If you’re looking for a sugar-free currant bun for autumn half-term, don’t rely on words such as wholemeal or fruit: check that the current packaging explicitly says ‘sugar-free’ and read the nutrition information. The standard currant buns from Jumbo and PLUS list 24,0 g and 25,2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. If you’re mainly looking for a snack for children that you can serve regularly, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists options including vegetables, fruit, wholemeal bread and wholemeal muesli buns.
A standard currant bun isn’t a substitute for a product explicitly labelled sugar-free. Check both the label and the current nutrition information: the standard examples from Jumbo and PLUS list 24,0 g and 25,2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively.
If you’re regularly preparing snacks for children during autumn half-term, you can look beyond currant buns. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread among its snack options, as well as wholemeal muesli buns.
For a day out, the number of buns, portion size and storage advice may affect your choice. Also check the latest information on sugars, ingredients and allergens, even if convenience is your main priority.
First decide whether sugar-free is an absolute requirement, or whether you’re mainly looking for a regular snack or something practical to take with you. Then compare currant buns on a like-for-like basis: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing nutritional values per 100 g.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| A sugar-free option | Look for the explicit ‘sugar-free’ label and check the sugars per 100 g row. Don’t infer the claim from ‘wholemeal’ or ‘no added sugars’. | I don’t want to take a standard currant bun if I’m specifically looking for a sugar-free product. For around 50% of consumers, this strict requirement comes first. |
| A regular snack | Also consider the type of product and its nutrition information. For children, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists options including vegetables, fruit, wholemeal bread and wholemeal muesli buns. | If I’m regularly preparing snacks for children, I don’t want to judge by the word ‘sugar’ alone. Choosing a regular snack like this is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Taking it with you and storing it | Check the number of items, portion size, storage advice and latest allergen information. | For a day out during the holidays, I want to be able to take buns with me and know how to store the rest. For around 20% of consumers, this practical convenience matters most. |
Those words don’t mean a currant bun is sugar-free. The standard versions from Jumbo and PLUS list 24,0 g and 25,2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively.
Check for an explicit label on the current packaging, then compare the sugars per 100 g.
For a regular snack, the type of product, portion size and other nutrition information also matter. For children, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists options including vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread.
Choose a snack that suits the occasion; don’t automatically treat a currant bun as interchangeable with a wholemeal bread option.
Ingredients can vary between currant buns, and product information may change. The ingredient lists for the Jumbo and PLUS versions mentioned here include wheat.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging every time you buy, especially if someone needs to avoid an ingredient.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, which has iodine added. Its presence therefore varies between bread products.
If you want to know whether a packaged product contains it, check the ingredients list; for unpackaged bread, ask the baker.
These brands give you a starting point for comparing labels; their inclusion here doesn’t mean their currant buns are sugar-free.
Jumbo lists raisin and currant buns in a pack of 6.
PLUS lists its own-brand currant buns in bags of 6 and also offers other varieties of fruit buns.
Albert Heijn’s online product range includes currant buns and muesli buns, including raisin and currant buns.
ALDI lists raisin and currant buns in a pack of 6.
No. Raisins and currants don’t automatically make a currant bun sugar-free. The standard currant buns from Jumbo and PLUS list 24,0 g and 25,2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively; Jumbo lists dextrose in the ingredients, while PLUS lists sugar. Always check the latest product information for a sugar-free label.
No. ‘No added sugars’ doesn’t rule out sugars that are naturally present in the ingredients. If you’re looking for a sugar-free product, check that the current packaging carries that separate label and read the sugars per 100 g.
For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread among its snack options, as well as wholemeal muesli buns. Don’t choose based only on a word about sugar on the packaging: a wholemeal product isn’t automatically sugar-free.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread products, you can look for baker’s salt in the ingredients list; for unpackaged bread, ask the baker.
