For a Halloween party, choose a biscuit whose sugar-free claim and nutritional information are clear for the exact product. AH Digestive 0% suiker and Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos are two options to compare, but check the portions, wheat and polyols before handing them out too; a sugar-free claim tells you nothing about those.
You’re looking for a biscuit that genuinely meets the sugar-free claim, not simply a product in a category such as ‘sugar-conscious’. Compare the claim with the amount of sugar per 100 g on the current packaging.
You want to know how many biscuits to put out or hand to each guest. The number of biscuits, portion size and nutritional information per biscuit can help you compare packs for the party.
As well as the amount of sugar, wheat, other allergens or polyols may be important. So check the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings for each product.
Start with the sugar claim for the exact biscuit. Then consider whether the pack is easy to hand out and whether the ingredients are suitable for the guests you’re buying for.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Read the claim and check the grams of sugar per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | I only want to put out biscuits for my party whose sugar content matches that claim. Around 36% of consumers prioritise a demonstrable sugar-free claim. |
| Portions and handing them out | Compare the number of biscuits and the portion size. Albert Heijn lists a 15 g portion for AH Digestive 0% suiker; for Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos, Jumbo provides nutritional information per 11 g biscuit. | If I’m handing biscuits out to guests, I want to know in advance how many individual portions I have. Around 21% of consumers prioritise ease of handing them out. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergen information and warnings on the current packaging. The AH and Céréal biscuits mentioned contain wheat and polyols. | I want to be able to tell whether a guest needs to avoid a biscuit because of its ingredients. Ingredients are the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Finding the right product | Look for a product page for the exact biscuit and compare it with the packaging when buying; a general biscuit category doesn’t confirm that a sugar-free version is included. | I don’t want to discover while shopping that I’ve been looking at an ordinary biscuit instead of the sugar-free version I wanted. Around 14% of consumers prioritise product choice. |
A shop category doesn’t tell you how much sugar each individual biscuit contains. The Voedingscentrum sets a limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim.
If you have a strict sugar-free requirement, check both the claim and the nutritional information for the exact product.
Sugar-free biscuits may contain polyols. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption of AH Digestive 0% suiker may have a laxative effect; according to the Voedingscentrum, larger amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems.
Keep the packaging with the ingredients information to hand and serve the biscuits in sensible portions.
A sugar-free claim tells you nothing about allergens. AH Digestive 0% suiker and Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos contain wheat; for the Céréal product, Jumbo also lists possible traces of nuts, milk, egg and soya, among other allergens.
For any guest who needs to avoid allergens, check the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the current packaging of the exact biscuit.
A brand page or a shelf of biscuits describes a range, not necessarily the ingredients of the biscuit you want to buy. ‘Vegan’ doesn’t mean ‘sugar-free’ either.
If you need a sugar-free option, choose a biscuit only after checking its label and the amount of sugar per 100 g.
A brand or shop is a starting point, not proof that every biscuit in its range is sugar-free. Always compare the exact product.
Albert Heijn lists AH Digestive 0% suiker as a sugar-free biscuit in a 400 g pack.
Jumbo lists Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos as an individual biscuit product; the shop category ‘sugar-conscious’ isn’t a claim that applies to every product in it.
Lotus Bakeries describes its regular Biscoff biscuit as crisp and caramelised.
Biscoff is the specific biscuit range that Lotus Bakeries presents as caramelised biscuits.
Lidl describes Sondey as a range that includes biscuits, wafers and bars.
ALDI offers a range of different types of regular biscuits.
According to the Voedingscentrum, the nutritional claim ‘sugar-free’ means that a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. For the biscuit you choose, check both the claim and the nutrition table; a shop category such as ‘sugar-conscious’ doesn’t tell you this about every product.
Not necessarily: the sugar-free claim describes the sugar content, not the energy value. For example, Albert Heijn lists 465 kcal per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker. Compare the nutritional information and portion size if these matter to your choice.
The warning may be related to polyols in the biscuit. According to Albert Heijn, AH Digestive 0% suiker contains maltitol and isomalt; the Voedingscentrum says that larger amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems. So show guests the ingredients and warning on the packet.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you choose. For AH Digestive 0% suiker, Albert Heijn recommends storing the biscuits in a cool, dark and dry place and putting them in a sealed tin after opening. Before serving, also check the best-before date and the current packaging.
