Which pretzel suits your needs?

Event organisers without an oven on site

If you can’t bake at your stall, ready-to-eat individual pretzels are one option. Check with the store that the quantity you need will be available at your chosen collection time.

Event organisers catering for lots of guests with an oven available

Frozen dough pieces can be baked in a quantity planned in advance. You’ll need to allow for freezer storage, oven capacity, and time to thaw, bake and cool them.

Hosts with ingredient or portioning requirements

If you need to check ingredients and allergens for your guests, or serve a large pretzel in portions, you’ll need the details for the specific product and a protected area for cutting and serving.

What to look for when choosing

First, decide whether the pretzels need to be ready to serve with no preparation, or whether you have the time and an oven to bake them. A large format also needs a plan for portioning.

Freshly baked individual pretzels

A good fit if: You need a modest quantity to serve straight away without your own oven.

Bear in mind: Check that the specific store can provide your chosen type and quantity at your collection time.

Frozen dough pieces

A good fit if: You know how many you need in advance and have a suitable oven.

Bear in mind: Freezer storage, thawing, baking and cooling all take time and space.

Large pretzel for sharing

A good fit if: You want to cut a large pretzel into individual portions for a buffet.

Bear in mind: According to the manufacturer, Ditsch’s fully baked Mega pretzel takes around two hours to thaw; protect the portions once cut.

What you need What to check before buying Who it matters to
Ready to serve straight away Confirm the quantity and collection time with the specific store. If I want to serve pretzels straight away without an oven, the collection time needs to fit the start of serving; immediate service is the top priority for around 36% of consumers.
Quantity and baking Check the pack contents, freezer storage requirements, oven capacity and preparation time. If I’m planning several rounds of serving, I want to control the baking schedule myself, but I’ll need enough oven time. Around 29% of consumers prioritise planning quantities and baking.
Ingredients and allergens Check the latest ingredient list, declared allergens and possible traces separately for each variety. If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I need reliable information about each pretzel. Around 21% of consumers prioritise checking ingredients and allergens.
Serving in portions Check the size and thawing time, and make sure you have space for a cover and clean serving utensils. For a buffet, I want to share a large pretzel without guests touching the exposed food directly. Portioning and protected serving are the deciding factors for around 14% of consumers.

Common planning mistakes

  • Assuming “premium” describes the product

    The term doesn’t tell you whether a pretzel is fully baked, supplied as dough or made in a large format for sharing. These differences affect how you serve it at your stall.

    First decide how you want to serve the pretzels, then check the weight, ingredients and preparation instructions for the specific product.

  • Buying frozen pretzels without a baking plan

    Dough pieces aren’t ready to serve straight away. REWE says its Beste Wahl pretzels need around ten minutes to thaw slightly and around 15–16 minutes to bake; timings may vary depending on your oven.

    Test the process with the oven you plan to use and allow time for the pretzels to cool.

    You’ll need freezer storage, oven space and staff available during preparation.

  • Relying on verbal allergen information for unpackaged food

    Ingredients and possible traces vary between pretzel varieties. When serving unpackaged food, you also need to protect it from handling and contamination.

    Keep the latest product information to hand, separate different varieties and use clean serving utensils.

  • Assuming the online range matches store stock

    EDEKA notes that availability may vary between stores. ALDI SÜD’s online range also doesn’t guarantee a particular quantity at an individual store.

    Beforehand, confirm the specific product, quantity and collection time with your chosen store.

Brands and ranges to consider

Ditsch

Ditsch sells pretzels in a range of sizes and formats, including fully baked products and dough pieces to bake at home.

  • According to Ditsch, its fully baked pretzel weighs 100 g per piece, while the Mega pretzel weighs 1.6 kg.
  • Ditsch says the Mega pretzel takes around two hours to thaw. Check the ingredients and possible traces separately for each variety.

REWE Beste Wahl

The frozen pretzels described are an option if you’re planning the quantity in advance and have access to an oven.

  • REWE says the pack contains eight frozen dough pieces, with pretzel salt packed separately.
  • According to REWE, the dough pieces should thaw slightly for around ten minutes, then bake for around 15–16 minutes; baking time may vary depending on your oven.

GUT&GÜNSTIG / EDEKA

The listed pretzel is an option to bake at home, provided you have a suitable oven and the product is available at your local store.

  • EDEKA provides baking instructions and separately packed pretzel salt for the listed product.
  • EDEKA lists wheat and soya as allergens and notes that store availability and packaging information may differ from what’s shown online.

MEINE BACKWELT / ALDI SÜD

The in-store bakery is an option if you need ready-to-eat individual pretzels without baking them yourself.

  • ALDI SÜD describes a range that’s freshly baked several times a day, which includes a pretzel.
  • Check with the specific store to find out which products and quantities will be available at your chosen time.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Questions about buying and serving

Are traditional pretzels automatically vegan?

No, you can’t tell from the name “pretzel” alone. Check the latest ingredient list for the specific variety: Ditsch says its 100-g pretzel may contain traces of milk and sesame, while wheat and milk are listed as allergens for its XL butter pretzel.

How long do frozen pretzels take to prepare before serving?

For the REWE Beste Wahl pretzels described here, REWE recommends around ten minutes to thaw slightly, followed by around 15–16 minutes in the oven; they should then be left to cool briefly. Check the instructions on the pack you buy and bear in mind that baking time can vary depending on your oven.

What do I need to check before selling pretzels at a street fair?

Check the requirements for your stall in advance with the event organiser, your local authority and the food safety authority. Whether an activity falls under §§ 42 and 43 IfSG depends on the specific foods and tasks involved, so check the requirements for your particular circumstances. The Neukölln District Office in Berlin also highlights the need to protect unpackaged food at street markets and fairs.

What should I do with pretzels left over after the fair?

Follow the product’s storage instructions and distinguish between unopened packs and pretzels that have already been served unpackaged or baked by you. The Verbraucherzentrale explains that, when products are stored correctly and remain unopened, a best-before date is not the same as a use-by date. For food displayed unpackaged, you’ll also need to consider the actual storage and hygiene conditions.

How should I work out how many pretzels I need?

Decide how many you plan to serve and over what period, then compare this with the pack contents or the quantity confirmed by the store. If you’re using dough pieces, you’ll also need to work out how many your oven can bake in the time available. For in-store products, ask the store to confirm the quantity and collection time in advance.