If you want to hand out taaitaai to several children quickly, choose a ready-to-serve pack of mini biscuits or figures and check how many portions it contains. A baking kit is a good choice if baking together is part of the party. For a treat at school or an after-school club, check the rules first and read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack for all the children.
Ask how many children will be taking part, whether edible treats are allowed, and whether any children have allergies or dietary requirements. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking this in advance and keeping portions small.
A ready-made bag of mini taaitaai biscuits or figures saves you the effort of baking. Compare the stated number of portions with the size of the group: the weight of a bag doesn’t tell you how many individual treats it contains.
A baking kit makes cutting out and decorating biscuits part of the party. Make sure you have workspace, an oven, time to prepare and adult supervision, and check that the yield is enough for the group.
First, check what’s allowed at the party venue and whether the product is suitable for the children attending. Then work out how many portions you need, or choose baking as an activity if that’s what you have in mind.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Rules and allergens | Ask about the school or after-school club’s rules, and check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose. | If I’m taking treats to school or an after-school club, I want to know whether taaitaai is allowed and whether any children need a different product. These checks are the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ready to hand out | Compare the number of biscuits or stated portions, and decide whether you want to wrap them individually. | For a larger group, I want to be able to hand out enough individual treats without having to bake. This is the main priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Getting the quantity right | Choose the number of packs based on the group size and portions per pack, rather than the bag’s weight alone. | For a small celebration at home, I don’t want lots left over; for a class, I need to make sure there’s enough. Around 27% of consumers put quantity first. |
| Baking together | Check the expected yield, preparation time and equipment needed, as well as what’s included in the kit. | If baking is part of the party, I want to have enough time and supervision for cutting out and decorating the biscuits. This activity comes first for around 13% of consumers. |
A school or after-school club may have its own rules about treats, even if edible treats aren’t being handed out.
Before you buy, ask what’s allowed at the venue and how many children will be taking part.
A gluten-free label tells you nothing about other ingredients or allergens. Ingredients can also vary between standard taaitaai products.
Check which allergy or dietary requirement is relevant, then read the label on the exact pack you plan to hand out.
A 500 g bag doesn’t tell you how many individual portions it contains.
Count the children and use the stated number of biscuits or portions to work out how much you need.
The Homemade kit described by Albert Heijn is designed to make around 10 taaitaai figures and still needs to be prepared. That calls for a different timescale than simply opening a bag of biscuits.
Choose the kit if baking is part of the activity and the yield is enough for your group.
As well as the kit’s contents, you’ll need equipment such as a mixer, bowl and rolling pin.
Albert Heijn describes a range of taaitaai options, including ready-made products, Consenza figures labelled gluten-free, and a Homemade baking kit.
Jumbo has described a taaitaai figures product designed to be shared straight from the bag.
PLUS describes both a 250 g bag of traditional taaitaai biscuits and a 500 g Sint and Piet version.
Dirk lists a 500 g pack of mini taaitaai as an option if you want to hand out smaller biscuits.
ALDI describes 500 g of aniseed-flavoured taaitaai in figure shapes, available to buy in store.
Lidl uses mini taaitaai in a recipe for a festive fruit display.
It depends on the rules at the school or after-school club. Ask in advance whether edible treats are allowed and what rules apply to portions and ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also recommends asking about children’s allergies and dietary requirements.
Check the allergen information on the label of the exact product you’re buying. For its 250 g traditional taaitaai biscuits, PLUS lists ingredients including wheat, rye and milk. Don’t assume other products have the same ingredients, and don’t treat a gluten-free label as confirmation that a product is free from all allergens.
Start with the number of children and how much you want to give each one. For its 500 g Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes, Jumbo states there are around 36 portions of 14 g. For other packs, check how many biscuits or portions they contain.
A taaitaai baking kit is a good choice when baking and decorating together is a planned activity, rather than when you need treats ready to hand out straight away. The Homemade kit described by Albert Heijn is designed to make around 10 figures; you’ll also need an oven, workspace and adult supervision.
Use online product information to help you make your choice, but check the label on the pack you buy before handing out the treats. Ingredients can change. According to EU information from Your Europe, allergens in the ingredients list of prepacked foods must be clearly highlighted.
