If you’re expecting guests with different tastes in toast, serve plain melba toast alongside a clearly labelled wholegrain option rather than choosing just one type for everyone. Match the toast to the toppings, bear in mind the difference between small toast slices and larger crackers, and check the labels on both packs for guests with allergies.
If some guests prefer mild-tasting toast while others would rather have wholegrain, you can serve both types separately. Check the product description for the wholegrain option: a cracker made partly with wholemeal flour is not the same as a wholegrain product.
Plain melba toast is a natural choice for delicate toppings. If you’re serving moist toppings, it’s best to put them on the side or top the toast shortly before serving. A product description alone can’t tell you how your toppings will hold up over time.
Ask your guests in advance which allergens they need to avoid, and check the latest label for each product you choose. The types of toast described may contain, among other things, cereals containing gluten, sesame and soya. A wholegrain or vegan label is no substitute for checking.
When catering for a mixed group, first decide which flavours and shapes you want to serve alongside one another. Then choose the toppings and, finally, check the labels and pack sizes of the products you actually buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Combining plain and wholegrain options | Check the product description and ingredients. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, all the grain ingredient must be wholemeal for a product to be called wholegrain. | If guests expect both mild-tasting toast and a wholegrain option, I don’t want one strong flavour to dominate the whole platter. Around 33% of consumers put this balance of flavours first. |
| How crisp it stays under toppings | Consider whether plain or sturdier toast would go better with the toppings. Serve moist toppings separately if the toast will be sitting out for a while. | If the toppings need to be on the table in advance, I want to stop the toast going soft before serving. This texture matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the latest label for every option, including any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. Keep suitable options and serving utensils separate when needed for your guests. | If a guest needs to avoid an allergen, I need to know which pack and serving method are suitable for them. Checking for allergens is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Portions and packaging | Compare the number of toast slices, net weight and any individually wrapped packs. Weight alone won’t tell you how many small bites you can make. | For a larger sharing platter, I want to prepare enough portions without opening more toast than necessary in advance. Around 17% of consumers give this planning the highest priority. |
A brown colour or wholemeal flour in the ingredients list doesn’t automatically make a product entirely wholegrain. For example, Albert Heijn lists both wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour in LU Mini crackers. That’s different from a product labelled as wholegrain.
Read the product name and ingredients together. If you specifically want to serve a wholegrain product, choose one labelled as such. If you’re looking for something in between, check the ingredients listed.
The varieties described by Jumbo and Albert Heijn differ in their ingredients and allergens. Even plain toast or a product labelled vegan may not be suitable for every guest.
Ask guests in advance which allergens they need to avoid, check the packs you buy, and serve a suitable option separately if needed.
Spreads and other moist toppings can change the texture while the platter is waiting to be served. Haust describes its Krokant Toast as double-baked and designed to stay crisp for longer under toppings, but that’s no guarantee for every topping or serving time.
Put moist toppings on the side or top the toast just before serving. If the bites need to be ready for a while, try one piece of toast with your chosen topping in advance.
Toast that has already gone soft may need to be prepared again.
The Melba range includes several varieties, including plain and wholegrain. This makes it a useful brand to consider if you want to serve two clearly different types of toast alongside one another.
AH Melba toast naturel is a plain melba option for anyone who wants the toppings to provide the flavour.
The Jumbo Knapperige Toast described has a distinctive flavour from black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs.
ALDI’s range includes plain toast, melba toast and wholegrain varieties.
Bolletje Knäckebröd Volkoren is an alternative for anyone who wants to serve crispbread as well as small toast slices.
The first three products are melba toast, offering a plain base for toppings. The crispbread and crackers that follow are different crisp options for guests who want a wholegrain variety. Consider their shape separately if you’re planning to serve small topped toast slices.
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Round melba toast for planning individually topped bites; decide whether the shape suits your toppings.
Pack size: 100 g. If you have allergies, check the latest label for wheat, barley and warnings about the possible presence of sesame, soya and mustard.
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Melba toast to consider as a separate base alongside a wholegrain option.
Pack size: 240 g. The product description contains conflicting allergen information, including a claim that it is free from allergens alongside references to wheat, barley and soya. Don’t choose this product for a guest with a relevant allergy without checking the latest label or contacting the manufacturer.
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Classic melba toast for anyone wanting a separate base for a variety of toppings.
Pack size: 100 g. If you have allergies, check the label for wheat, barley and possible traces of sesame, soya and mustard. Supervise young children while they eat hard toast.
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Crispbread offers a different crunchy option alongside melba toast; check that its shape suits your planned toppings.
Pack size: 265 g. This isn’t melba toast. If you have allergies, check the label, including for cereals containing gluten and sesame.
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Consider these crackers as a different crisp option to serve alongside small toast slices, rather than as an equivalent to melba toast.
Pack size: 300 g. If your guests have allergies, check the latest label, including for sesame, cereals containing gluten and possible traces of milk.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can be called wholegrain if all the grain ingredient is wholemeal. You can still choose a product made with a mix of white and wholemeal flour, but read the product description and ingredients so you don’t confuse it with a fully wholegrain product.
That doesn’t follow from the Dutch rules on baker’s salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other baked goods through the use of baker’s salt, up to a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. The rule doesn’t mean that all toast uses this salt. Check the latest label for a specific product or ask the manufacturer.
Add moist toppings to the melba toast shortly before serving, or serve them on the side. Seal an opened pack tightly and, if your bites will be sitting out for a while, try your chosen combination of toast and toppings in advance to see how it holds up.
No. A vegan label on its own tells you nothing about gluten or sesame. Albert Heijn labels AH Melba toast naturel as vegan on its product page, while the product information also lists cereals containing gluten. For every relevant allergy, check the latest label on the exact pack you’re serving.
