For a daily snack for toddlers, fruit, vegetables or a suitable wholegrain option are a more sensible choice than spritz biscuits, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. If you’d like to offer a small biscuit now and then, you can portion out ordinary spritz biscuits yourself; an individually wrapped alternative is mainly handy for taking with you. In either case, check how much is in each packet, the allergens listed on the packaging you buy, and any rules set by the school or childcare provider.
If you see spritz biscuits as an occasional treat, you’ll want to control how much your child actually gets. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping biscuits to small amounts for young children and not giving them as a daily snack.
A sealed packet can be practical for childcare, school or when you’re out and about. Check whether a packet contains one biscuit or several, though: an individual packet doesn’t automatically mean it’s a small portion.
Both the label and the rules set by the school or childcare provider can affect which biscuits you pack. Albert Heijn lists wheat and milk for Verkade Nobo Sprits Original, and says it may contain nuts and sesame.
First, decide whether you’re choosing a daily snack or an occasional biscuit. Then consider whether you can portion it yourself or need a sealed packet, and check the label and local rules before packing it.
Suitable when: you’re giving an occasional biscuit at home or packing one yourself.
Things to consider: check the portion and reseal the shared pack properly after opening; don’t assume each biscuit has its own wrapper.
Suitable when: you need a sealed packet of biscuits for taking out.
Things to consider: one packet may contain several biscuits, and the packaging alone doesn’t tell you about allergens or what amount is suitable.
Suitable when: you’re looking for a daily snack; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests options such as fruit, vegetables and some wholemeal bread.
Things to consider: choose something you can prepare and pack in a way that suits your child, rather than relying on the convenience of a factory-wrapped biscuit.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and occasion | Compare the nutritional information with the amount your child will actually eat. If you’re choosing packets, check how many biscuits they contain too. | I want to give my child a small biscuit now and then, without accidentally treating a whole packet as one portion. Portion control is the top priority for around 42% of consumers weighing up this choice. |
| Packaging for taking out | Check whether the biscuits are wrapped individually or together, and how to store the packet after opening. | When I pack something for childcare or when we’re out, I want the biscuit to stay sealed. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this packaging need. |
| Allergens and local rules | Read the current label, including information about possible allergens, and ask about the school or childcare provider’s rules. | Before packing a product, I want to know whether it fits the group’s allergies and rules. This is the most important factor for around 25% of consumers. |
A sealed packet may contain more than one biscuit. For example, Albert Heijn lists two biscuits per packet for Kinder Kinderini; Jumbo also lists two per packet for Lotus Biscoff XL.
Check how many biscuits are in each packet and compare the nutritional information with the amount you want to give. You don’t have to pack the whole contents automatically.
Albert Heijn lists wheat and milk for Verkade Nobo Sprits Original, and says it may contain nuts and sesame. You shouldn’t assume this information applies to other spritz biscuit varieties.
Check the label on the exact pack you’re buying and, where necessary, discuss allergens with the school, childcare provider or parents concerned.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests that biscuits are better as an occasional treat for young children than as an everyday snack. For daily snacks, it suggests options such as fruit, vegetables and some wholemeal bread.
Save spritz biscuits for an occasional small treat, and choose a suitable alternative for everyday snack times.
According to VOO, schools can set their own rules about treats. So something that’s fine at home may not necessarily be suitable for school or childcare.
Before packing anything, ask what rules apply to the group in question.
Verkade Nobo Sprits Original is an ordinary spritz biscuit for anyone who wants to choose the portion size for an occasional treat.
AH Spritsen are an option if you’re comparing a 200 g pack with 10 stated portions.
ALDI Netherlands lists Biscotto Roomboterspritsen as a pack of 12, weighing 175 g.
Lidl Netherlands lists Roomboter spritsen as a 400 g in-store product.
These are biscuit and wafer alternatives to consider if you want to pack something for your child; they are not spritz biscuits. For each product, check what’s in an individual packet or wrapper and read the current label before choosing a snack for a toddler or group.
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If you want to pack a wafer snack separately, the weight per packet is a useful starting point, but it doesn’t in itself tell you what’s a suitable portion for a toddler.
Check the nutritional information for the amount actually eaten and read the label for allergens.
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If you want to pack these biscuits, first check how many are in each individual packet and how many you want to give your child.
The stated 150 g is the pack weight, not necessarily the amount in each packet. Read the label for allergens and nutritional information.
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If you want to portion out speculaas biscuits or pack them to take out, what matters most is how much is in the individual portion your child will receive.
The product name states that the pack contains 8 biscuits and weighs 200 g. Check the amount in each individual pack and the current label.
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The two individual packets are useful if you want to pack a sealed portion of biscuits, but check how much your child will have from one packet.
The product name states a total of 97 g and 2 individual packets. Check the amount in each packet and the label for allergens.
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If you want to pack a mini biscuit, check how much is in the wrapper your child will actually receive, rather than looking only at the size of the outer pack.
The product name states 3 × 77 g. Check how many biscuits are in each wrapper, the nutritional information and the allergens on the label.
No. For toddlers, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks mainly from the Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables and some wholemeal bread. Biscuits are better suited to an occasional small treat.
Don’t assume so. For Verkade Nobo Sprits, Jumbo says the pack should be resealed after opening; this doesn’t mean each biscuit has its own wrapper. Check the packaging information if individually wrapped biscuits are important to you.
No, a packet may contain several biscuits. For example, Albert Heijn lists two biscuits per packet for Kinder Kinderini. Check what’s actually in the packet and the nutritional information for the amount your child will have.
Read the current label for allergens and ask what rules apply to the group. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on prepacked food labels; according to VOO, schools can also set their own rules about treats.
