Choose traditional aniseed sprinkles if you’re looking for an aniseed flavour and a crunchy topping for Christmas; PLUS describes De Ruijter sprinkles as aniseed seeds coated in sugar. If you’re after chocolate flavour and a stated cocoa content, a dark chocolate bar or dark milk chocolate are different product options. Compare the cocoa percentages and check the current ingredients and allergen information: dark chocolate isn’t automatically dairy-free.
You want to finish off rusks, bread or Christmas bakes with small, crunchy aniseed sprinkles, and the familiar aniseed flavour matters more to you than chocolate. PLUS describes this combination in De Ruijter sprinkles.
You’d rather choose a chocolate product with a stated cocoa content than aniseed sprinkles. Albert Heijn lists a Delicata dark chocolate bar with at least 70% cocoa solids; Jumbo lists Tony's Chocolonely dark milk chocolate with 42% cocoa.
You want to check the ingredients and allergens in the exact product before serving it. This is particularly important if milk, soya, nuts or other allergens matter to any of your guests.
First decide whether you want to serve sprinkleable aniseed toppings or a chocolate product. Then compare the ingredients within that product type.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Aniseed and sprinkle format | Check whether they’re aniseed sprinkles with a sugar coating, and whether the format is right for what you want to decorate. | If I want to add a festive topping to rusks or bakes, I’m looking for small, crunchy sprinkles with an aniseed flavour. For around 40% of consumers, this traditional presentation matters most. |
| Cocoa and type of chocolate | Compare the stated cocoa percentage and check whether the product is dark or milk chocolate. | For guests who’d prefer chocolate to aniseed sprinkles, I want to choose between dark and dark milk chocolate. A preference for a pronounced cocoa flavour comes first for around 40% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the exact product. | When I’m putting something out for several guests, I need to be able to check whether the ingredients suit them. For around 20% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
The De Ruijter sprinkles listed by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are different from chocolate figures. PLUS describes De Ruijter sprinkles as aniseed seeds with a crunchy sugar coating.
Before you start searching, decide whether you need the aniseed flavour and sprinkle format, or whether a chocolate product would also work.
Jumbo lists a Tony's Chocolonely dark milk chocolate bar containing 42% cocoa and milk. Albert Heijn lists a Delicata dark chocolate bar with at least 70% cocoa solids. The product name alone doesn’t tell you what you’re buying.
Compare the cocoa percentage and read the ingredients list if dark chocolate or avoiding milk is important to your choice.
Dark milk chocolate may contain milk; Jumbo lists milk and soya as ingredients in the Tony's Chocolonely bar. A label such as vegan doesn’t replace the allergen information on the exact packaging either.
Check both the ingredients and allergen information before serving, even if you’ve bought the product before.
A listing may still be visible even when the exact product can’t be ordered. For example, Jumbo’s product page for Kikkers & Muizen stated that it was no longer part of the online range.
When ordering or shopping in store, check that the product you want is actually available.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list several De Ruijter products, including Feestmuisjes, coloured sprinkles and crushed sprinkles.
Albert Heijn lists a Delicata extra dark chocolate bar with at least 70% cocoa solids.
Jumbo lists a Tony's Chocolonely dark milk chocolate bar with 42% cocoa.
Alongside traditional sprinkles, Jumbo has described its own-brand Kikkers & Muizen as having a fondant centre and dark chocolate coating.
ALDI describes Choceur Milk Mouse as a chocolate mouse available in different flavours.
These bars are a good fit if you’re looking for chocolate with a stated cocoa content. They’re not a substitute for traditional sprinkles if you want an aniseed flavour or a sprinkleable topping.
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A good choice if you’d like to serve a chocolate bar at the Christmas table instead of sprinkleable toppings.
The product name states 78% cocoa and 100 g. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens before serving the bar to guests.
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A bar for anyone who wants a clearly stated cocoa content to take centre stage in their Christmas shopping, and doesn’t need aniseed sprinkles.
The product name states 90% cocoa and 100 g. Before serving, read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
No. PLUS describes De Ruijter sprinkles as aniseed seeds with a crunchy sugar coating. A chocolate mouse or fondant figure with a chocolate coating is a different product. Choose based on the flavour and format you want to serve, not just the name.
Not necessarily: the Tony's Chocolonely dark milk chocolate bar listed by Jumbo contains milk and soya. Always read the ingredients list on the current packaging for each product.
The European Commission says that allergens in pre-packed foods are highlighted in the ingredients list. Check the packaging of the exact chocolate bar or figure, including any statements about the possible presence of other allergens.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the bar you buy. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing dark chocolate in a kitchen cupboard; don’t automatically apply this advice to chocolate products with a different composition.
