If you need a sugar-free buffet, choose taaitaai biscuits only if they carry a ‘sugar-free’ claim and the label lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ does not mean the same thing. Check the ingredients and allergens too before serving anything to your guests. If you can’t find suitable taaitaai, choose another buffet item that meets the same requirements rather than presenting regular taaitaai as sugar-free.
You’re looking for taaitaai that can genuinely be served as sugar-free, not just a biscuit that seems less sweet. The claim and the nutritional information per 100 g determine whether the product is suitable.
You’re serving a range of guests and want to know which ingredients and allergens are listed on the packaging before serving. A suitable sugar content says nothing about whether the product is right for a guest who avoids certain ingredients.
You want to serve taaitaai on Boxing Day, but you’re keeping another suitable buffet item in reserve in case you can’t find taaitaai that meets the sugar-free requirement in time.
Choose this when: taaitaai itself needs to be on the buffet and the product can be shown to meet the sugar-free requirement.
Bear in mind: check separately that the ingredients, including any sweeteners, are suitable for your guests.
Choose this when: sugar-free isn’t a buffet requirement and you want to serve traditional taaitaai.
Bear in mind: the products from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS covered here are not sugar-free alternatives.
Choose this when: the sugar-free requirement still applies, but you can’t buy suitable taaitaai.
Bear in mind: another product won’t replace taaitaai as a traditional biscuit; check its label too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Look for the ‘sugar-free’ claim and compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g with the maximum limit of 0.5 g. This limit comes from European Union Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. | If I’m presenting the buffet as sugar-free, I want to be able to check that the taaitaai meets the requirement; an estimated 50% of consumers put this verifiable sugar-free requirement first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, even if the product carries a sugar-free claim. | When guests avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what I’m putting on the table. For around 30% of consumers, suitability is their main concern. |
| Buffet planning | Check availability shortly before buying and keep another suitable buffet item in reserve if sugar-free is still a requirement. | When planning a buffet for a set date, I don’t want to have to fall back on regular taaitaai; for an estimated 20% of consumers, having a practical alternative matters most. |
These are different claims. A product with no added sugars may still contain more sugars than the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim.
For taaitaai you’re serving as sugar-free, check both the claim and the amount of sugars per 100 g on the label.
For the regular taaitaai products covered here, Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list 39 g, 38.1 g and 38.594 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. These products therefore do not meet the limit for ‘sugar-free’.
Don’t serve them as a sugar-free option. Stick to the sugar-free requirement or adjust your buffet plan.
Even taaitaai with a suitable sugar content may contain ingredients a guest wants to avoid. The regular products covered here include wheat and rye; Jumbo also lists soya.
Read the current packaging and make the ingredient and allergen information clear to guests at the buffet.
An online listing doesn’t guarantee that a seasonal product will be available when you shop.
Check availability before buying and have an alternative ready that meets your buffet requirements.
These products show why you need to check the sugar content of regular taaitaai; the varieties mentioned are not a sugar-free selection.
AH Taai taai is an example of regular taaitaai.
Jumbo Bakkers Taaitaai Pop, 250 g, is an example of regular taaitaai.
PLUS Ambachtelijke taai taai koeken, 250 g, are regular taaitaai.
Under European Union Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a solid food may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to carry the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Check this figure on the label: ‘no added sugars’ is a different claim and doesn’t prove that taaitaai meets this limit.
Not as a sugar-free option: the products covered here list 39 g, 38.1 g and 38.594 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. If sugar-free is a requirement, choose taaitaai that meets the claim or another suitable buffet item.
Read the ingredients list on the current packaging. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, any sweetener used will be listed on the label; also read any instructions or warnings provided with the product.
Always check the allergen information on the specific packaging you’re serving. The regular varieties covered here list wheat and rye, among other allergens; milk and soya are also listed for Jumbo Taaitaai Pop. Don’t rely on the information for a different variety without checking it first.
