For a snack to give to children, small, pre-portioned packs of biscuits are more practical than a box of chocolates. A box of chocolates is more suitable as a thank-you gift for an adult. Before you buy, check what the school or after-school club allows. Also check the ingredients, allergens and portion size on the packaging you choose. If a sweet treat isn’t suitable, choose something else.
For a group or when you’re out and about, it matters whether a snack is easy to carry and portion out in advance. Bags or clearly stated serving sizes can make planning easier, but they don’t tell you whether a product is suitable for school.
If you’re looking for something for school or an after-school club, first find out which edible treats are allowed. If the group includes children with allergies, the information on the exact packaging matters too.
For a teacher, childminder or another adult, a box of assorted chocolates may be more appropriate than a biscuit to eat on the go. Ingredients and allergens still matter to the recipient.
First decide whether you’re buying a snack for children or a thank-you gift for an adult. If it’s for a school or after-school club, check the local rules before comparing pack sizes and portions.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portioning and carrying | Check how many bags or stated portions there are, and how many biscuits each contains. | If you’re handing treats out to a group, you’ll want to know what each person gets before opening the box. Around 34% of consumers put ease of sharing first. |
| School rules and portions | Ask whether edible treats are allowed and what rules apply to the type of product and portion size. | For a school event, you’ll want to avoid buying something that doesn’t meet the rules. This is the biggest consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Ask about any known restrictions and read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact product. | When others will be eating too, you’ll want to know whether the product is suitable for their allergies and dietary requirements. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Gift and variety | Choose the packaging and selection to suit the recipient; check how many individual pieces are in the box. | For an adult’s thank-you gift, you’re more likely to want a choice of flavours than a snack to hand out. Around 8% of consumers prioritise this type of gift. |
Individually wrapped chocolates aren’t automatically suitable for a group. The Merci Gift Box described by Albert Heijn contains milk, nuts and soya, among other ingredients. Individual wrappers don’t change the ingredients or the school rules.
First decide who the recipient is. If it’s for a group, ask about allergies and check the packaging of the exact product you’re buying.
A school or after-school club may have its own rules about edible treats, so biscuits or chocolate might not be suitable for the occasion you have in mind.
Ask in advance whether treats are allowed and what rules apply to the product, portion size and allergens.
Albert Heijn warns that product information can change. So if ingredients matter to the recipient, a previous purchase or an online listing isn’t enough.
Just before handing out or eating the product, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you actually bought.
You may not get through a large pack in one go. The Chocolate Cookies pack described by Jumbo contains twelve portions.
Count how many portions you need in advance. Choose a smaller pack if you’re likely to have lots of biscuits left over.
According to Jumbo’s storage instructions, this pack should be resealed securely after opening and the remaining biscuits eaten within a few days.
These examples show the types of packaging and shopping options you could compare. A brand or shop doesn’t automatically make a product suitable for the person you have in mind.
A biscuit brand with a snack pack that Albert Heijn describes as eight bags, each containing two biscuits.
A supermarket with products including a multi-pack of Chocolate Cookies with pieces of dark chocolate.
A supermarket with online product information for both bagged biscuits and chocolate gifts.
A place to shop for chocolate gifts, including Merci Finest Selection and Moser Roth products.
A place to shop for chocolate, biscuits and other sweet treats.
The biscuits below are options to take with you or share; the chocolate gift pack is for when you’re choosing a thank-you gift. If you’re buying for children, always check the local rules and the packaging of the product you choose.
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For a small group, the pack of eight can help you plan how many to hand out. Check how the biscuits are packaged and read the allergen information on the pack you buy.
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If you’d like to take biscuits in several packs, this comes in a 3 × 77 g format. Check how many portions you can share out and read the ingredients on each pack.
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This is a biscuit with milk chocolate for anyone looking for that combination. Check how many portions you can share from the 150 g pack and which allergens it contains.
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The two individual packs could work for two separate outings. If you want to work out a portion for each child, check how many biscuits are in each pack and read the allergen information.
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A chocolate gift pack for when you want to say thank you. Check how many pieces are in this 288 g box, whether they can be handed out individually and which ingredients matter to the recipient.
It depends on the rules at the school or after-school club. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises following the local policy on treats. Before you buy, ask the teacher or childcare provider which edible treats and portion sizes are allowed.
Only choose a sweet treat once you’ve checked the local rules, and pay attention to portion size. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests a small biscuit as an option if you choose a treat that isn’t part of the Wheel of Five. A festive box may not be suitable as a snack for a group.
Ask about any allergies or dietary requirements among the recipients, then check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of the exact product. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, relevant allergens must be listed on the label. Individual wrappers don’t make a product allergen-free.
Follow the storage advice on the box you buy. For the Merci Gift Box described, Albert Heijn says to protect it from heat; bear this in mind when transporting it too.
