When choosing pretzels for match night, start with the ingredient your guests need to avoid: ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t mean a product is also free from soya, sesame or other allergens. Small gluten-free salted pretzels can be served straight from the pack; larger pretzels that need baking require you to plan for preparation time and shelf life. A classic lye pretzel labelled as containing wheat is not a gluten-free or wheat-free alternative.
If you want to keep the pretzel shape on the snack platter, check the label on the specific product. Gluten-free and wheat-free are separate claims: classic lye pretzels labelled as containing wheat aren’t suitable for a wheat-free selection.
Even gluten-free pretzels may contain ingredients such as soya, or carry warnings about possible traces of other allergens. Compare the current ingredients list and trace warnings with the allergens the person needs to avoid.
A large pretzel that needs baking takes more preparation than small salted pretzels from a pack. If you want to serve them warm on match night, check the preparation and storage instructions in advance.
First, check which ingredients or traces matter for each guest. Only then decide between mini pretzels that are ready to serve and pretzels that need baking.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and wheat | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label and check the ingredients list for wheat and other cereals containing gluten. If you need to avoid wheat, check separately that the product is wheat-free. | If I need to avoid gluten or wheat, the pretzel shape alone isn’t enough to help me choose. This is the main consideration for around 33% of consumers when buying. |
| Other allergens | Check the ingredients and trace warnings against the specific allergen that needs to be avoided. Schär says Salinis contain soya lecithin; REWE mentions possible traces of sesame. | If I need to avoid several allergens, I only want to serve a pretzel if the other information is suitable for the guest too. This is the main consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
| Vegan, lactose-free, or free from milk and eggs | Check the specific claim on the product: ‘lactose-free’, ‘vegan’ and ‘no added milk or eggs’ don’t mean the same thing. | If the snack needs to be free from animal ingredients, or certain milk components need to be avoided, I choose according to the relevant claim. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| How to serve and preparation | Choose between mini pretzels that are ready to serve and pretzels that need baking. For the latter, check the preparation time and shelf life. | For kick-off, I either need a snack that requires no preparation or I plan to serve warm pretzels. How they’re served is the most important buying criterion for around 20% of consumers. |
Gluten-free pretzels may contain other relevant ingredients or carry trace warnings. Schär Salinis list soya lecithin and possible traces of sesame; Hammermühle warns that its baker’s pretzels may contain traces of soya and mustard.
Before you shop, check what the guest needs to avoid and read the current label for that specific product carefully.
Classic lye pretzels may look similar to gluten-free options, but can contain wheat. Ditsch lists wheat as an allergen in its lye pretzel; EDEKA’s GUT&GÜNSTIG bake-at-home pretzels also contain wheat according to the product information.
If needed, choose a product that is clearly labelled as suitable instead of relying on the product photo or retailer name.
Fresh pretzels that need baking aren’t a snack you can take straight from the pack and put on the table. Hammermühle’s baker’s pretzels also have a short shelf life and need to be baked in the oven.
Check the storage and preparation instructions in good time, or choose suitable mini pretzels for a snack that doesn’t need the oven.
It’s the label on each individual product that matters, not the brand name. The examples below differ in their ingredients, possible traces and preparation requirements.
The small Salinis salted pretzels are a gluten-free snack option for match night.
The fresh baker’s pretzels are an option if you’d rather bake large pretzels than serve small snack pretzels.
The mini salted pretzels are labelled as a gluten-free, vegan organic snack.
The classic lye pretzel provides a comparison with pretzels specifically labelled as gluten-free.
These product ranges show why you need to check the information for each baked product individually.
Not automatically. Ditsch lists wheat as an allergen in its classic lye pretzel, and EDEKA’s GUT&GÜNSTIG bake-at-home pretzels also contain wheat. If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the label on the specific product.
No. It doesn’t tell you whether the product contains these allergens. Schär says Salinis contain soya lecithin and, according to REWE, may contain traces of sesame; Hammermühle mentions possible traces of soya and mustard in its baker’s pretzels. Always check the current label for the specific product.
No, the terms describe different things. If milk components need to be avoided, check the ingredients and allergen information separately rather than relying on the ‘lactose-free’ claim alone.
Hammermühle’s fresh baker’s pretzels are designed to be baked; the product page gives a baking time of 5–8 minutes at 200 °C. Once opened, they should be eaten within two days or frozen. Follow the preparation and storage instructions for other pretzels.