The traditional aniseed sprinkles checked are not a suitable choice if demonstrably lower sugar is your top priority: Joybuy lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for De Ruijter Pink Muisjes, and PLUS lists the same amount for Feestmuisjes. If you want to choose lower-sugar sprinkles for baking, compare like-for-like decorations per 100 g and check the current packaging to see what any claim refers to. Also make sure the shape suits what you and the children want to decorate.
If lower sugar is important, the colour of aniseed sprinkles tells you little about their nutritional value. As the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises, compare like-for-like products per 100 g and check exactly what has been reduced when a claim is made.
For cupcakes, cakes or biscuits, it also matters whether a decoration suits your baking plans. PLUS lists these uses for De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes; that alone says nothing about whether they contain less sugar.
If a child or guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, read the label on the pack you plan to use. The product information checked for De Ruijter Pink Muisjes and Feestmuisjes lists wheat and gluten.
First decide whether lower sugar is a must-have. Then compare how you plan to use the product and, if needed for the people eating it, check the ingredients and allergens.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrably lower sugar | Compare sugars per 100 g in like-for-like products. If there is a claim, check which component has been reduced. | If lower sugar is my top priority, I want to be able to check this before choosing a decoration. Around 50% of consumers put this sugar comparison first. |
| Suitable for your bake | Check whether the product information mentions decorating the bake you have in mind, and choose the shape you want. | When decorating cupcakes or biscuits together, I mainly want a topping that suits what we’re making. For around 30% of consumers, how they plan to use it matters most. |
| Allergens | Check the current pack for ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings. | If a child or guest needs to avoid an ingredient, checking the pack comes before colour or shape. This is the first priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Colour and use as a cake decoration tell you nothing about the sugar content. Joybuy lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for De Ruijter Pink Muisjes; PLUS lists the same amount for Feestmuisjes.
If lower sugar is the deciding factor, use the nutritional information per 100 g as your first point of comparison with a like-for-like product.
The Joris sweets described by Snoepman are made with maltitol syrup and gelatine. They’re a different type of product from traditional aniseed sprinkles with a sugar coating, so you can’t assume they’re interchangeable for baking.
Decide whether you want an aniseed decoration or sweets, and check how the product is intended to be used before swapping one for the other.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘light’ can refer to energy, fat or sugar. What’s more, serving-size figures make products with different serving sizes difficult to compare.
Check what the claim refers to and compare the nutritional information for like-for-like products per 100 g.
Ingredients and warnings can change. The product information checked for the De Ruijter varieties lists wheat and gluten, but the pack you have in your hand is what matters when you use the product.
Check the current pack for ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings.
These names can help you compare traditional aniseed sprinkles and their product information; they’re not a selection of lower-sugar varieties.
A brand offering products such as Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes, sold as sweet aniseed decorations.
The online aniseed sprinkles category includes products such as De Ruijter Feestmuisjes, Gestampte Muisjes and pink and white sprinkles.
The online aniseed sprinkles category features various traditional De Ruijter varieties.
The product pages for De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes describe how to use them as decorations.
Compare the sugars per 100 g with those in a like-for-like product. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘light’ can refer to energy, fat or sugar, so check the packaging to see what the claim refers to. Less sugar doesn’t automatically mean fewer calories.
Don’t assume they are: PLUS lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for the Feestmuisjes checked, and Joybuy lists the same amount for Pink Muisjes. If lower sugar is your main criterion, compare the current nutritional information with that of a like-for-like decoration.
PLUS lists Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes as decorations for cupcakes, cakes, biscuits and pastries, among other things. Follow the recipe and the instructions on the pack to decide when to add them; the suggested uses don’t tell you whether they’re suitable for the oven.
Check the ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the current pack. The product information checked for De Ruijter Pink Muisjes and Feestmuisjes lists wheat and gluten; when using a pack, don’t rely solely on an earlier online listing.
