For a group ride, choose a bag that’s easy to divide into portions. Compare the nutritional information per portion and check the allergens too. On a long, intense ride, you can factor carbohydrates into your eating plan, but a stroopwafel isn’t a substitute for a hydration plan. On a short ride, you can treat the waffles as a snack to enjoy before or after your ride.
If you’re organising a club ride or a coffee stop, a stated number of pieces or portions makes it easier to agree in advance how many everyone will get. Check the portion weight and label too, especially if anyone in the group needs to avoid an allergen.
On a long, intense ride, you’ll want to know how many carbohydrates you’re actually taking and eating. Check the nutritional information per portion, and plan what you’ll drink too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses carbohydrate intake during endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours; that doesn’t make a stroopwafel a necessary sports product in itself.
For a short, easy ride, stroopwafels can simply be a treat at a stop or afterwards. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that sports bars and gels aren’t needed for exercise lasting less than an hour.
First decide whether you want to eat the waffles during a long ride or mainly share them with the group. Then compare the portions and nutritional information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates on a long ride | Check the carbohydrates per portion and work out how many portions you’ll actually eat. Take drinks with you too. | On a long, intense ride, I want to plan my food in advance rather than just know the weight of the bag. Around 42% of consumers say that portions of carbohydrates they can plan around are their top priority. |
| Sharing with the group | Compare the number of pieces or portions and the weight per portion. | When I’m handing them out to a group, I want to give everyone an agreed amount without guesswork. For around 33% of consumers, ease of sharing comes first. |
| A treat before or after a short ride | Compare the sugars and fats per 100 g, and consider how much you want to offer each person. | After a short or easy ride, I want to share stroopwafels as biscuits, rather than take them along as essential sports nutrition. For around 25% of consumers, enjoying them as a treat is the main reason for choosing them. |
A portion of stroopwafels provides carbohydrates, but it doesn’t tell you how much you’ll want to eat or drink over the whole ride. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says extra sports bars or gels aren’t needed for a short ride.
Plan your food and drinks separately for a long, intense ride. If you like, take waffles along as a treat for a short ride.
A larger standard waffle and a smaller mini portion aren’t equally easy to share in the same quantities. For example, Jumbo lists portions of 39 g for its standard stroopwafels and 24 g for its mini stroopwafels.
Work out how many portions you need before the ride, then compare the carbohydrates per eating occasion.
Allergens vary between products. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that relevant allergens must be clearly listed on the label.
Before sharing, read the label on the exact pack you’ve bought, especially if anyone in the group has an allergy.
Daelmans offers individual stroopwafels in a pack of 10, as well as a pack containing eight pairs.
AH stroopwafels are an option if you’re looking for a bag with stated portion sizes.
Jumbo lists both standard stroopwafels in a 468 g pack and mini stroopwafels in a 300 g pack.
PLUS lists butter stroopwafels in a 400 g pack and also sells other varieties.
ALDI lists both standard and mini stroopwafels.
Lidl offers butter stroopwafels under its Sondey brand, among other products.
These stroopwafels are worth considering if you want to hand out individual pieces at a group stop. If you’re planning to eat them during your ride, also check the weight and nutritional information per waffle on the packaging.
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With ten pieces, you can decide in advance how many waffles to hand out at a group stop.
Check the weight per waffle if you want to work out the carbohydrates per eating occasion. If you have an allergy, read the label on the pack you buy.
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The pack of eight is an option if you’re sharing with a smaller group.
Check the pack weight and the weight per waffle before planning how many you’ll need for the group or the carbohydrates per eating occasion. If you have an allergy, read the label.
No, not on every ride. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says sports bars and gels aren’t needed for exercise lasting less than an hour. For endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours, it recommends 30 to 60 g of quickly absorbed carbohydrates per hour as an amount that may help improve performance. Decide what food and how much to drink to take on your own ride.
First compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then look at the portion you actually want to eat or share. Jumbo lists 24.6 g of carbohydrates per 39 g portion for its standard stroopwafels, and 14.9 g per 24 g portion for its mini stroopwafels. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the per-100 g table when comparing labels.
Check the allergens on the packaging of the specific variant. The Jumbo stroopwafels reviewed list wheat, milk and soya; the AH variant reviewed lists wheat and soya and may contain milk or lactose. Don’t rely on the ingredients listed for a different bag.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and seal the bag well after use. The Albert Heijn product information reviewed recommends storing the waffles in a cool, dry place and closing the pack securely. Check the best-before date and any additional instructions on your own pack too.
