Choose a 500 g bag if you’re mainly planning to share the taaitaai at your birthday get-together. For the birthday person, a smaller pack – such as PLUS’s 250 g pack – may fit more easily into a gift hamper. Just check the label, and don’t assume an ordinary bag is ready to give as a present. Also bear seasonal availability in mind if your get-together isn’t during the Sinterklaas period.
If you’re serving taaitaai on a platter, the amount in the pack is what matters most. Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list 500 g bags. If you’re giving it as a present, you could add a card or a drinks hamper yourself.
A smaller pack may fit better in a gift hamper. PLUS lists taaitaai biscuits in a 250 g pack. If presentation matters more than having plenty to share, consider the packaging itself.
When you’re catering for a mixed group, it’s important to check the label on the pack you’re serving. The varieties we looked at list ingredients including wheat, rye or milk; possible cross-contamination warnings vary from product to product.
First decide whether the taaitaai is for the party table or for the birthday person. Then check the pack size and the current label, especially if guests need to avoid certain ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| How much there is to share | Compare the net weight and think about what other snacks you’ll be serving. The stated number of portions isn’t the same as the number of guests. | If I’m putting taaitaai on a platter, I want enough to share without having to present the bag as a gift. For around 46% of consumers, having enough to share comes first. |
| Presentation as a gift | Check whether a smaller pack will fit in your gift hamper and whether you’d like to add a card or gift wrapping yourself. | For the birthday person, I’d rather put together a small, thoughtful hamper than hand over a large bag. A personal gift size is the main consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and any cross-contamination warnings on the pack you’re buying. | If guests avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in the taaitaai before putting it out. For around 27% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
A 500 g bag can be handy for the party table, but standard supermarket packaging isn’t necessarily designed for a birthday present.
Choose the large bag if you want to share it. For a more personal gift, add a card, tin or drinks hamper yourself, or look for a smaller size.
The ingredients and allergen information on the PLUS packs we looked at is almost identical. So a different size doesn’t mean the product is more suitable for guests with dietary restrictions.
Choose a smaller pack for the gift size you want, and always compare the current labels for ingredient information.
The taaitaai varieties we looked at list ingredients including cereals containing gluten and milk. Other ingredients that may be present vary from pack to pack.
Check the label just before you buy, and keep the packaging to hand when you serve the taaitaai. If you’re unsure, ask guests in advance what they can eat.
Some shops stock taaitaai as part of their Sinterklaas range. So a product you’ve seen before may not be available for a birthday get-together at another time of year.
Check what’s available before planning a specific gift hamper, and think about what you’ll bring if that size is out of stock.
Albert Heijn lists a 500 g bag of its own-brand taaitaai, a size suited to sharing at a party.
Jumbo lists taaitaai figures in a 500 g bag.
PLUS lists both a 500 g bag and a 250 g pack of taaitaai biscuits.
ALDI describes its anise-flavoured taai-taai figures as coming in a 500 g pack.
Dirk’s search results list a 500 g pack of 1 de Beste Mini taai taai.
Lidl uses mini taai-taai in a recipe for party skewers with fruit and sweets.
Choose 500 g if you mainly want to share the taaitaai; Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS all list that size. If you want to give the birthday person a compact gift, PLUS’s 250 g pack may fit better in a gift hamper. Either way, think about how you’ll present the pack.
Store the taaitaai in a tightly sealed pack in a cool, dry, dark place. This is the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice for biscuits; also follow the instructions on your product’s packaging.
If the best-before date has passed, check the packaging and product rather than automatically assuming it’s no longer good. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking, smelling and tasting biscuits after this date. For a gift, an unopened pack that’s still within its best-before date gives the recipient greater reassurance.
Keep the current label to hand so guests can check the ingredients and any cross-contamination warnings. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels for prepacked foods. The taaitaai varieties we looked at list ingredients including wheat, rye or milk, but the information varies from product to product.
