Households keeping an eye on fibre
If you’re considering rusks as an after-school snack, you can compare wholemeal varieties by their fibre per 100 g and the other nutritional information on the pack.
Who might be interested in wholemeal rusks?
Parents packing rusks for their children
For school or childcare, check the allergens on the latest label and the rules in place with the relevant group. The products discussed list wheat, among other ingredients; some varieties also contain egg or sesame.
Households that like to keep rusks in stock
If you regularly buy a pack of rusks, you can compare the number of pieces, the pack size and the current availability of your preferred variety.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the rusks will mainly be eaten at home or taken to school. This will help you work out how closely to check the allergens and the rules at school or childcare.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the pack and compare the fibre per 100 g. | If I serve rusks after school, I want to know whether I’m really choosing a wholemeal variety and how much fibre it contains. This is a priority for around 46% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the latest allergen information and check the rules at school or childcare. | When I pack rusks for my child, they need to be suitable for the allergies and rules in their group. This is a priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Pack size and availability | Compare the number of pieces in each pack and check whether your preferred variety is available. | If I’m keeping a pack in stock, I want to know how many rusks it contains and whether I can buy the same variety again. This practical consideration is the deciding factor for around 27% of consumers. |
Common mistakes when choosing
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Assuming a dark colour means wholemeal
The colour of a rusk doesn’t tell you whether all the grain ingredients are wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called ‘wholemeal’ when 100% of its grain ingredients are wholemeal flour.
Check the description on the pack, then compare the nutritional information.
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Comparing fibre alone
A variety with seeds may also contain allergens that matter when you’re packing snacks for school. PLUS lists wheat, barley, oats, egg and sesame among the ingredients in its wholemeal rusks with seeds.
Before packing them, read the latest label and check the rules at school or childcare.
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Assuming seeds are always an advantage
More seeds don’t necessarily mean a rusk will suit a child’s taste or meet the group’s allergy requirements.
Compare a seeded variety with a plain wholemeal one, looking at the ingredients and nutritional information, before you decide.
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Assuming every rusk contains iodine
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether a product contains iodine just from its type.
If baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the information on the pack you’ve chosen.
Brands compared
These examples show the product varieties you can compare. Ingredients and nutritional values apply to the specific variety named, not to the brand as a whole.
Bolletje
Bolletje’s range includes plain and dark wholemeal rusks.
- For Volkoren Beschuit Mono, Bolletje lists wholemeal wheat flour, wheat gluten and free-range eggs. Joybuy lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g for its dark wholemeal rusks.
- The dark variety lists wheat, oats, barley and sesame, among other ingredients. Check the ingredients on the pack you choose; the information for the Mono variety doesn’t automatically apply to other Bolletje varieties.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn offers a plain wholemeal rusk as one of its own-label varieties.
- Albert Heijn lists 9 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Beschuit volkoren.
- Check the nutritional information and allergens on the pack you buy, especially if the rusks are going to school.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists plain and other wholemeal varieties, including an organic option.
- Jumbo Beschuit volkoren is listed as containing 7.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
- Jumbo reported that this plain variety was temporarily unavailable and that the organic variety was no longer listed in its online range. Check the current availability of the variety you’re looking for.
PLUS
PLUS offers plain wholemeal rusks and a wholemeal variety with seeds.
- PLUS lists 7.7 g of fibre per 100 g for the plain variety and 10.6 g per 100 g for the seeded variety.
- The seeded variety also lists sesame, oats, egg, wheat and barley. A higher fibre content doesn’t automatically make it suitable for children with allergies.
Goud Gebakken (ALDI)
Goud Gebakken offers a plain wholemeal rusk in a pack of 13.
- ALDI describes this variety as a crisp rusk made with wholegrain cereals.
- Compare the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the pack before setting this variety alongside other wholemeal rusks.
Wholemeal rusks on Joybuy
These two Bolletje varieties offer a choice between dark wholemeal rusks in a pack of 10 and plain wholemeal rusks in a pack of 13. For an after-school snack, also compare the latest allergen information and nutritional details on the same basis.
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Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, pack of 10
A dark wholemeal variety for comparing fibre content as well as other features. Joybuy lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g; before packing these for school, check the latest packaging for wheat, oats, barley and sesame.
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Bolletje wholemeal rusks, pack of 13
A plain wholemeal variety for an after-school snack. The pack contains 13 rusks. Before packing them, check the latest allergen information, including wheat and egg, and only compare fibre values when they’re given in the same units.
Frequently asked questions
What does ‘wholemeal’ on a pack of rusks mean?
The term refers to the grain ingredients: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, 100% of them must be wholemeal flour for a product to be called ‘wholemeal’. Also check the latest label if you want to compare fibre or other nutritional values.
Do wholemeal rusks always contain gluten?
The wholemeal rusks discussed here list wheat or other cereals containing gluten. Don’t rely on the name ‘wholemeal’ alone when checking a specific pack. Read the latest allergen information if you need to avoid gluten-containing cereals.
What should I check if my child is taking rusks to school?
Check the allergens on the pack as well as the rules at the school, class or childcare setting. The varieties discussed contain wheat; some also contain egg, and seeded varieties may contain sesame. Check any toppings separately.
Does baker’s salt guarantee that rusks contain iodine?
No, you can’t assume this for every rusk. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If this matters to your choice, check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.