For generously topped bites, rectangular oven-baked toast is a good option to test: ALDI describes Van Vlegelaar toast as a base for open sandwiches, but this does not confirm a particular thickness or how much topping it can hold. For smaller portions, you could consider Melba toast or party toast. Try your chosen toast with the toppings you’ll actually serve, and make sure allergen information is available and perishable toppings are kept chilled.
Rectangular toast can make a good base for a sandwich-style bite. ALDI recommends Van Vlegelaar Crispy Wheat Toast for this purpose. Test it with your heaviest and wettest toppings to see whether it stays intact when picked up.
Compare Melba toast, party toast and toast cups by shape, size and pack contents. Jumbo describes Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel as thinly sliced and crisp; a cup is a different way to serve toppings, not a thicker version of Melba toast.
Include the toast, spreads, garnishes and other toppings in your allergen information. For catering with unpackaged bites, consumers must be able to find out which allergens are present before buying, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. For perishable toppings, also plan for chilled storage and replenishing the buffet in small quantities.
First decide whether your buffet calls for generously topped bites or small portions guests can pick up easily. Then try your chosen type of toast with the toppings you’ll actually serve.
When to choose it: This is a good option to test for sandwich-style bites: ALDI recommends Van Vlegelaar Crispy Wheat Toast for open sandwiches.
What to consider: This suggested use doesn’t tell you how much topping the toast can hold. Try assembling a sample first.
When to choose it: Choose this type if you’re looking for thin, crisp toast for small portions. Jumbo describes Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel as thinly sliced.
What to consider: If you specifically need thick toast, don’t assume Melba toast will fit the bill. Check the size and try it with your own toppings.
When to choose them: Compare these types if you want to serve small, individual bites. Lidl lists party toast in plain and sesame varieties, while ALDI stocks toast cups.
What to consider: The shape or flavour doesn’t tell you how well the toast will hold up with heavy or wet toppings.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Shape and strength | Compare the shapes and try your heaviest and wettest planned topping on a piece of toast. | If I’m serving generous bites, I want guests to be able to pick up the topped toast without it breaking. Strength is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Portions and presentation | Check the size and number of pieces in each pack; the net weight alone won’t tell you how many pieces it contains. | When serving lots of small bites, I want portions that guests can pick up without cutting. Around 29% of consumers prioritise portion size and presentation. |
| Allergens and serving | Check both the toast and the toppings for allergens, and plan chilled storage for toppings that spoil quickly. | When serving a range of toppings, I want clear allergen information for every complete bite and a plan for serving perishable toppings. This is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Buying and pack contents | Check the pack contents and number of pieces, and whether you can get enough of the same variety for the whole buffet. | To make enough identical bites, I want to know how many usable pieces of toast each pack contains. Around 14% of consumers prioritise being confident they can buy enough. |
A serving suggestion or rectangular shape doesn’t tell you whether a piece of toast can hold your toppings without breaking.
Try a pack first with the heaviest and wettest toppings you plan to serve, before choosing toast for the whole buffet.
Spreads, garnishes and other toppings can change the allergen information for the complete bite. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that consumers must be able to access information about allergens present in unpackaged foods, including catering.
Keep an up-to-date list for each complete bite based on the toast and toppings you use, and take possible cross-contact into account.
When toppings spoil quickly, it’s important to limit the time they spend out of the fridge. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises not leaving this kind of food unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
Keep spare toppings and pre-prepared portions chilled, and replenish the buffet in small quantities.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread does not have to be made with baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether a product contains it just because it’s toast.
Check the ingredients list if baker’s salt is relevant to your choice. When selecting toast for the buffet, also consider its shape and the ingredient and allergen information.
ALDI describes its Crispy Wheat Toast as rectangular, oven-baked toast for open sandwiches.
Jumbo describes its 120 g Melba Toast Naturel as bread cut into thin slices and toasted until crisp.
ALDI’s Sun Snacks range includes Toast Cups Naturel and Melba Toast Naturel: different shapes for small bites.
Albert Heijn’s Haust range includes Party Extra Original, Snack Cups Ovaal and Party Extra Tuinkruiden.
This round Melba toast is worth considering if you’re making small, individual bites. If you’re serving generous or wet toppings, it’s still important to try them together first.
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The round shape is worth considering for individual buffet portions. If you’re serving generous or wet toppings, first check whether a prepared piece is easy to pick up.
Melba toast in a 100 g pack. Check the number of pieces on the pack when planning portions, and read the latest ingredient and allergen information before serving.
Yes. When unpackaged bites are served to consumers, information about any allergens present must be available, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. Check each complete bite, including the toast, toppings and garnish, and make sure consumers can get this information before buying.
Here, Melba is used as a product description, not as the name of one particular brand. For example, Jumbo stocks Van der Meulen Melba Toast and ALDI stocks Sun Snacks Melba Toast. Always check the brand and exact variety for ingredient and size information.
No, you can’t assume that it does. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread does not have to be made with baker’s salt, so check the ingredients list for your chosen toast if this matters to you.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping food that spoils quickly out of the fridge for no more than two hours. Keep spare portions chilled and put out small amounts at a time so you can manage how long they’re on display.
