Aniseed sprinkles are not a suitable choice for a regular snack for a young child or toddler. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five, while the aniseed sprinkles discussed here are sugar-coated. Crushed aniseed sprinkles or a glass storage jar do not change that advice; a jar is simply a separate choice for storing or presenting them outside toddler snack time.
At snack time, the food itself matters more than how it is presented. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends that young children and toddlers have foods from the Wheel of Five between meals, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. It also advises in general terms that sweets can pose a choking risk.
According to PLUS, traditional pink-and-white aniseed sprinkles are crunchy, sugar-coated aniseed. Crushed aniseed sprinkles are another product format, used as a sweet spread or topping, but the word ‘crushed’ does not make them suitable as a snack on their own for a toddler.
If you need a jar for dry storage or table presentation, choose it separately from the food product. Wibra, for example, describes a 150 ml glass storage jar with a clip-top lid; this is not packaging in which aniseed sprinkles are sold.
First decide whether you need a snack for your toddler or aniseed sprinkles for another occasion. Only then consider whether you also need a jar for storage or presentation.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Regular snack | For a young child or toddler, choose something from the Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread, in line with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice. Don’t judge individual sweet-like pieces by how they are presented as a toddler snack. | I’m looking for something for everyday snack time and want it to follow the advice for toddlers. For around 50% of consumers, suitability comes first. |
| Festive topping | Distinguish between traditional and crushed aniseed sprinkles, and check the ingredients on the packaging. Don’t take the product format as proof that they are suitable as a snack on their own for a toddler. | For a special occasion, I want to serve aniseed sprinkles without making them my toddler’s snack. This festive presentation is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Glass storage jar | Check that you’re buying an empty jar and that its capacity and closure suit the amount you want to store separately. Follow the storage instructions for the aniseed sprinkles. | I want to store a small amount in a dry place and put it on the table, separately from what my toddler eats. Around 20% of consumers prioritise storage and presentation. |
A glass jar only changes how you store or present aniseed sprinkles. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five between meals for young children and toddlers; according to PLUS, aniseed sprinkles are sugar-coated aniseed.
Choose your toddler’s snack first. Consider a jar separately if you want to store aniseed sprinkles for another occasion.
Jumbo describes crushed aniseed sprinkles as crushed, sugar-coated aniseed. That product description does not mean they are suitable as a snack on their own for young children; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises in general terms that sweets can pose a choking risk.
Don’t let the product name decide what to give your toddler as a snack. Choose a suitable option from the Wheel of Five instead.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, prepacked foods must include allergen information on the label. The packaging is therefore important when you want to serve a particular variety.
Before use, read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, especially if someone needs to avoid certain ingredients.
The 150 ml glass storage jar described by Wibra is a separate product. The De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles mentioned here are sold in boxes at PLUS and Jumbo.
Check what you’re buying for each product separately: the jar, the aniseed sprinkles and their respective capacities.
PLUS and Jumbo list De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles as a sweet bread topping, including traditional pink-and-white and crushed varieties.
These are separate glass storage jars for dry storage or presentation, outside toddler snack time. They do not contain aniseed sprinkles and do not change which snacks are suitable for a toddler.
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For anyone who wants to store or present aniseed sprinkles separately, outside toddler snack time.
Set of two 700 ml glass jars, each with a silicone seal and clip-top lid. Keep the glass jars and clips out of reach of children under 3. Check the cleaning instructions before buying: the product title and description give conflicting information about whether the jars are dishwasher-safe.
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For storing or presenting dry goods separately, outside toddler snack time.
Set of three airtight glass jars. Check the capacity and dimensions of each jar if you want to store a particular amount.
Not as a regular snack: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five between meals for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. The pink-and-white aniseed sprinkles described by PLUS are crunchy, sugar-coated aniseed.
The word ‘crushed’ is not a safety label for toddlers. Jumbo describes this product as crushed, sugar-coated aniseed. For regular toddler snack time, choose a food from the Wheel of Five in line with the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice.
No, a separate glass storage jar does not automatically contain aniseed sprinkles. The De Ruijter varieties mentioned here are listed at PLUS and Jumbo in 330 g and 270 g boxes respectively; check the aniseed sprinkles packaging and the jar capacity separately when buying.
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the aniseed sprinkles packaging. An airtight glass jar can be used for dry storage, but it does not make the contents suitable as a regular toddler snack.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging for the variety you want to use. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must appear on the label of prepacked foods.
