If you like, use aniseed sprinkles as a measured topping with a regular meal or snack before or after a bike ride. Don’t treat them as a replacement for food and drink during a long, strenuous ride. First consider what the ride’s duration and intensity call for, and check the ingredients and allergens in the variety you choose.
You want to decide for yourself how much aniseed sprinkles to add to bread, crispbread or yoghurt before or after a ride. PLUS lists these uses for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; the nutritional value of your portion depends on the product and the amount you measure out.
For intense cycling lasting more than an hour, particularly if you sweat a lot, food and drink during the ride need separate consideration. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses extra carbohydrates and fluids in this context; a small topping on its own won’t meet those needs.
If particular ingredients or allergens matter to you, check the exact packaging. PLUS lists wheat in De Ruijter Blauwe en Witte Muisjes; don’t assume another variety has the same ingredients.
First decide whether you’re looking for a small topping to have with a meal or for food and drink to take on a ride. Then check the portion size and ingredients of the product you want to use.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Check the nutritional information per 100 g and weigh the amount you want to use as a topping. | If you only want a small amount with bread or yoghurt, being able to measure out the same portion each time is especially useful. Around 42% of consumers prioritise measuring out their sprinkles. |
| Ride duration and intensity | Consider how long and how hard you’ll be cycling, and how you’ll manage food and drink during the ride. | For a long, strenuous ride, I wouldn’t rely on a sweet topping alone. Around 33% of consumers focus on finding suitable food and drink for cycling. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label for the exact variety, not just the information for a similar product. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I need to know what’s in this pack. Ingredients and allergens are the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
A 270 g or 330 g pack doesn’t tell you how much to sprinkle each time. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives nutritional values for 15 g of sprinkles per slice, but that isn’t a pre-measured portion from a pack.
Weigh out the amount you want and use the nutritional information on your pack to work out the values.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, carbohydrates can be relevant during prolonged, strenuous exercise when you sweat a lot; you also need to think about drinking enough. Sports bars and gels aren’t automatically necessary for a shorter ride.
Choose food and drink to suit the duration and intensity of your ride, rather than treating sprinkles as a complete solution.
PLUS lists wheat among the ingredients in De Ruijter Blauwe en Witte Muisjes. Another variety may have a different ingredients list.
Before using them, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the product you’ve actually chosen.
De Ruijter offers several varieties of aniseed sprinkles, including Gestampte Muisjes and Blauwe en Witte Muisjes.
Aniseed sprinkles aren’t an obvious choice for food on the go. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says sports bars and gels aren’t needed for shorter periods of exercise. For intense exercise lasting more than an hour, particularly if you sweat a lot, carbohydrates and fluids may be relevant during the activity. Consider food and drink together for a ride like this, rather than choosing just a product to sprinkle on food.
Weigh out the amount you want to use as a topping and check the nutritional information on the pack you’ve chosen. For 15 g of sprinkles per slice, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average values of 13.8 g of carbohydrates and 11.9 g of sugars. These are the nutritional values for that amount, not a recommended portion for cycling.
Yes, check the packaging of the variety you’re buying. PLUS lists wheat in De Ruijter Blauwe en Witte Muisjes, but you shouldn’t assume the same ingredients list applies to other varieties.
