Fans of crisp biscuits
If you’re looking for a classic sweet treat, spritz biscuits are a good place to start. Verkade describes NoboSprits Original as crisp; a chocolate-coated variety offers a different flavour.
Who might prefer each option?
Groups sharing a packet
Check the packet size if several people will be sharing. The plain digestives from McVitie's, Jumbo and PLUS that we looked at are sold in 400 g packs; other varieties may come in different sizes.
Anyone who needs to check allergens
If someone in your group has a relevant allergy, the ingredients in the specific biscuit matter. The regular spritz biscuits and digestives we looked at contain wheat; Schär Digestive Landtaler, labelled gluten-free, contains soya and may contain lupin and egg.
What should you look for when choosing?
Classic spritz biscuit
Choose this if: you want a crisp biscuit without a chocolate coating; Verkade describes NoboSprits Original as crisp.
Bear in mind: this variety we looked at contains wheat and milk ingredients.
Plain digestive
Choose this if: the stated amounts of wholemeal wheat flour and fibre are important to you; McVitie's Digestives Original contains 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
Bear in mind: the regular digestives we looked at contain wheat, so they aren’t a gluten-free option.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and texture | Choose between spritz and digestive biscuits, and check whether the variety has a chocolate coating. | If I mainly want a familiar, crisp, sweet biscuit to enjoy during the film, flavour is my top priority. Around 45% of consumers put flavour first. |
| How many to share | Compare the pack sizes and decide how many biscuits you want to serve. | If several people will be sharing, I want to choose a pack that suits the group. Having enough in the pack is the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose, including for products labelled gluten-free. | If someone needs to avoid an ingredient, I need to know exactly what’s in this variety. This is the top priority for around 22% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming all digestives are gluten-free
The regular digestives we looked at contain wheat. Schär Digestive Landtaler, which is labelled gluten-free, still needs an additional allergen check: it contains soya and may contain lupin and egg.
Read the label on the pack you’re going to serve, and check separately which ingredients are relevant to your group.
-
Treating chocolate-coated and plain biscuits as the same variety
A chocolate coating changes the ingredients. Verkade lists milk and soya in NoboSprits Melk; its ingredients are not the same as those in NoboSprits Original.
Choose the variety you like, but also compare the ingredients, allergens and nutrition information per 100 g on the relevant pack.
Brands to consider
Verkade
Worth considering if you’re looking for a classic spritz biscuit or one coated in milk chocolate.
- Verkade describes NoboSprits Original as crisp and lists the ingredients and nutritional information on the product page.
- The milk chocolate variety we looked at contains milk and soya. Check the ingredients for each variety; information about these biscuits does not apply to all Verkade products.
McVitie's
Worth considering if you want to compare the wholemeal wheat flour and fibre in a plain digestive.
- According to Jumbo’s product information, McVitie's Digestives Original contains 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
- This variety contains wheat and may contain milk.
Jumbo
Worth considering if you’re looking for a 400 g pack of own-brand digestives.
- Jumbo’s product information states that Krokante Digestive Biscuit contains 15.2% wholemeal wheat flour.
- This variety we looked at contains wheat and also carries a warning that it may contain other cereals containing gluten.
PLUS
Worth considering if you’re looking for an own-brand digestive, plain or coated in dark chocolate.
- PLUS lists the ingredients and nutritional information for the plain digestive we looked at; the pack contains 400 g.
- The plain digestive contains wheat. The dark chocolate variety we looked at also lists milk and soya; always check the label on the variety you choose.
Schär
Worth considering if you’re specifically looking for a digestive labelled gluten-free.
- Schär Digestive Landtaler, listed by PLUS, is described as gluten-free biscuits.
- The variety we looked at contains soya and may contain lupin and egg. Gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s suitable for everyone in your group.
Biscuit options on Joybuy
These options include a plain digestive and chocolate biscuits made with a digestive or spritz base. Pay particular attention to the pack size and ingredients of the variety you want to share.
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McVities Digestive Original 400 g
A plain digestive to consider if you’re sharing biscuits with a group.
400 g pack. Jumbo’s product information states that McVitie's Digestives Original contains 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
Check the allergens on the pack before serving; this variety contains wheat and may contain milk.
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McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate 266 g
For anyone who wants to serve a dark chocolate digestive during the film.
266 g pack. If allergies are a concern, check the ingredients on the pack before serving the biscuits.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
A milk chocolate digestive if you prefer that flavour to a plain biscuit.
266 g pack. If allergies are a concern, read the ingredients and allergen information for this variety on the pack.
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Verkade Nobo Spritzed Milk Chocolate 150 g
A milk chocolate spritz biscuit for anyone who’d prefer a chocolate variety to a plain spritz during the film.
150 g pack. Compare the nutritional information and allergens on the pack with those of the specific plain spritz biscuit you’re considering.
Frequently asked questions
Are regular spritz and digestive biscuits gluten-free?
The regular varieties we looked at aren’t: Verkade NoboSprits Original and the plain digestives we checked contain wheat. If you need a product labelled gluten-free, check the other allergens on the pack too; for example, the Schär Digestive Landtaler we looked at contains soya and may contain lupin and egg.
Which allergen information should I check when buying biscuits for others?
Check the packaging for the variety you’re actually going to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed in the ingredients for pre-packed foods; Albert Heijn notes that online product information may sometimes be out of date.
How should I store an opened pack for your next film night?
Seal the pack tightly and follow the storage advice on the packaging. For the Digestive Puur we looked at, PLUS recommends storing the biscuits in a tightly sealed pack or biscuit tin once opened; the product information for McVities Digestive Original says to store in a dry, preferably cool place.