Who is this choice important for?

People who want to avoid sugar

You want to serve something sweet with coffee and choose only packaged taaitaai whose ‘sugar-free’ claim, ingredients and nutritional information you can check.

People watching their carbohydrate intake

You look beyond the sugar content and compare total carbohydrates and portion size too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre classifies starch, as well as sugars, as a carbohydrate.

Hosts catering for a range of guests

You’re serving taaitaai to several people, so you check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging as well as the sugar information.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is essential. Then compare the nutritional information and, when serving, check that the ingredients suit your guests. Baking your own gives you more control over the recipe, but takes time to prepare.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
The ‘sugar-free’ claim Check the claim on the exact pack and read the nutritional information per 100 g. If I want to avoid sugar, I don’t want to rely on a recipe title or the words ‘no added sugar’. For around 42% of consumers, checking this claim comes first.
Carbohydrates and portion size Compare total carbohydrates per 100 g and consider how much you’ll serve per portion. With my coffee, I also consider carbohydrates from ingredients other than sugar. Around 33% of consumers give this the highest priority.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack. When I’m serving a group, I want to know whether the taaitaai suits my guests’ dietary needs and allergies. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Taking ‘no added sugar’ to mean ‘sugar-free’

    A recipe title or a general statement about sugar doesn’t tell you whether packaged taaitaai meets your ‘sugar-free’ requirement.

    Check the claim, nutritional information and ingredients for the specific product. Don’t treat the two phrases as synonyms.

  • Looking only at sugars

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, both sugars and starch are carbohydrates. So the sugar content alone doesn’t show the total carbohydrates in taaitaai.

    Compare similar products per 100 g and take into account the portion you’ll serve.

  • Serving regular taaitaai as sugar-free

    Jumbo lists 38,6 g of sugars per 100 g for Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes and 38,8 g per 100 g for De Originele Taai Taai. These varieties aren’t suitable if you’re looking for sugar-free taaitaai.

    Serve regular taaitaai as a standard treat, and check a separate option if a guest specifically asks for something sugar-free.

  • Overlooking allergens because you’re focused on sugar

    A claim about sugar doesn’t tell you whether taaitaai is suitable for guests with allergies. A product’s ingredients may also change.

    Before serving, read the allergen information and ingredients list on the current pack.

Brands to consider

A brand name can help you identify taaitaai, but it doesn’t confirm that a particular pack is sugar-free.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists regular taaitaai and also publishes a taaitaai recipe.

  • Jumbo lists 38,6 g of sugars per 100 g for Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes.
  • This variety isn’t a sugar-free choice to serve with coffee.

PLUS

PLUS lists 500 g mini taaitaai and 250 g traditional taaitaai.

  • The product listings distinguish between the different pack sizes and varieties.
  • If you need a sugar-free option, check the claim and nutritional information on the exact pack before choosing.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists AH Taai taai as a product.

  • The product listing gives you a specific starting point for checking the label.
  • Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change, so check the current packaging.

ALDI

ALDI Nederland lists 500 g taai-taai in its Sint range.

  • The product listing makes the type and pack size clear.
  • Check the packaging to see whether this taai-taai meets your sugar requirements.

Dirk

Dirk lists 500 g mini taaitaai in its range.

  • The listing helps you identify the pack size and variety.
  • Check the current packaging to decide whether it’s suitable for a sugar-free coffee morning.

Taaitaai on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugar’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No, don’t treat these claims as equivalent. The Diabetes Fund notes that in everyday language, ‘sugar-free’ is sometimes used to describe products with no added sugar. So, for packaged taaitaai, check the actual claim and nutritional information.

Can I serve regular taaitaai as a sugar-free treat?

Not the regular Jumbo varieties mentioned here: Jumbo lists 38,6 g of sugars per 100 g for Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes and 38,8 g per 100 g for De Originele Taai Taai. Check other taaitaai against its own packaging rather than relying on these examples.

Why should I check carbohydrates as well as sugar?

Because the amount of sugars isn’t the same as the total amount of carbohydrates. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between sugars and starch, among other things, so also compare the carbohydrates per 100 g and the portion you plan to serve.

When is baking taaitaai yourself a good option for a coffee morning?

Baking your own is an option if you want to choose the ingredients and sweetener yourself and have time to prepare. A recipe with no added sugar isn’t automatically sugar-free, so also consider the other ingredients and your guests’ needs.

What should I check if a guest has an allergy?

Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the taaitaai you’re serving. The Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes listed by Jumbo contains gluten and milk, among other things. Don’t assume other products, or products with a changed recipe, have the same ingredients.