When we did our exploration trip to the Netherlands, we arrived at our AirBnB with only a rough idea that Dutch grocery stores should have a “free from” shelf and that I’d be spending a fair bit of our exploration weeks foraging for food and Google translating labels. We got lucky, and the closest grocery store to our AirBnB was a little Albert Heijn. They had a small selection of Schär baguettes and cookies, some house brand cornflakes that were everything I wished safe American cornflakes were (and so much cheaper!), and a variety of flatbreads and crackers. It was… okay. Enough to find something safe to put hummus on and have cereal for breakfast in the morning. But a few days into all the label reading, I noticed a pattern. A symbol, actually. The magic symbol that changed my life and has made me a loyal fan of Albert Heijn for life.
Albert Heijn places a specific symbol on all their house-brand items that are gluten free. (They also have a lactose free symbol.) When you barely speak the language that all the food is labeled in, this symbol helps SO much. And while I credit all the labels I’ve read for giving me an extensive Dutch food and cooking vocabulary, it’s still nicest to be able to flip over a package, see the symbol, and toss it in my basket. I cannot understate how much time and mental energy this symbol saves me every week.
When we were house hunting, I made sure to check the neighborhoods for an Albert Heijn. If there was no Albert Heijn within walking distance, the house just wasn’t going to work for me. (Full disclosure: given the state of the Dutch housing market, I’m immensely glad that Albert Heijn is so ubiquitous. Compromises could have been made, but my life would be a lot harder if we couldn’t depend on a local Albert Heijn.)
Over the last three years Albert Heijn has continued to up its gluten free game. Within my first year in the Netherlands, my local Albert Heijn expanded its Gluten Free section from two shelves with pretty solid offerings to three very well-stocked shelves. Last year I had a brief panic when the gluten free shelves went almost entirely bare in all the local Albert Heijn’s. I was afraid that they had over-invested in gluten free and were pulling things back in. But no! They have significantly expanded their house brand offerings and the stock they carry from other brands. I’ve also noticed that when new brands arrive in other parts of the store, they are often gluten free. (Example: the sauce aisle recently added two new brands of curry ketchup, both of which are clearly labeled gluten free.) If you want to admire Albert Heijn’s gluten free shelves, an Albert Heijn XL will serve you well. But if you want the most expansive gluten free shelves that I have seen to date, you should go to the Albert Heijn in Wassenaar.
As mentioned in above, the dedicated gluten free shelves are not the only place you will find safe food in an Albert Heijn. The whole rest of the store is a treasure trove of clearly labeled, safe food. And the options keep expanding!
Editing to add: Albert Heijn has recently updated their website to make it VERY easy to search for gluten free food. Here’s a link to their gluten free products!
Here is a quick run-down of where to find gluten free treasures in Albert Heijn:
– The deli: Deli meats, sliced cheese, cheese wedges, hummus, egg salad, pesto, and so much more. Far more things are gluten free than are not—but always look for the magic symbol. Check out the pre-made salads, too. When I moved here, nothing in this section was gluten free, but that has changed in the last few months. There are now several very lovely salads that are safe. Fingers crossed they keep expanding what’s available in the ready-to-eat offerings.
– The vegetarian/meat substitute section: Sadly, most brands of meat substitutes in the Netherlands are may contains, BUT Albert Heijn’s own brand has several items that are safe. Ketjap tempeh is my favorite easy component in rice and veggie bowls, which I air-fry with a little olive oil and fresh pepper. Their house-brand tofu is pretty well equivalent of the American House Foods extra firm blocks, so they also marinate well. You will also find a seasonal rotation of organic vegetarian burger patties. (Not every AH vegi-burger is gluten free, so always check for the symbol!)
– The vegan deli meats and cheeses: In a separate refrigerated case, you will find the vegan cheeses, spreads, and deli meat. Many of the AH vegan deli slices are gluten free (though the jury is out on the taste). Many vegan cheeses, AH brand or not, are also gluten free. Don’t miss the vegan Boursin!
– The meat section: I’m not a big meat eater, but curiosity has led me to establish that Albert Heijn carries more safe meat than not. My household regularly eats chicken, fish, and bacon, so I do buy those fairly often. Just be sure to double check labels every time, because the status may change. For example, all salmon filets used to be gluten free, but now only the organic ones are.
– Pre-cut veggies and potatoes: In the US, I would never trust a pre-chopped food item. But Albert Heijn has committed to safe pre-prepped food. Check any convenience food you see and there’s a high chance it’s safe. This is especially great for things like homemade sweet potato fries or other air fryer goodies.
– Quick prep meals: In the produce section you will find boxes upon boxes of meal kits. Many of these are safe. And like in other parts of the store, they seem to be purposely growing their options. Near the pre-made salads you will also find purée soup kits, where you can dump the contents into a pot and just add water to cook before blending with a submersion blender. I often toss in a small can of cannellini, black-eyed beans, or edamame to make it a complete meal. The soups are nice on their own, with bread, or over rice with some added roasted veggies.
– The Asian food section: I love this section! Not only are there many Albert Heijn brand sauces and curry mixes that are safe, many other brands are also clearly labeled. While not every product from these brands is gluten free, it’s very easy to figure out what is. Look for Saitaku (miso, rice vinegar, noodles, etc.), Itsu miso packets, Patak’s curry pastes, and Conimex’s curry pastes and rice noodles.
– The Mexican food section: Albert Heijn’s own brand salsas and sauces are clearly labeled, AH’s tortilla chips are decent, and La Morena’s totopos are also clearly labeled. Corn tortillas from a variety of brands are also clearly labeled. I’d advise some caution and extra research on any salsa made outside of Europe, because I’ve been glutened by cross-contaminated salsa more than by any other food item. Which is a tragedy, because European salsa is for the desperate, not the discerning. (Sorry, Europe. I love you, but you can’t seem to do a proper salsa.)
– The sauce and pickles aisle: If you are seeking ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, satay sauce, salad dressing, tzatziki, etc., you will not only find an entire aisle of options, but that many (if not most) of them are gluten free. In addition to Albert Heijn, Remia, Hela, and Oliehoorn label their sauces and dressings very clearly. Beyond Albert Heijn pickles, almost all of Kühne’s offerings are gluten free. They don’t call it out on the package, but their website is very clear. I still miss a good dill pickle, and my only consolation is that I think all the Americans are missing dill pickles because they don’t seem to exist here.
– The beans, soup, and veggie aisle: In addition to Albert Heijn, HAK and Bonduelle are very clear online about what is safe. They may or may not have a gluten free statement on the package, but they will label any cross contamination. You can double check on their websites quickly and easily for peace of mind. (I love that; I wish more brands did this.)
– The baking aisle: Avoid the flour, obviously, but most (if not all) of the sugar is safe. You should also check out the little cups of add-in ingredients, like chopped nuts, seeds, and chocolate chips. Some nuts and seeds will be safe, others not. But the AH brand chocolate chips are excellent in cookies.
– The bakery itself: Surprise! They have fresh-baked, sliced gluten free sandwich loaves. You’ll find them on a top shelf or on a separate shelf from the rest of the bread. It makes decent sandwiches and excellent toast/French toast. Do yourself a favor and try the Madeleine bread.
– Jams, spreads, honey, etc: In addition to Albert Heijn, you’ll find a variety of other safe offerings. So Vegan clearly labels their products.
– The dairy fridge: I’ll be honest, I have NO clue what kwark is. Or vla. I’m lactose intolerant and Dutch dairy has been particularly rough for me to digest for whatever reason, so I have not ventured into the unfamiliar dairy territory. BUT there is a lot, and I mean a lot of safe dairy options. Unless you’re looking for half and half or double cream, you’ll find it. (You won’t find half and half or double cream of any kind, so again, we’re not suffering alone!)
– The dairy substitutes: You’ll have many good options here, too. In addition to AH, check out Alpro, Rude Health, Natrue, and Elovena. Avoid Oatly like plague, but if you are looking for oat milk, there are a variety of clearly labeled and even certified gluten free oat milks. Some of Albert Heijn’s own brand oat milk is also gluten free.
– The Organic (Bio) section: You’ll find a lot of clearly labeled gluten free things here, but they’re also quite pricey. If you’re looking for things like tahini, nut or seed spreads, or coconut flakes, you should be able to find some safe options here.
– Candy and chocolates: Many candy brands label clearly, like Katja and Trolli. Others are gluten free if you dig into their product websites. Be aware that unlike the UK, Haribo is most often a may contain here. I also recommend using caution when choosing chocolate. Unless I can find confirmation of gluten free status on a brand’s website, I only choose chocolate that specifically says it is gluten free on the label. Albert Heijn gets bonus points for ensuring that any seasonal chocolate treats have a number of safe options available.
– Protein bars, granola bars, and other high protein portable snacks: Albert Heijn does a great job of stocking gluten free options in this category. You’ll find things like Trek bars (gluten free oats), a variety of brands of safe nut bars, and also gluten free jerky from Wild West, among other dried meats. And as usual, Albert Heijn’s own brand will definitely have some safe options.
– Chips and nuts: Many, many potato chips in the Netherlands are gluten free. In addition to most Albert Heijn chips, Croky and Tyrell’s will be clearly labeled. Chances are good you’ll find a few other brands that are labeled, too, as the chip offerings update frequently. Nuts are a high cross-contamination risk, so I appreciate that a fair number of Albert Heijn’s nuts are clearly labeled gluten free. I also love that they’ve recently added corn nuts to their “borrel” offerings.
– Frozen foods: You’ll probably find a gluten free freezer with brands like Consenza and Schär in it. There are almost always gluten free fish sticks from Iglo. (Be sure you choose the gluten free ones, as the boxes are similar.) I tend to stick with frozen vegetables from Albert Heijn or Bonduelle, the later of whom labels cross contamination clearly. Ice cream and popsicle options rotate frequently, but there will always be something safe.
Between the constant ebb and flow of the Dutch market and Albert Heijn’s apparent eagerness to add gluten free products to their store, I find new options regularly. But I also like that I can go into an Albert Heijn and grab a wide selection of usuals without having to do more than casually flip a product over to ensure it’s still gluten free. Their house brand labeling lifts a lot of mental weight for me. And this is why Albert Heijn is my best friend.