Who is this choice relevant to?

Host planning a celebration on the terrace

You want to serve rusks or a prepared treat topped with familiar aniseed sprinkles. Regular aniseed sprinkles suit that presentation, but that doesn’t make them a lower-sugar option.

Sugar-conscious fan of sweet toppings

You’re looking for a demonstrably lower-sugar option and are open to a different type of topping. Compare similar products per 100 g; as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains, a claim on the front of the pack is no substitute for the nutrition table.

Consumer checking for allergens

You check the ingredients before serving aniseed sprinkles. The product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists wheat and cereals containing gluten for the De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes reviewed here.

What should you look for when choosing?

For a get-together on the terrace or a celebration, your main priority will determine whether you stick with aniseed sprinkles or consider another type of sweet topping.

Regular aniseed sprinkles

Choose these: if the aniseed flavour and presentation on rusks or another prepared treat are your priorities.

The trade-off: according to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes each contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g.

Another sweet topping

Choose this: if a demonstrably lower sugar content matters more than the traditional look of aniseed sprinkles.

The trade-off: Albert Heijn lists chocolate sprinkles with a reduced-sugar claim, but chocolate sprinkles are a different product from aniseed sprinkles; compare the nutritional information for the products you’re considering.

What to consider What should you check? Who does this matter to?
Demonstrably less sugar Compare the sugars per 100 g in similar products. For a ‘reduced sugar’ claim, EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 requires a reduction of at least 30% compared with a similar product. If I want less sugar, I want to know what’s actually in the topping, rather than relying on the name alone. For around 50% of consumers, a demonstrable reduction in sugar is the top priority.
Presentation and serving Decide what you’ll serve the sprinkles on and whether you can prepare the treat in advance for your get-together. For a celebratory treat, I want to be able to serve familiar aniseed sprinkles on rusks, even if that isn’t a lower-sugar option. Presentation comes first for around 30% of consumers.
Wheat and gluten Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen; the Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes reviewed here list wheat and cereals containing gluten. If wheat or gluten is relevant to me, I want to know what the topping contains before serving it. Checking ingredients and allergens is the top priority for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming regular aniseed sprinkles are a lower-sugar topping

    A celebratory look says nothing about the sugar content. According to product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes each contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Choose aniseed sprinkles for a traditional topping, or compare other sweet toppings per 100 g if reducing sugar is your top priority.

  • Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’

    The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that a product with no added sugars can still contain sugars.

    Alongside the claim, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g in the nutrition table.

  • Buying aniseed sprinkles without planning how to serve them

    PLUS describes aniseed sprinkles as a topping for foods such as rusks and yoghurt. So, for a get-together on the terrace, you’ll need something to serve them on.

    Choose your treat in advance and, if you like, take the sprinkles separately to add when serving.

  • Skipping the allergen information

    Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists wheat and cereals containing gluten for the Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes reviewed here. This information matters even when you’re using just a small amount as a topping.

    Check the packaging of the variety you buy before serving it.

Brands and shops to explore

These names can help you distinguish aniseed sprinkles from other sweet toppings; their inclusion isn’t a recommendation for a specific product.

De Ruijter

A brand whose products include Feestmuisjes, coloured aniseed sprinkles and Gestampte Muisjes.

  • The varieties offer different ways to present aniseed sprinkles.
  • According to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes both contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g; always assess any reduced-sugar claim for the specific product.

Albert Heijn

A retailer with a category for aniseed sprinkles and a separate range of sugar-conscious toppings.

  • Its sugar-conscious range includes chocolate sprinkles with a reduced-sugar claim.
  • Chocolate sprinkles are a different product category from aniseed sprinkles; compare the nutritional information for the product you actually want to serve.

Jumbo

A retailer with a category for aniseed sprinkles that lists several De Ruijter varieties.

  • The product information for Gestampte Muisjes lists ingredients, allergens and nutritional values to help you assess the label.
  • That variety contains 79 g of sugars per 100 g; the information for one variety doesn’t automatically apply to other aniseed sprinkles.

PLUS

A retailer that describes De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles as a bread topping and garnish.

  • The serving suggestions can help you plan rusks or another treat for a get-together on the terrace.
  • Describing something as a celebratory topping says nothing about its sugar content; check the packaging of the variety you choose.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are regular De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles a lower-sugar option?

Don’t treat the Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes reviewed here as lower-sugar options: according to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, both contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g. If you want to assess another aniseed sprinkle product, check the claim and nutritional information for that specific variety.

What does ‘less sugar’ mean on a food product?

For the ‘reduced sugar’ nutrition claim, EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 requires a reduction of at least 30% compared with a similar product. Also check the actual amount of sugars per 100 g and what product it’s being compared with.

How do I compare aniseed sprinkles with other sweet toppings?

Compare the nutrition information per 100 g and bear in mind that the products are different types. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, as serving sizes can vary between manufacturers; check the ‘of which sugars’ figure and read the ingredients list too.

What should I check when serving aniseed sprinkles to others?

Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the variety you’re serving. For the De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes reviewed here, information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists wheat and cereals containing gluten; also decide in advance what you’ll serve the sprinkles on.