Who is this choice relevant to?

Parents looking for an everyday snack for their toddler

You’ll want to assess an everyday snack differently from a treat. The Voedingscentrum gives fruit, vegetables and a little wholemeal bread as examples of snacks for toddlers.

Parents and childcare staff who want to provide a snack

If you’re packing or handing out snacks, both the allergens in the chosen pastry and the venue’s rules matter. Product information from Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS lists ingredients containing gluten, milk, egg, soya and almonds, among other things, for their individual variants.

Buyers who require Fairtrade

A brand’s claim about chocolate bars doesn’t tell you anything about a canoe-shaped pastry. Check the specific packaging for the FAIRTRADE mark and the accompanying product claim.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the pastry is for an everyday snack or an occasional treat. Then check separately whether you’re allowed to take it in and whether the Fairtrade claim appears on the product you’ve chosen.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Everyday snack Distinguish between an everyday snack and a treat; check the nutrition information per serving. For an everyday snack, I’m looking for something I don’t have to treat as a biscuit treat. For around 42% of consumers, suitability as an everyday toddler snack is the top priority.
Allergens and venue policy Check the allergens on the current packaging and ask the nursery or school about its rules for bringing in and handing out food. If I’m sending something in or handing it out, I want to take allergies and the venue’s rules into account. For around 33% of consumers, this is their main concern.
Fairtrade claim Check the FAIRTRADE mark and accompanying claim on the packaging of this particular pastry. I only want to choose a pastry as a treat if the Fairtrade claim appears on the product itself. For around 25% of consumers, this is the deciding factor.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking of a canoe-shaped pastry as an everyday snack

    The Voedingscentrum recommends snacks from the Dutch Wheel of Five for toddlers. According to Jumbo, a 55 g serving of its butter canoe pastries contains 222 kcal and 20,2 g of sugars; these figures apply to this variant and serving size.

    For an everyday snack, choose something like fruit, vegetables or a little wholemeal bread, and save a canoe-shaped pastry for an occasional treat.

  • Assuming every canoe-shaped pastry contains the same allergens

    Product information from Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS lists several allergens, but ingredients and warnings can vary between variants.

    Check the packaging of the exact variant every time you buy it. Before sending one in, also ask about the nursery or school’s allergy policy.

  • Confusing another sustainability claim with Fairtrade

    RSPO information about palm oil is not a Fairtrade claim for a canoe-shaped pastry. Verkade says that the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters is Fairtrade; that statement doesn’t apply to canoe-shaped pastries.

    Base your choice on the FAIRTRADE mark and accompanying claim on the packaging of the product you’re buying.

Brands to consider

Jumbo

Jumbo describes its 275 g butter canoe pastries as butter biscuits with almond paste.

  • Jumbo lists nutrition information per 55 g serving: 222 kcal and 20,2 g of sugars.
  • The allergen information lists wheat, almonds, egg, milk and soya, among other things. Check the current packaging before sending one in.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn sells 270 g packs of AH butter canoe pastries.

  • The product information lists 38 g of added sugars per 100 g and identifies the allergens.
  • The listed variant contains cereals with gluten, milk, egg, soya and almonds, among other things. Albert Heijn advises checking the packaging because product information can change.

PLUS

PLUS sells 275 g butter canoe pastries with almond paste filling and an almond decoration.

  • PLUS lists the ingredients and allergens, and gives this variant a Nutri-Score E.
  • The allergen information lists wheat, egg, soya, milk and almonds, among other things. Check the packaging when you buy it, including if you want to compare the Nutri-Score.

Heerlijck Banket (ALDI)

ALDI lists 330 g packs of Heerlijck Banket canoe-shaped pastries as pastries shaped like canoes.

  • The product listing clearly states the product type and pack weight.
  • If you’re choosing one as a toddler snack, check the ingredients, allergens and nutrition information on the packaging of the variant you choose.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are canoe-shaped pastries suitable as an everyday snack for a toddler?

No, not as a regular everyday choice according to the Voedingscentrum guidelines. For toddlers, the Voedingscentrum recommends snacks from the Dutch Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or a little wholemeal bread; a canoe-shaped pastry is better seen as an occasional biscuit treat.

Can I send a canoe-shaped pastry in to the nursery or school?

First check the venue’s allergy policy and the current packaging of the pastry you’ve chosen. The variants described by Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS contain ingredients with gluten and list other allergens too, including milk, egg, soya and almonds.

Does RSPO information about palm oil mean a canoe-shaped pastry is Fairtrade?

No. RSPO information about palm oil doesn’t substantiate a Fairtrade claim for cocoa or for the pastry as a product. Check the relevant FAIRTRADE mark and accompanying claim on the packaging.

Does Verkade’s Fairtrade chocolate claim also apply to canoe-shaped pastries?

No, according to Verkade, the claim is about the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters. Don’t use it as proof of the Fairtrade status of another brand’s canoe-shaped pastry; check the packaging of the product itself.