts and sesame.
If you need to avoid an ingredient, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack of the exact variety you choose.
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Confusing pack size with a suitable portion
A large pack doesn’t tell you how many biscuits you want to have during one break. For example, Albert Heijn lists AH Spritsen as containing ten 20 g portions, while you’ll need to decide for yourself with another product.
Check the pack weight and any portion information separately, then set aside your own portion.
Brands and retailers compared
Verkade
Verkade makes both spritz and digestive biscuits, so compare the exact variety rather than the brand alone.
- Albert Heijn lists Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits in a 150 g pack and also stocks Verkade Digestive Original.
- For Nobo plain spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn lists 1.1 g of fibre and 15 g of saturated fat per 100 g, as well as milk and wheat as allergens. These details don’t automatically apply to other Verkade varieties.
Albert Heijn
At Albert Heijn, you can compare AH Spritsen with the Verkade varieties listed there.
- Albert Heijn lists AH Spritsen as containing ten 20 g portions and 29% butter.
- According to Albert Heijn, AH Spritsen contain 1.3 g of fibre and 15 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Check the current label if you’re choosing based on these values.
Jumbo
Jumbo Krokante Digestive Biscuit is an own-label variety in a 400 g pack.
- For this variety, Jumbo lists 15.2% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.1 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g.
- Jumbo also lists 1.24 g of salt per 100 g, wheat and gluten, and the possible presence of barley, oats and rye.
Lidl
Lidl Netherlands lists butter spritz biscuits as crisp biscuits in a 400 g pack.
- The product page says these spritz biscuits are only sold in store.
- If you want to compare their nutritional values with those of digestive biscuits, check the packaging in store.
Aldi
Aldi lists Biscotto Digestive and Biscotto butter spritz biscuits as different types of biscuit.
- For Biscotto Digestive, Aldi lists a 400 g pack with around 27 biscuits; the listed butter spritz biscuits come in packs weighing 300–400 g.
- To choose based on nutritional values, compare the current labels for these separate varieties.
Plus
PLUS Digestive biscuits are an own-label variety you can compare with spritz biscuits using the label information.
- For these digestive biscuits, PLUS lists 3.3 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g; the product page shows a Nutri-Score of D.
- PLUS lists wheat and gluten, and the possible presence of rye, barley and oats. A Nutri-Score of D alone doesn’t determine whether these biscuits are right for you.
Spritz and digestive biscuits at Joybuy
Here you’ll find three varieties of digestive biscuits and one spritz biscuit with milk chocolate. Choose between these types based on the variety and pack, and check the product information for the one you’re planning to buy when comparing nutritional values and allergens.
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McVities Digestive Original 400 g
For anyone looking for the Original variety of digestive biscuits to compare with spritz biscuits. The pack contains 400 g; check the nutritional information per 100 g and the allergen labelling on the pack you choose.
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McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate 266 g
For anyone looking for a digestive biscuit with dark chocolate. The pack contains 266 g; compare the nutritional information for this chocolate variety separately with that of other digestive biscuits.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
For anyone looking for a digestive biscuit with milk chocolate. The pack contains 266 g; use the label for this variety when comparing it, not the label for the Original variety.
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Verkade Nobo Spritzed Milk Chocolate 150 g
For anyone specifically looking for a spritz biscuit with milk chocolate for a planned treat break. The pack contains 150 g; check the label for this variety separately, even if you’re comparing it with Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits.
Frequently asked questions
Do digestive biscuits always have different nutritional values from spritz biscuits?
It depends on the exact varieties: the name alone doesn’t tell you. For its Digestive biscuits, PLUS lists 3.3 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g; for Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn lists 1.1 g of fibre and 15 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Also compare sugars and salt on the current labels.
Can a biscuit replace breakfast or lunch while I’m revising?
Don’t use spritz or digestive biscuits as a regular replacement for breakfast or lunch. During test and exam weeks, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating and drinking regularly throughout the day; a biscuit is better suited to a separate snack break.
How can I stick to one planned portion during a biscuit break?
Take the amount you want from the packet before you carry on revising, then close it again. Check any portion guidance as a helpful reference, but decide for yourself how many biscuits to set aside for that break.
Where can I check the allergens in spritz and digestive biscuits?
Read the allergen information on the current pack of the exact variety. PLUS lists wheat and gluten for its Digestive biscuits; for Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn lists milk and wheat, as well as possible traces of nuts and sesame. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of allergen information on the labels of prepacked foods.
How should I store an opened pack of spritz or digestive biscuits?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you choose and seal it well after opening. For Verkade Nobo plain spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn advises storing them in a cool, dry place in a sealed pack; Jumbo recommends resealing its Krokante Digestive pack carefully after opening and storing it in a dark place.