Choose a ready-made advent calendar if opening something each day is what matters most, and check that it covers the number of days you want. A box of chocolates is a better fit when presentation and a variety of flavours matter more than separate daily treats. If you want to fill a calendar yourself, you can divide up biscuits or small chocolate treats, provided you check the number of pieces, packaging, best-before date and current label.
If you want to open something every day, don't just look at the front of the packaging. Check how many treats it contains and how they're divided up across the days. For example, Albert Heijn features a Kinder calendar designed for 24 days; this doesn't tell you how other calendars are laid out.
If the gift itself matters more than a daily countdown, you can choose a box of chocolates or another chocolate gift based on its selection and presentation. Jumbo lists chocolate gifts as a separate product category. Check each box to see which varieties and how many pieces the recipient will get.
Biscuits or small chocolate treats let you decide what goes into each compartment or bag. Check the actual number of pieces, the individual wrapping and whether they will fit: ALDI states that a pack of 20 chocolate biscuits is wrapped in pairs.
First decide whether you want a daily countdown, a chocolate gift or treats you choose yourself. Then compare the packaging and label of the specific product, as products in the same category can differ in these respects.
Best for: a pre-arranged daily opening treat.
Consider: the contents and flavours are fixed; check exactly how many days the calendar covers.
Best for: a gift or a chocolate treat to share, without a set daily schedule.
Consider: a gift box won't necessarily contain enough individual portions for a calendar.
Best for: a calendar you fill yourself, so you can choose what goes in each day's compartment.
Consider: counting, wrapping to fit and storing the treats all take preparation; a multipack isn't always individually wrapped.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it's relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Daily portions and layout | Count the pieces and see whether they're already divided by day or portion. If you're filling the calendar yourself, also check that they'll fit in the compartments. | I want to open one treat each day and not run short halfway through. For around 33% of consumers, the daily layout is the priority. |
| Allergens and labelling | Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings on the current packaging. | If I need to take a food allergy into account, I want to check the label on the exact pack before considering flavour or appearance. For around 27% of consumers, checking the label is the first concern. |
| Gifting and choice of flavours | Check which types of chocolate or biscuits are in the box and whether the selection suits the recipient. | I'm mainly looking for a gift we can share; I don't need separate compartments. For around 20% of consumers, choosing a gift is the priority. |
| Quantity and filling it yourself | Compare the number of pieces and how they're individually wrapped. If you're buying early, also check the best-before date and storage advice. | When I fill bags or compartments myself, I want enough usable pieces without lots of breakages or extra work dividing them up. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
A box or multipack isn't necessarily divided into daily portions. For example, ALDI lists 20 chocolate biscuits wrapped in pairs: that's not 24 separate daily portions.
Count the pieces and decide before you buy whether you want to give something each day or are looking for a gift to share.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. That's why Albert Heijn advises customers to read the packaging; if you have a food allergy, any warning about possible cross-contamination is also relevant.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the product you actually choose.
Jumbo states that a milk chocolate advent calendar is no longer in its online range. So a calendar you looked at earlier isn't guaranteed to be available when you come to buy it.
Check current availability before basing the rest of your gift or calendar around one product.
The period during which you'll use a calendar you've filled yourself needs to fit within the best-before date of the products you've chosen, and take account of their storage advice.
Compare the date with the days you plan to give the treats, and follow the instructions on the packaging.
These brands offer different options if you're looking for biscuits, chocolate gifts or calendar treats. Always check the specific packaging: a brand range won't tell you how many portions a particular product contains.
A biscuit option if you want to fill a calendar yourself.
An option if you're comparing chocolate products as gifts or as individual calendar treats.
A supermarket with separate categories for chocolate gifts and chocolate biscuits.
A biscuit option where the stated number of pieces can help you plan a calendar you fill yourself.
A brand to explore if you're comparing biscuits, wafers or bars as possible calendar treats.
These Joybuy products illustrate two options: biscuits and chocolate snacks you can divide up yourself, and a chocolate collection to give as a gift. For a 24-day calendar, check how many individual treats you can get from the packs you choose.
No image available
An option if you want to divide chocolate snacks up for a calendar you've filled yourself. The product name lists 10 portions of 12,5 g; you'll need other treats as well to cover 24 days. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.
No image available
A chocolate wafer snack for anyone who wants to combine different treats in a calendar they've filled themselves. The pack contains 9 pieces and weighs 104,4 g, so one pack won't cover 24 days. Check availability before buying, and read the current label for allergen information.
No image available
A biscuit option if you want to choose what goes into each calendar compartment. The product name states 250 g; check the pack you've chosen to see how many biscuits it contains and how you can divide them up without breaking them. Also check the current allergen information on the label.
No image available
A chocolate collection for anyone looking for a gift without a set daily schedule. The product name states 125 g. If you want to use the chocolates in a calendar, count the pieces and check the packaging; if you have allergies, always read the current label.
Count the treats that can be used individually and check how they're packaged. A 24-day label on a calendar makes this easy to check, but for chocolates or biscuits you'll need to count the pieces in the product you choose; ALDI, for example, lists 20 biscuits wrapped in pairs.
Read the ingredients list and check the highlighted allergens, along with any cross-contamination warnings on the current packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the requirement to list 14 allergens on food labels; always check the exact product you plan to give or use.
Use it to compare products, but also read the packaging of the product you buy. Albert Heijn warns that ingredient, nutritional and allergy information may change.
That depends on the best-before date and storage advice for each product you choose. Compare the date with the days you plan to use the treats, and store them according to the instructions on the packaging.
