If a friend wants a strictly sugar-free stroopwafel, only choose one if the current nutritional information shows no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, that is the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. AH Butter stroopwafels with less sugar, Céréal reduced-sugar stroopwafels and Markus Light stroopwafels are described differently, so those descriptions alone do not confirm that they are sugar-free alternatives. If the aim is simply to have less sugar with your coffee, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per biscuit, and check the ingredients and allergens too.
For this guest, ‘reduced sugar’ or ‘less sugar’ isn’t enough. Check the nutritional information on the specific pack: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a solid food must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to carry a ‘sugar-free’ claim.
If the aim is to have less sugar and sugar-free isn’t a requirement, you can compare reduced-sugar and less-sugar options. Check the sugars per 100 g and per biscuit, so you know exactly what you’re serving.
If someone has an allergy or sensitivity, the ingredients list may matter more than the sugar claim. Keep the packaging to hand so guests can check the allergens and any sweeteners or polyols for themselves.
Before serving, ask whether sugar-free is a strict requirement or whether less sugar will do. Then check the packaging for ingredients, allergens and the nutritional value of the portion you’re offering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly sugar-free | Check the ‘of which sugars’ amount per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim is no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If a guest wants strictly sugar-free, I need to be able to check the value on the label before serving a stroopwafel. Around 46% of consumers put this strict check first. |
| Less sugar | Compare sugars per 100 g and per biscuit; also check the portion size and other nutritional information for the option you choose. | For an informal coffee break, I want to offer an option with less sugar without calling it sugar-free. For around 36% of consumers, reducing sugar is the priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, and check for sweeteners or polyols if they are relevant to a guest. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the stroopwafel and be able to show them the packaging. For around 18% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
These descriptions don’t mean the same thing. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets the limit for ‘sugar-free’ at no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, and for ‘low sugar’ at no more than 5 g per 100 g for solid foods.
If sugar-free is a strict requirement, use the sugars per 100 g shown in the current nutritional information as your guide, rather than relying only on the wording on the front of the pack.
A lower sugar value doesn’t tell you how much energy or fat a biscuit contains. For comparison, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 189 kcal and 14.7 g of sugars for an extra-large 40 g stroopwafel; these figures don’t apply to every variety.
Compare the nutritional value of the specific biscuit and consider the portion size you’ll serve with coffee.
Sugar claims tell you nothing about allergens. PLUS lists wheat, cereals containing gluten, soya and milk for the Daelmans variety mentioned; Markus Stroopwafels lists soya and egg for its Light variety.
Check the current packaging for the product you’re serving and keep it available for guests.
These are separate product characteristics. Jumbo lists 42.4 g of sugars per 100 g for its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Stroop Wafels.
Check the gluten status and sugar content separately if both matter to your guests.
Albert Heijn lists AH Butter stroopwafels with less sugar in its range.
Albert Heijn lists Céréal low-sugar stroopwafels.
Markus Stroopwafels describes its Light variety as low sugar and says it contains no sucrose.
PLUS lists the original Daelmans stroopwafel as a standard option to serve with coffee.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, for solid foods the limit is no more than 5 g of sugars per 100 g for ‘low sugar’ and no more than 0.5 g per 100 g for ‘sugar-free’. ‘Less sugar’ or ‘no sucrose’ on its own also doesn’t prove that a stroopwafel is sugar-free.
Not on the basis of their product descriptions alone. Albert Heijn calls its butter variety ‘less sugar’, Céréal is sold as ‘low sugar’, and Markus describes its Light variety as low sugar and free from sucrose. If a guest wants strictly sugar-free, check the current packaging to make sure it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
Check the allergens on the current packaging of the exact stroopwafel you’re serving, and keep the packaging available. For the Daelmans variety mentioned, PLUS lists wheat, cereals containing gluten, soya and milk; for its Light variety, Markus Stroopwafels lists soya and egg.
Read the ingredients list for the specific stroopwafel rather than relying only on the sugar claim. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre classifies polyols as FODMAPs; whether they matter to a guest depends on their own dietary choices.
