If you need to avoid gluten on the night shift, pretzel snacks explicitly labelled gluten-free may be an option – provided the ingredients and warnings about other allergens also meet your requirements. According to their product information, classic salted pretzels from Lorenz and EDEKA contain wheat. For short breaks, it also matters whether a snack is ready to eat and easy to portion.
For a break without any preparation, you need a snack you can take with you. When choosing one, an explicit gluten-free label and the ingredients on the current pack matter more than the pretzel shape or brand name.
Even with gluten-free pretzel snacks, you still need to check the other ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. REWE says its gluten-free organic pretzel sticks may contain traces of egg, sesame and soya; Hammermühle warns that its organic oat pretzels may contain traces of soya.
If you’re mainly looking for something to enjoy during a short break, smaller packs can be easier to carry and portion. According to its product information, Lorenz Saltletts Mini Brezel comes in formats including a 40-g pack and a 3 × 40 g multipack.
First, be clear about which substance you need to avoid. Then you can decide whether a ready-to-eat snack suits the length of your break, and which pack size and nutritional information are relevant to you.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and gluten | Identify the specific substance you need to avoid; check the gluten-free label, ingredients and precautionary allergen statements on the pack. | If I need to avoid gluten or another allergen, the words “free from” alone aren’t enough to help me decide. For around 50% of consumers, checking their specific dietary requirements is the priority. |
| Suitability for breaks | Compare pack sizes and portioning; check whether any preparation is needed for pretzel products. | During a short break without access to a kitchen, I want to eat my snack straight away and open only the amount I need. Portability and portioning are the main concerns for around 30% of consumers. |
| Salt and portion size | Compare the salt content per 100 g with the amount you actually eat. | If I regularly pack pretzels as a snack for work, I want to understand how much salt is in my portion. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this. |
Unless it names the specific substance, the label doesn’t tell you whether a snack meets several dietary requirements. REWE says its gluten-free organic pretzel sticks may contain traces of egg, sesame and soya.
Before you buy, make a note of everything you need to avoid and check each item against the ingredients and precautionary allergen statements on the current pack.
Lorenz and EDEKA list wheat in the product information for their classic salted pretzels; Lorenz also lists barley malt extract.
If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label rather than relying on the pretzel shape or a short ingredients list to decide whether it’s suitable.
The amount per 100 g doesn’t automatically reflect how much you eat during a break.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and consider how much you actually plan to take from the pack. Allergen checks are still important too.
REWE’s product page says its frei von pretzel sticks need to be heated in a microwave or briefly baked in the oven. That may not be practical during a short break if you don’t have the right equipment.
Check the preparation instructions before packing them. If you don’t have a suitable way to prepare them, a ready-to-eat snack is the more practical choice.
Classic salted pretzels and mini pretzels in a range of pack sizes.
An own-brand range with gluten-free pretzel sticks and pretzel rolls.
Salinis are small salted pretzels that Schär describes as gluten-free.
Organic oat pretzels labelled as a gluten-free pretzel snack.
Classic salted pretzels in a 250-g pack, ideal for nibbling.
This selection features a pretzel snack for breaks when you don’t have time to prepare anything. Whether it’s suitable for a specific dietary requirement depends on the ingredients and allergen information on the current pack.
No image available
These salted pretzels are a good option for a break when you don’t have time to prepare anything. The pack contains 125 g. If you have a dietary requirement, check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.
No. According to their product information, classic salted pretzels from Lorenz and EDEKA contain wheat; Lorenz also lists barley malt extract. If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the specific pack.
No. REWE says its gluten-free organic pretzel sticks may contain traces of egg, sesame and soya. If you need to avoid any of these, check the current pack as well as the gluten-free label.
Check the ingredients list on the specific pack and look for any precautionary allergen statements too. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety explains that the main substances or products that can cause allergies or intolerances must be listed in the ingredients.
No. Hammermühle labels its organic oat pretzels gluten-free and also warns that they may contain traces of soya. If you need to avoid any other substances, check the information on the current pack for each one.