For an everyday snack for a baby or toddler, aniseed sprinkles aren’t an obvious first choice: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from its Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. If you want to use aniseed sprinkles as a topping occasionally, a squeeze bottle won’t necessarily prevent mess: the bottles described are designed for liquids, not dry sprinkles. Always check the current ingredients and allergen information on the label of the exact variety you choose.
They want something for their baby or toddler to eat between meals. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread from its Wheel of Five, rather than a sweet, celebratory topping.
For a celebratory topping, they want to check the variety they’ve chosen and read the label. Jumbo lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g, as well as wheat and cereals containing gluten, for the De Ruijter varieties described.
They’re considering a squeeze bottle for portioning. However, the bottles described by IKEA and Araven are intended for things such as sauces and dressings; that doesn’t mean they’re suitable for dispensing dry aniseed sprinkles.
First decide whether you’re looking for an everyday snack or an occasional topping. Then consider the product and how you’ll serve it: a handy bottle doesn’t automatically make its contents suitable for the job.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday snacks | Distinguish between an everyday snack and an occasional sweet topping. For babies and toddlers, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread from its Wheel of Five as a between-meal snack. | If I’m looking for something for every day, I want to choose a suitable snack first, rather than being swayed by the celebratory look of aniseed sprinkles. For around 42% of consumers, that everyday choice comes first. |
| Food and labelling | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact variety, and supervise your child while they eat. Don’t assume that crushed aniseed sprinkles are automatically safer. | When I’m considering a variety of aniseed sprinkles, I want to know what’s in it and how to give it to my child. For around 33% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
| Practical portioning | Check what a squeeze bottle is designed to hold and how to clean it. The bottles described are for liquids; their capacity doesn’t prove they’re suitable for dry sprinkles. | I want to make less mess when serving, but a bottle designed for liquids won’t be much use for dry granules. Around 25% of consumers put practical portioning first. |
IKEA describes the GRILLTIDER squeeze bottle as suitable for sauces, dressings and other flavourings; Araven describes its dispensers as suitable for sauces, oil and syrups, among other things. These uses don’t show that dry aniseed sprinkles will come out of the bottle properly.
Choose a squeeze bottle for the contents specified by the manufacturer, not just because the opening looks suitable for sprinkles.
A reusable bottle also means extra cleaning.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from its Wheel of Five as between-meal snacks for babies and toddlers. Aniseed sprinkles as a sweet topping are a different choice from an everyday snack.
If you’re looking for something for everyday snack time, start with the suggested options, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. Save aniseed sprinkles for an occasional topping.
Jumbo lists wheat and cereals containing gluten for De Ruijter Feest Muisjes and Gestampte Muisjes. WorldwideHolland also lists milk in a flavouring for one Gestampte Muisjes product.
Before use, read the label on the exact pack you’ve bought, especially if a particular ingredient or allergen is important to your choice.
Gestampte Muisjes are a different product format, but the name alone doesn’t show that they offer a specific safety benefit for toddlers. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises supervising young children while they eat.
Don’t choose based on an assumed safety difference between whole and crushed sprinkles; stay with your child while they eat.
De Ruijter is relevant for aniseed sprinkle varieties, while IKEA and Araven are examples of brands offering bottles for liquids. A brand’s inclusion here doesn’t mean its products are suitable for dry sprinkles.
Jumbo lists products including 330 g Feest Muisjes and 270 g Gestampte Muisjes.
The 330 ml GRILLTIDER squeeze bottle described is intended for sauces and dressings, among other things.
Araven describes sauce dispensers in sizes from 0.35 to 1 litre for dressings, oil, sauces and syrups, among other things.
Aniseed sprinkles aren’t among the everyday snacks recommended for babies and toddlers by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. It suggests foods from its Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread; you could consider aniseed sprinkles as an occasional topping.
Don’t assume that an ordinary squeeze bottle is suitable for dry sprinkles or will prevent mess. IKEA and Araven describe the bottles mentioned as being for liquids such as sauces and dressings; check what the bottle is designed to hold before buying one.
The different product format alone doesn’t prove that crushed aniseed sprinkles are safer for toddlers. Don’t choose them on that assumption, and stay with your child while they eat, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises for young children.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging of the exact variety. Jumbo lists wheat and cereals containing gluten for the Feest Muisjes and Gestampte Muisjes described; WorldwideHolland also lists milk in a flavouring for one Gestampte Muisjes product.
Follow the cleaning instructions for the specific bottle. IKEA says to hand-wash the GRILLTIDER squeeze bottle described; don’t assume the same instructions apply to another model.
