If you’re looking for a protein-conscious Father’s Day snack, a classic pretzel on its own doesn’t qualify as a high-protein choice: the nutritional information for the Ditsch and EDEKA pretzels considered here shows that they provide less than the 20% of energy from protein cited by the German Federal Centre for Nutrition as the threshold for “high protein”. To increase the protein content of your overall portion, you could add a topping or choose a separate accompaniment. For a filled pretzel, you’ll also need to check the ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.
After a workout or an active Father’s Day outing, you might fancy something savoury while keeping an eye on your protein intake. Pair a classic pretzel with a topping or accompaniment of your choice, and check the nutritional information for the whole portion.
You’re catering for several people and need to decide whether to serve ready-to-eat pretzels or prepare bake-at-home ones. If you choose bake-at-home products, check the pack contents and preparation instructions as part of your planning.
You’d like to prepare the filling yourself and avoid ingredients of animal origin. Lidl’s recipe combining a pretzel with tofu is one example; be sure to check the allergen information on the ingredients you buy.
For a Father’s Day snack, it’s worth deciding first how you’d like to pair your pretzel, then checking the nutritional information, preparation instructions and ingredients for the specific product.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Protein content | Compare protein and energy using the same reference amount, such as per 100 g. If you’re adding a topping, check its nutritional information too. | After an active outing, I want to know what the pretzel and its accompaniment provide together, rather than relying on the pretzel’s protein figure alone. For around 50% of consumers, this protein comparison is likely to be the main consideration. |
| Preparing for a group | Check the number of pretzels and the thawing and baking instructions for the product you choose. | When several people are eating together, I want to serve the pretzels at the right time. For around 30% of consumers, ease of preparation is likely to be the main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients and allergen information for both the pretzel and the topping on the current packaging. | I want to choose a plant-based filling or avoid certain allergens, so I need to consider the whole combination. For around 20% of consumers, these ingredient requirements are likely to be the main consideration. |
According to Ditsch, its XL pretzel with ham contains 12,6 g of protein per 100 g, compared with 9,5 g for its classic pretzel. Calculated as a proportion of their respective energy content, protein provides around 17,0% and 12,5% respectively. Both figures are below the 20% threshold cited by the German Federal Centre for Nutrition for the “high protein” claim.
Compare protein and energy per 100 g for the specific product. A higher protein figure on its own doesn’t tell you whether the product qualifies as high protein.
A separately chosen topping or accompaniment changes the nutritional values of the whole portion, not those of the pretzel itself. And calling an extra a protein product doesn’t tell you anything about the finished combination.
If protein content matters to you, check the nutritional information and portion sizes for every item you choose.
Ditsch lists wheat in its classic pretzel. A filling adds other ingredients; for example, Lidl’s plant-based pretzel recipe uses tofu made from soya.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for each component before combining your pretzel and topping.
Bake-at-home products need to be prepared as instructed on the packaging and require a suitable heat source. This could affect the timing of your Father’s Day get-together.
Check the preparation instructions before you shop, and allow enough time to bake the pretzels according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Ditsch’s classic pretzel and XL pretzel with Black Forest ham let you compare a plain option with a savoury filled one.
The bake-at-home pretzel is an option if you’d like to choose your own topping and plan the preparation yourself.
Lidl features a plant-based recipe for a filled pretzel with tofu and Vemondo grated alternative.
REWE describes PWR as a range of protein bars, whey and clear whey products that you can choose separately to go with a pretzel.
No. The German Federal Centre for Nutrition sets the threshold for this claim at a minimum of 20% of energy from protein. The nutritional information for the classic Ditsch and EDEKA pretzels considered here works out at around 12,5% and 13,8% respectively. For other products, check their own nutritional information.
You could choose a topping or separate accompaniment to suit your ingredient requirements, checking its nutritional information too. REWE suggests Skyr as a savoury spread, while Lidl shows a homemade pretzel filling with tofu. Whether the finished portion suits your needs depends on the products and quantities you choose.
Check the information on the current packaging for each individual component. Ditsch lists wheat in the classic pretzel considered here; a tofu topping adds soya as another ingredient. Other products and toppings may have different ingredients.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for the specific product and use the heat source available to you. Before you shop, check how many pretzels are included, whether they need to thaw first and how long they take to bake. That way, you can serve them fully prepared according to the manufacturer’s directions.