Travellers who want to avoid sugars
You’re looking for a speculaas-style biscuit labelled ‘sugar-free’ for your car journey, but you also want to check the sweetener and nutritional information.
Who is this option for?
Travellers who check allergens
You need to know what the biscuit contains before packing it. The Céréal version includes ingredients such as wheat, almonds, soya, egg, barley and milk.
Travellers who plan their snacks in advance
You want to plan how many biscuits to take for the journey, so you’re looking at more than just the sugar content: portion size and the rest of the nutritional information matter too.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the ‘sugar-free’ claim if that’s a deciding factor for you. Then check whether the ingredients and a practical portion size suit your car journey.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free | Read the claim on the packaging, the sugars per 100 g and the sweetener used. | If you want to avoid sugars, don’t rely on the look of the packaging alone. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Portions for the journey | Check how many biscuits are in the pack and the nutritional information per biscuit; Jumbo lists the 110 g Céréal pack as 2 × 5 biscuits. | For a long journey, you may want to decide in advance how many biscuits to take, rather than eating straight from the pack. Portion planning matters most to around 27% of consumers. |
| Allergens and sweetener | Check the current allergen list and whether the product contains polyols. | If the ingredients or your sensitivity to polyols are a deciding factor, you need to be able to check this before setting off. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Your overall snack choice | As well as sugars, check the energy, fat and other nutritional information; if you like, compare it with a different type of snack. | When you’re planning snacks for the whole journey, you may want to know more than just how much sugar is in one biscuit. This broader consideration is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘sugar-free’ means low in energy
Céréal states that its Speculoos with almond pieces contains 0.4 g of sugars, but also 404 kcal and 20 g of fat per 100 g. So the sugar content doesn’t tell you everything about its nutritional value.
Read the full nutrition table and consider how many biscuits you’ll actually take. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against relying solely on claims on the front of a pack.
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Checking the allergens only after you’ve bought it
According to Jumbo, the ingredients and allergens in the Céréal version include wheat, almonds, barley, egg, milk and soya.
Check the label on the pack you’re buying before you set off, especially if you need to avoid specific ingredients.
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Choosing an unfamiliar biscuit containing maltitol for the journey
Céréal uses maltitol and states that the product contains 29 g of polyols per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, consuming large amounts of polyols can cause wind and diarrhoea; sensitivity varies from person to person.
When choosing a snack for a long car journey, bear in mind how you usually respond to products containing polyols.
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Assuming regular Lotus Biscoff is sugar-free
Lotus Bakeries lists sugar and candy syrup as ingredients in its regular Biscoff biscuit and states that it contains 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g.
If ‘sugar-free’ is a firm requirement, check the claim on the specific pack rather than relying on the product type.
Relevant brands and retailers
Céréal
Céréal makes a Speculoos biscuit with almond pieces that is labelled ‘sugar-free’.
- Céréal states that it contains 0.4 g of sugars and 29 g of polyols per 100 g, and 44 kcal per biscuit.
- Ingredients and allergens include wheat, almonds, soya, egg, barley and milk. Check the current packaging.
Lotus Biscoff
Regular Biscoff biscuits are worth comparing if ‘sugar-free’ isn’t a requirement for you.
- Lotus Bakeries also lists on-the-go packs of these biscuits.
- The regular product specifications list sugar and candy syrup as ingredients, and state that the biscuits contain 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists Céréal sugar-free Speculoos with almond pieces in its product information.
- You can identify the specific version by name.
- Check the packaging you buy for ingredients and allergens; product information can change.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists Céréal Sugar-Free Speculoos Flavour with Almond Pieces in a 110 g pack.
- The product information states that the pack contains 2 × 5 biscuits and lists ingredients and allergens.
- Jumbo Bakers’ Speculaas is a different, regular product; don’t take the name as confirmation that it is ‘sugar-free’.
Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
If a product is labelled ‘sugar-free’, should I only check the sugar figure?
No. The sugar figure tells you only part of the story. Céréal states that its Speculoos with almond pieces contains 0.4 g of sugars, 404 kcal and 20 g of fat per 100 g; also consider the portion you choose.
Which allergens should I check in Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces?
At the very least, check for the listed wheat, almonds, barley, egg, milk and soya. Jumbo includes these in its product information, but the current label on the pack is what matters for the biscuits you take with you.
Why does maltitol matter on a long car journey?
Céréal uses maltitol and states that the product contains 29 g of polyols per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, consuming large amounts of polyols can cause wind and diarrhoea, although sensitivity varies from person to person.
Is regular Lotus Biscoff an alternative if I’m looking for a sugar-free biscuit?
No. Regular Biscoff biscuits don’t meet that specific requirement: Lotus Bakeries lists sugar and candy syrup as ingredients and states that they contain 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the packaging of any other version separately.