Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers who want to compare fibre

You want to serve rusks with chocolate sprinkles and are choosing a wholemeal base first. Compare the fibre per 100 g: Albert Heijn lists 9 g for AH wholemeal rusks and 11 g for Bolletje wholemeal rusks.

Households buying for several guests

You want to know in advance how many rusks you can put on the table. Check the number of rusks and the pack weight; one pack alone doesn’t tell you how much everyone will eat.

Shoppers checking ingredients

You’re choosing with ingredients such as egg, wheat or sesame in mind. The ingredients can vary between wholemeal rusk varieties, so check the latest allergen information on each pack.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide which feature of the rusks matters most for your coffee morning. Assess the chocolate sprinkles separately: the amount you add will affect the nutritional value of the combination.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Compare the wholemeal label and the number of grams of fibre per 100 g. Check the weight of each rusk too if you’re comparing portions. If fibre is the deciding factor, I want to compare rusks using the same nutritional measure. This is estimated to be a priority for 50% of shoppers.
Number of rusks Check the number of rusks and the pack weight to work out how many packs you’ll need for the table. When I’m laying the table for several people, I want to know how many rusks I can put out. Having enough ready is the main priority for an estimated 30% of shoppers.
Ingredients and topping Read the allergen information, including any warnings about traces, and decide separately how much chocolate sprinkles to use. If ingredients matter to my guests, I check both the rusks and the topping before serving. This is the main concern for an estimated 20% of shoppers.

Common mistakes

  • Going by the word ‘wholemeal’ alone

    Wholemeal rusks don’t all have the same fibre content. Albert Heijn lists 9 g of fibre per 100 g for AH wholemeal rusks and 11 g per 100 g for Bolletje wholemeal rusks; Jumbo lists 7.7 g per 100 g for its wholemeal rusks.

    Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then check the weight of an individual rusk. Colour or brand alone won’t give you that comparison.

  • Leaving the chocolate sprinkles out of the comparison

    The fibre content of the rusks tells you nothing about the amount of sugar in the topping. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 9.4 g of sugar in a 15 g serving of chocolate sprinkles.

    Choose your rusks and the amount of chocolate sprinkles separately. Check the nutritional information for both products if you want to compare the combination.

  • Choosing a seeded variety without reading the label

    Ingredients vary between rusk varieties. Albert Heijn lists sesame seeds among the ingredients in AH Organic Wholemeal Seeded Rusks, while egg and wheat are also listed for the regular wholemeal varieties checked.

    Check the ingredients and allergen declaration on the pack, including any warnings about traces.

  • Taking baker’s salt as proof that a particular pack contains iodine

    A general mention of baker’s salt doesn’t tell you which ingredients are in the rusks you want to serve.

    If iodine is important to your choice, check the ingredients list on the specific pack or ask the manufacturer about its composition.

Brands to compare

Compare varieties within each brand individually: their fibre content and ingredients can differ.

Bolletje

Bolletje offers regular wholemeal rusks and a dark wholemeal variety with oats and seeds.

  • Albert Heijn lists 11 g of fibre per 100 g for Bolletje wholemeal rusks, in a pack of 13.
  • Check the ingredients of the dark variety separately, particularly if oats, barley or sesame are relevant to you.

Albert Heijn

The own-brand range includes regular wholemeal rusks and an organic seeded variety.

  • Albert Heijn lists 9 g of fibre per 100 g for AH wholemeal rusks and 11 g per 100 g for AH Organic Wholemeal Seeded Rusks.
  • The seeded variety lists egg and sesame among its ingredients. Check the pack if these ingredients are relevant to your guests.

Jumbo

Jumbo Wholemeal Rusks are another wholemeal variety to compare for nutritional value and ingredients.

  • Jumbo lists 7.7 g of fibre per 100 g for Jumbo Wholemeal Rusks.
  • Jumbo lists barley, egg, gluten and wheat in the allergen information for this variety.

Wholemeal rusks for this coffee morning

These two Bolletje varieties are wholemeal rusks you could consider as a base for chocolate sprinkles. Choose between the dark pack of 10 and the regular pack of 13, and check the ingredients for each variety.

Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, 10 pieces

Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, 10 pieces

A good choice if you’re looking for dark wholemeal rusks as a base for chocolate sprinkles. The product name indicates that the pack contains 10 rusks. Check the ingredients, particularly if wheat, oats, barley or sesame are relevant to your guests.

View at Joybuy
Bolletje wholemeal rusks, 13 pieces

Bolletje wholemeal rusks, 13 pieces

A good choice if you want to put out the regular wholemeal variety for several people. The product name indicates that the pack contains 13 rusks. Check the latest allergen information for egg and wheat, and use the nutritional information per 100 g when comparing fibre with other rusks.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How do I compare the fibre in wholemeal rusks?

Start by comparing the fibre per 100 g, so packs of different weights are measured on the same basis. Albert Heijn lists 11 g per 100 g for Bolletje wholemeal rusks and AH Organic Wholemeal Seeded Rusks; Jumbo lists 7.7 g per 100 g for Jumbo Wholemeal Rusks. Then check the weight of each rusk if you also want to compare portions.

How do chocolate sprinkles affect the comparison?

Chocolate sprinkles are a separate part of the combination: the fibre per 100 g on the rusk label applies to the rusks alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 9.4 g of sugar per 15 g serving of chocolate sprinkles, so the amount you add also matters when assessing the nutritional value of what you serve.

How do I keep the rusks crisp until serving?

Store the rusks in a dry place and seal an opened pack or storage tin tightly. Add the chocolate sprinkles just before eating if you don’t want the topping sitting on the rusks while you get everything ready.

Can I assume every pack of wholemeal rusks contains iodine?

No. Don’t rely on a general mention of baker’s salt when choosing a specific pack. Check the ingredients list or ask the manufacturer which ingredients are used in that product if iodine is important to your purchase.