Parents looking for a regular snack for their toddler
You’re looking for something to serve at regular snack times at home, on the go or at nursery, and wondering whether a biscuit is suitable.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Parents who want to offer a sugar-free biscuit now and then
You’re planning a biscuit treat and want to check the label for sugar content, portion size, nutritional value and sweeteners.
Parents packing a snack for nursery
You need to take into account any allergens that are relevant to your child, as well as the nursery’s rules. So check the specific product and its current packaging.
What should you consider when choosing?
A regular snack
When: you’re looking for something to serve at a regular snack time for a young child or toddler.
The trade-off: fruit, vegetables and suitable wholegrain products are in line with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice, but they’re different from the biscuit treat you might want to offer.
A sugar-free biscuit now and then
When: you’ve decided to offer a biscuit as an occasional treat and are specifically looking for a sugar-free product.
The trade-off: a sugar-free claim says nothing about the product’s overall nutritional value. Some biscuits contain polyols and carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing a regular snack | Decide whether a biscuit is needed, or whether fruit, vegetables or a suitable wholegrain product would work for this snack time. | If I give my child a snack every day, I don’t want to automatically reach for a biscuit. Around 50% of consumers prioritise a suitable regular snack. |
| A sugar-free biscuit treat | Check the sugar content per 100 g and the nutritional information per portion. Also look at the ingredients and any warning about polyols. | For an occasional biscuit treat, I’m looking for a biscuit that’s genuinely sugar-free, rather than relying on the front of the pack alone. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this requirement. |
| Allergens and nursery rules | Check the current allergen information, any ‘may contain’ warnings and the nursery’s rules. | If I pack a snack for my child, it needs to be suitable for the allergens that are relevant to them and comply with the nursery’s rules. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
What should you watch out for?
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Assuming sugar-free means it’s suitable as an everyday snack
The claim refers to the sugar content, not the overall nutritional value or the place a biscuit should have in your child’s daily diet. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends that young children and toddlers mainly have products from the Wheel of Five between meals.
For a regular snack time, start with fruit, vegetables or a suitable wholegrain product. Save a biscuit for an occasional treat.
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Looking only at the sugar content
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Digestive 0% suiker contains 0.3 g of sugars and 14 g of polyols per 100 g, as well as 465 kcal per 100 g. The product page warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion you intend to give, and check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging.
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Assuming all biscuits in the category contain the same allergens
A sugar-free claim says nothing about allergens. For example, the Céréal Sesam Vanille biscuits listed by Albert Heijn contain wheat and sesame, but that doesn’t tell you what another variety contains.
Check the current allergen information for each specific product, and check with the nursery before packing a snack.
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Assuming a regular speculoos biscuit is sugar-free
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Lotus Biscoff Speculoos contains sugar and candy syrup, and has 38 g of sugars per 100 g. It therefore doesn’t meet a sugar-free buying requirement.
Check the claim and nutritional information for the exact biscuit variety you’re considering.
Brands to consider
Céréal
Céréal makes biscuits sold by Dutch retailers as sugar-free, including coconut and sesame vanilla varieties.
- Jumbo’s product information lists Céréal Kokos as containing 0 g of sugars and 18 g of polyols per 100 g.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for each variety. Albert Heijn’s information for Céréal Sesam Vanille also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Albert Heijn
The own-brand range includes AH Digestive 0% suiker as a biscuit option.
- Albert Heijn lists a 15 g portion and 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker.
- The same product information lists 14 g of polyols and 465 kcal per 100 g, as well as a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Check the current packaging for allergen information.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Biscoff Speculoos is a regular speculoos biscuit, not a sugar-free option.
- A specific variety to distinguish from products that meet a sugar-free buying requirement.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product information, this speculoos biscuit contains sugar and candy syrup and has 38 g of sugars per 100 g. It also contains wheat and soya.
Sondey
Sondey is a brand that includes cookies and biscuits in the range described by Lidl Netherlands.
- The brand name can help you identify a specific biscuit in the range.
- Check each variety separately for a sugar-free claim, nutritional information and allergens. The brand name itself tells you nothing about these.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is a sugar-free biscuit suitable as a regular snack for a toddler?
A sugar-free claim doesn’t make a biscuit the recommended regular snack for a toddler. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that young children and toddlers mainly have fruit, vegetables and suitable wholegrain products from the Wheel of Five between meals. A biscuit can be considered an occasional treat.
What does ‘sugar-free’ mean on a biscuit packet?
Under EU rules on nutrition claims, published via EUR-Lex, a food can be labelled ‘sugar-free’ if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. ‘No added sugars’ is a different claim and doesn’t automatically mean the product contains no sugars.
What should I check on a biscuit that contains polyols?
Read the ingredients, nutritional information and any warnings on the packaging, and consider the portion you intend to give. Albert Heijn and Jumbo product information lists polyols in some sugar-free biscuits; some varieties carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Can I pack a biscuit containing gluten for nursery?
That depends on the allergens that are relevant to your child and the nursery’s rules. Check the current allergen information for the exact product and ask the nursery which snacks you’re allowed to bring in.