You don’t need chocolate to make traditional taaitaai: Jumbo’s recipe uses ingredients such as flour, honey and spices. Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate only becomes a deliberate choice if you add it to the recipe or use it for decoration. If you do, check the packaging to see which ingredient the claim applies to. A supermarket’s cocoa policy doesn’t tell you whether a specific taaitaai product is Fairtrade-certified, and you’ll still need to check the label separately for allergens.
You’re making taaitaai at home and want to choose Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate deliberately for the ingredients you’ll actually use, perhaps as an extra ingredient or decoration. A traditional recipe without chocolate doesn’t call for that choice.
You’re choosing taaitaai or a baking mix for someone who needs to pay attention to ingredients. So check the allergen information for any icing or chocolate decorations too, not just the biscuits.
You’re looking for a baking mix or ready-made taaitaai for a Christmas occasion. Compare what you’ll still need to add or do, and check that the product you want is available when you need it.
A good fit if: you want to make a recipe with flour, honey and spices, without chocolate as a core ingredient.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to weigh out the ingredients, and the dough may need to rest. Choose any extra cocoa or chocolate separately.
A good fit if: you want to bake from a kit and check in advance what it includes and what else you’ll need.
Bear in mind: check the ingredients and allergens in both the mix and any decorations. Albert Heijn’s Homemade mix states that it uses UTZ Cocoa; this is not a Fairtrade claim.
A good fit if: you don’t want to bake but would like to serve separately selected Fairtrade chocolate with your taaitaai.
Bear in mind: these are two separate product choices. A Fairtrade claim on the chocolate doesn’t automatically apply to the taaitaai.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for the logo on the specific product. If a product contains several ingredients, read the explanation of what the claim covers, as described by Fairtrade International for its labels. | I’m adding cocoa or chocolate and want to know whether the Fairtrade claim applies specifically to it. For around 40% of consumers, being able to make this informed choice comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current packaging for the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any warnings about possible cross-contamination. | If I’m baking for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, I need to check both the taaitaai and any additions. For around 30% of consumers, ingredients and allergens are their main concern when shopping. |
| Product type and planning | Choose between a recipe, a baking mix and a ready-made product. If you’re baking from scratch, check the steps and resting time; with a mix, check what else you’ll need. | For a Christmas occasion, I want to know how much preparation my choice involves. For around 30% of consumers, planning takes priority. |
A policy on certified cocoa or chocolate doesn’t automatically apply to an individual biscuit or baking mix. This distinction matters especially if the taaitaai itself contains no cocoa.
Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging of the specific taaitaai, cocoa or chocolate you choose.
Albert Heijn’s Homemade taaitaai mix states that it uses UTZ Cocoa. This statement alone doesn’t confirm that the mix is Fairtrade-certified.
If Fairtrade is a must-have for you, look for an explicit Fairtrade claim and check what it applies to.
Taaitaai, baking mixes and decorations can contain different ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be clearly listed on the label.
Just before use, check the current packaging of every product you’re combining too.
Taaitaai is also sold as a Sinterklaas treat. So if you’re planning to serve it at Christmas, don’t assume a particular pack will be available without checking first.
Check what’s available in good time, or use a recipe with separate ingredients as an alternative.
The cocoa and chocolate claims mentioned here can help you choose an addition if you want one; they don’t mean that all taaitaai from these brands is Fairtrade-certified.
Worth considering if you’re looking at a taaitaai baking mix or want cocoa for your own recipe.
Worth considering for a recipe without chocolate or for ready-made taaitaai.
Worth considering if you’re comparing ready-made taaitaai with separately chosen cocoa or chocolate.
Worth considering if you want to choose chocolate separately to serve with taaitaai.
Worth considering if you’re choosing chocolate separately to serve with homemade or ready-made taaitaai.
Worth considering if you’re looking for chocolate as a separate product to serve with taaitaai.
These Joybuy products suit two separate choices for a Christmas occasion: adding cocoa when you make taaitaai from scratch, or serving a chocolate bar with taaitaai. Neither product is taaitaai or a taaitaai baking mix; check the current packaging for any Fairtrade claim you’re looking for.
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An option if you want to add cocoa to your taaitaai; it isn’t needed for a traditional recipe without cocoa.
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A separate chocolate bar to serve with taaitaai, rather than a product specifically described as a baking decoration.
No, not for traditional taaitaai without chocolate. Jumbo’s taaitaai recipe uses ingredients such as flour, honey and spices. Choose Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate deliberately if you add it to the recipe or use it for decoration.
Read the logo and the accompanying explanation on the packaging. Fairtrade International says that, on a product with several ingredients, an arrow may point to further information; for example, a claim for a specific Fairtrade ingredient may apply only to the cocoa.
Check the current packaging of both the taaitaai and any decorations. Product information from Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn’s Homemade baking mix shows that ingredients vary from one product to another. So check both the highlighted allergens and any warnings about possible cross-contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels.
Yes, if the preparation steps and baking time for your chosen mix fit your schedule. Check which ingredients and baking equipment you’ll still need; if the recipe calls for the dough to rest, make time for that too.
