Organisers without an oven on site
If you can’t bake at the festival, look for croissants you can hand out as soon as you’ve bought them. Check this for each product: a shop-bought croissant isn’t necessarily ready to eat.
Who are these options for?
Those preparing for a larger group
If you can bake at home, you could consider packaged bake-at-home products, frozen croissants or dough. The number of croissants, how many batches you’ll need to bake and how you’ll transport them will determine whether they fit your plans.
Buyers who also want to offer wholemeal
You want to serve croissants without mistaking a multiseed variety for wholemeal. A separate product clearly labelled as wholemeal makes that option easy for guests to recognise.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether you can prepare the croissants at home. Then compare the quantities and decide whether you want to offer a separate wholemeal option as well.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving them straight away | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat and whether you can buy it at the branch you want to visit. | Without an oven on site, I want to be able to give guests something straight away. Around 40% of consumers prioritise being able to serve them immediately. |
| Quantities and preparation | Compare the number of croissants per pack and check whether they need to be thawed or baked. | For a larger group, I want to plan at home when the croissants will be ready. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this preparation. |
| Wholemeal options alongside croissants | Check the product name and ingredients of a separate wholemeal option; don’t treat ‘multiseed’ as another word for ‘wholemeal’. | I want to offer guests who are particular about what they eat a recognisable wholemeal option alongside a croissant. This is the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Confusing multiseed with wholemeal
Seeds or a dark colour don’t tell you whether all the grain ingredient is wholemeal flour.
Check the product name and ingredients list. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority distinguishes products labelled ‘wholemeal’ based on the grain ingredient used.
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Checking for allergens only when handing them out
When buying for a group, you need to be able to find the information for each product you’ve chosen, even if you take the croissants out of their packaging.
Keep the labels from pre-packed products. Before buying unpackaged croissants, ask what allergen information is available and, if relevant to your guests, whether there’s a risk of cross-contamination.
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Taking bake-at-home products without an oven plan
Dough, frozen croissants and bake-at-home croissants may need time to thaw or bake before you can serve them.
Check the instructions on the exact pack and plan your baking batches and transport. If you can’t bake them in advance, choose a product you’ve checked is ready to eat.
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Assuming nutritional information from the type of product
A croissant isn’t automatically wholemeal, and you can’t assume every croissant is made with iodised baker’s salt.
To compare fibre, check the nutritional information per 100 g or per serving for the products you’ve chosen. If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients.
Brands with relevant croissant options
Albert Heijn
A useful place to start if you want to compare a butter croissant with a multiseed variety.
- Albert Heijn offers, among other options, petit butter croissants, luxury butter croissants and multiseed croissants.
- For the multiseed variety, check the ingredients and nutritional information if wholemeal or fibre is important to your choice.
Jumbo
Worth considering when you want to compare different types of product for a group.
- Jumbo offers, among other options, packaged, frozen and plant-based croissants.
- Check the preparation instructions, ingredients and allergen information for the exact product; the type of product alone won’t tell you whether it’s suitable.
Lidl
An option if you want to buy a butter croissant in store.
- Lidl states that its butter croissant is only available in store.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose, and confirm availability with your local branch.
ALDI
Worth considering if you’re looking for an individual fresh butter croissant.
- ALDI describes a fresh butter croissant sold individually.
- Check the range at your local branch if you need a larger quantity.
PLUS
A place to compare croissants, bake-at-home products and dough.
- PLUS offers, among other options, a small butter croissant and fresh croissant dough.
- According to PLUS, the small butter croissant comes with thawing and baking instructions. Check how each product needs to be prepared before choosing it to serve straight away.
Dirk
Worth considering if you want to compare an individual croissant with a pack of bake-at-home croissants.
- Dirk offers a 65 g butter croissant and a four-piece pack of 1 de Beste butter croissants.
- The type of product and its packaging don’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal; check the product you choose.
Croissants to serve and prepare ahead
These Joybuy products offer different options for the festival: serving them straight away, baking them at home or planning portions by pack. Check the preparation instructions for both g’woon varieties before choosing them for either serving option.
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Bakery Village Danish Croissant, 85 g
A choice for serving straight away without an oven: according to the product description, this croissant is ready to eat and individually wrapped.
The product description lists wheat, egg and milk, and mentions E102 and E110, with a warning about possible effects on children’s activity and attention. Check the current packaging before serving it to guests.
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SCHOOF Croissants, 4 stuks
For anyone who can bake at home and wants to plan the quantity in advance. Allow for oven space and follow the preparation instructions on the pack.
The product description mentions possible traces of sesame, lupin, milk and soya. Check the current allergen information for your guests.
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G'woon Mini Butter Croissants
The mini size could be a good fit if you want to hand out smaller croissants. Before buying, check how many are in the pack and whether they need to be prepared.
The product details list both 200 g and 180 g; use the current packaging to confirm the net weight. Also check the allergen information, especially if guests need to avoid gluten, milk, lupin, sesame or soya.
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g'woon Butter Croissants, 4 stuks, 180 g
Four croissants per pack make it easy to work out how many you’ll need for a group. Check the preparation instructions before buying so you know whether they fit your serving plans.
Check the current allergen information for guests who need to avoid gluten, milk, lupin, sesame or soya.
Frequently asked questions
Is a multiseed croissant wholemeal too?
No, the presence of seeds doesn’t mean it’s wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called ‘wholemeal’ if all the grain ingredient is wholemeal flour. So check the name and ingredients list of the croissant you’re buying.
How do I check allergens in croissants for a group?
For pre-packed croissants, read the label. For unpackaged croissants, ask how you can get the allergen information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority distinguishes between these two ways of providing information. If someone has a relevant allergy, also ask about possible cross-contamination.
When should I choose bake-at-home croissants instead of ready-to-eat ones?
Choose bake-at-home croissants if you have the oven space and time to prepare them at home before the festival. If you want to hand them out without baking, check explicitly that your chosen product is ready to eat; always follow the instructions on the pack for bake-at-home products.
Can I assume croissants contain iodised baker’s salt?
No, don’t assume this just because it’s a croissant. In the Netherlands, the Voedingscentrum refers to bread baked with iodised baker’s salt, but that doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular croissant. Check the ingredients of the product you’ve chosen.