For an everyday after-school snack for children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables. If you’re specifically looking for a sweet bread topping, Dutch aniseed sprinkles are suited to that purpose. A box of chocolates is better suited to a planned treat, a sharing occasion or a gift. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
For a regular eating occasion, choosing the right snack matters more than the presentation of a box of chocolates. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables for children aged 4 to 12.
For a planned sharing occasion, you’ll want to know how much is in the pack and how you can divide it up. Also check the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you choose.
If the pack is intended as a gift, you’re more likely to consider the selection and contents than whether it’s suitable as an everyday after-school snack.
First decide whether you’re looking for a bread topping, a treat to portion out or a gift. Then check the pack information that matters most to your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| After-school snack time | Decide whether you’re looking for an everyday snack or a sweet bread topping. | When choosing something for a regular after-school snack, I don’t want to mistake a box of chocolates for the basis of that snack. Around 36% of consumers put suitability first. |
| Portion size and sharing | Check the net weight and whether the pack contains individually wrapped portions. | For a planned sharing occasion, I want to be able to work out in advance how much everyone will get. Around 29% of consumers put shareability first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety you’ve chosen. | When buying for someone with a food allergy, I need to be able to check the current packaging. This is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Gift presentation | Look at the pack format, selection and net weight. | When giving chocolate as a gift, I’m looking for a pack that suits the gesture, rather than an everyday after-school snack. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this as a gift. |
A gift pack is chosen for its presentation or variety, not because it’s suited to a regular after-school snack. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as snacks between meals.
Before buying, decide whether you’re looking for an everyday snack, a planned treat or a gift.
Ingredients can vary from one product variety to another. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be listed on the label of pre-packed foods.
Read the label on the exact pack before buying and again before eating, especially if you’re buying for someone with a food allergy.
Albert Heijn categorises aniseed sprinkles as sweet bread toppings. A box containing different types of chocolate serves a different purpose when sharing or giving a gift.
Choose aniseed sprinkles if you’re looking for a bread topping; choose a chocolate selection if the pack is intended as a treat or gift.
A relevant choice if you’re looking for aniseed sprinkles as a sweet bread topping; Albert Heijn lists De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles in this product category.
A relevant choice if you’re looking for a chocolate selection as a gift or for sharing. The contents depend on which merci pack you choose.
A relevant choice if you’re looking for a mixed chocolate pack to share or give as a gift; Jumbo lists Celebrations Chocolade Mix among its chocolate gifts.
These products serve different purposes: aniseed sprinkles as a bread topping, chocolate products for a planned sharing occasion, and a chocolate selection as a thoughtful gift. The chocolate-filled cakes are a separate snack category, not a box of chocolates.
Image unavailable
The pack of six tubes gives you a format that’s easy to divide up for a planned treat.
These are chocolate buttons, not aniseed sprinkles or a selection box. Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack.
Image unavailable
This sharing bag is suited to a planned occasion when you want to portion out the chocolate yourself.
Don’t assume the portions are individually wrapped; check the pack you choose if that’s important when handing them out.
Image unavailable
A chocolate-filled cake snack to consider if you’re looking for something other than a bread topping or a box of chocolates.
Check the pack if individual portions, ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’re specifically looking for a sweet bread topping after school, rather than a box of chocolates to share.
Aniseed sprinkles are a topping, not a complete snack in themselves. If you have allergies, read the label on the pack you choose.
Image unavailable
This chocolate collection is better suited to a planned gift or sharing occasion than to everyday bread toppings after school.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose, and make sure its format suits the way you want to share it.
A box of chocolates isn’t an obvious choice for a regular after-school snack. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit and vegetables as snacks between meals. It’s better to save a box of chocolates for a planned treat or gift occasion.
Compare similar products per 100 g using the nutrition table, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also check the net weight and the ingredients and allergens for the specific packs you’re considering.
Check the label on the exact pack. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be listed on the label of pre-packed foods. If you have a food allergy, don’t rely on the brand name or product photo alone.
Aniseed sprinkles are a sweet bread topping, while a box of chocolates is a chocolate gift pack, for example for a treat or as a present. If you’re looking for a topping for a sandwich, choose that type of product; if you want something to share or give away, check the contents and packaging of the chocolate.
