For dry aniseed sprinkles, a sealable shaker is a more suitable choice than a squeeze bottle designed for sauces. You’ll need to test whether the sprinkles flow through the holes in your chosen shaker. For icing sugar, choose a fine shaker; squeeze bottles are designed for liquid or semi-liquid toppings.
You want to sprinkle aniseed sprinkles over oliebollen without choosing a dispensing nozzle designed for liquids. A sealable shaker is an option, provided you test how well your chosen topping flows through it.
You’re looking for a shaker for a fine, dry ingredient. Nisbets specifically lists icing sugar as a suitable use for its shaker with 1.5 mm holes.
You want to dispense a liquid or semi-liquid topping with precision. Baktotaal describes squeeze bottles for this purpose; check that your chosen bottle is suitable for food contact and easy to clean.
First, decide whether you’ll be dispensing dry aniseed sprinkles, fine powder or a liquid topping. This determines the type of opening you need to consider. Then think about how you’ll keep the dispenser clean and refill it during service.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Flow and portion size | Check that the opening suits the type of topping, and test your chosen aniseed sprinkles in the shaker before using it at your stall. | If I want to sprinkle dry aniseed sprinkles over oliebollen, I don’t want the opening to clog or let out an unexpectedly large portion. For around 42% of consumers, flow is the most important consideration. |
| Clean dispensing | Check that the product is suitable for food contact and that the cap, lid and opening are easy to clean. | When serving from an open stall, I want to minimise spills and be able to clean the parts I use. This is the main purchase priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Refilling during service | Check the capacity in ml and whether the dispenser is easy to open and fill. | During a busy service, I want to be able to refill without interrupting service too often. Around 25% of consumers prioritise smooth service. |
A larger bottle doesn’t change the shape of the dispensing nozzle. Baktotaal describes squeeze bottles for liquid or semi-liquid decorations, so capacity alone isn’t a useful guide to dispensing dry aniseed sprinkles.
First, choose a dispenser suited to your type of topping, then test the combination of sprinkles, container and opening.
The shaker described by Nisbets, with 1.5 mm holes, is designed for fine ingredients such as icing sugar. That doesn’t mean sugared aniseed seeds will flow through it.
If you’re using aniseed sprinkles, only consider a shaker with larger holes after testing how well the variety you use flows through it.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, materials that come into contact with food at markets and events must be cleaned properly.
Before use, check that the dispenser is intended for food contact and that you can clean the dispensing opening and any removable parts.
A topping is still part of what you serve. The allergens you need to disclose depend on the aniseed sprinkles and other ingredients you actually use.
Keep the current packaging or product information for each topping to hand so you can answer questions about the ingredients.
According to Albert Heijn’s product description, De Ruijter Feestmuisjes are sugared aniseed seeds. They’re the topping you should use to assess the dispensing opening; they’re not a dispensing tool.
Nisbets describes 236 ml shakers with 1.5 mm holes for fine ingredients and 3 mm holes for coarser dry ingredients.
Baktotaal stocks Hendi squeeze bottles in various capacities, including 20 cl, 35 cl and 70 cl. The described use for squeeze bottles is for liquid or semi-liquid decorations.
Don’t assume that a standard squeeze bottle will dispense dry aniseed sprinkles properly. Baktotaal describes squeeze bottles for liquid or semi-liquid decorations, while Albert Heijn describes De Ruijter Feestmuisjes as sugared aniseed seeds. If you still want to use a particular bottle, test its nozzle with the variety you’ll be serving.
You can’t tell from the hole size alone. Nisbets describes its 3 mm version as suitable for coarser dry ingredients, but check that your chosen aniseed sprinkles flow through it and that you can dispense the portion you want.
A shaker for fine, dry ingredients is suitable for icing sugar. Nisbets lists icing sugar as a recommended use for its 236 ml shaker with 1.5 mm holes. Also consider whether its capacity and refill method suit the way you work.
First check that the bottle is intended for food contact and is suitable for the topping you want to put in it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out requirements for food contact materials; at your stall, also look for parts that are easy to clean.
Keep the current ingredients and allergen information for the aniseed sprinkles you use to hand, and check how you’ll keep the dispenser clean. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, food sold at markets and events must be handled in line with a HACCP food safety plan.
