People who plan when they eat around exercise
You want something sweet after your workout, while still leaving room for a proper meal and a drink. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a main meal after exercising.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers looking to take one portion with them
You want to know in advance how much you’re taking with you. Lotus offers Dinosaurus Minis with milk chocolate in six bags; ALDI’s Biscotto chocolate biscuits are packed in pairs.
People buying chocolate to give or share
You’re looking for something to give as a gift or enjoy together. The packaging matters differently in this case than when you’re choosing one snack for yourself after the gym.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re buying for after your workout or to give or share. Then compare the portion, and if you have questions about nutrition or allergies, check the label for the exact product variant.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Eating after a workout | Check the nutritional information for your chosen portion and think about how the snack fits alongside your usual meal. | If you want something sweet after exercising, you don’t want to mistake it for a complete meal. An estimated 36% of consumers prioritise what they’ll eat after a workout. |
| Portion and taking it with you | Check the number of pieces or weight per individual pack, and compare the values per portion. | If you only want to take one snack with you, a pre-portioned pack helps you choose how much to have. For around 29% of consumers, portion size is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the exact flavour or product variant. | If I have an allergy, I want to be able to check what’s in this specific product before eating it. An estimated 21% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
| Giving and sharing | Check whether the pack size suits the number of people, and if you’re choosing an assortment, check the information for each variant. | If you’re giving chocolate as a gift or putting it out to share, you’re more likely to want a sharing pack than one snack for after a workout. Around 14% of consumers give this purpose top priority. |
Common mistakes
-
Treating a chocolate biscuit as a complete post-workout meal
A sweet biscuit and a proper main meal don’t automatically serve the same purpose. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a main meal and drinking plenty of fluids after exercising.
Think about what else you’ll have at that mealtime, and compare the biscuit’s nutritional information per portion, not just per 100 g.
-
Choosing a large pack when you’ve planned to have just one snack
A sharing pack can work well as a gift, but it doesn’t automatically give you a defined portion to take with you. Lotus Dinosaurus Minis are available in six bags, while ALDI Biscotto chocolate biscuits are packed in pairs.
Before buying, decide whether you want one snack to take with you or chocolate for several people, then choose a pack that suits your needs.
-
Relying only on the product title or online description
Ingredients and nutritional information can change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information. Lidl says it doesn’t have a complete online list of ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for its food products.
Check the current packaging for the exact product variant, especially if allergens or nutritional values are important to your choice.
Brands to consider
Verkade
The XXL Choco Wafel Hazelnootcrème is an example of a filled chocolate wafer.
- Verkade lists 531 kcal and 7,2 g of protein per 100 g for this product.
- Compare these values with the portion you actually plan to eat, and check the ingredients on the current packaging.
Lotus
Dinosaurus Minis with milk chocolate are an option if you’re looking for a pre-portioned pack of biscuits.
- Lotus offers this variant in six bags and lists 6,3 g of protein and 31 g of sugars per 100 g.
- Check how many biscuits you have at a time: values per 100 g don’t automatically reflect your portion.
Albert Heijn
This supermarket sells chocolate biscuits, giving you options to compare packs and labels.
- The product information can help you identify a specific variant.
- Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change; check the packaging before eating.
Jumbo
Choco Biscuit Chocomix is an example of the nutritional information you can compare for a specific chocolate biscuit.
- Jumbo listed 5,3 g of protein and 34,4 g of sugars per 100 g for this variant.
- Don’t apply these values to other Jumbo biscuits; check the exact variant and current packaging when you buy.
Lidl / Sondey
Sondey Choco Biscuits Melk is a chocolate biscuit sold in a 125 g pack.
- Lidl states that this product is only available in store.
- Lidl says a complete online list of ingredients, allergens and nutritional values isn’t available for its food products; check the label in store.
ALDI / Biscotto
Biscotto Chocoladekoekjes are worth considering as either a larger pack or a sharing pack.
- ALDI describes a pack of 20 butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, packed in pairs.
- Check the label on the pack you buy for nutritional values and allergen information.
Chocolate snacks and a sharing pack
Below are chocolate biscuits, chocolate wafers and biscuit sticks to consider as individual snacks, followed by a chocolate assortment for giving or sharing. The assortment isn’t a selection of biscuits; whichever product you choose, be mindful of portion size and check the current packaging for nutritional information and allergens.
Image unavailable
Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits 150 g
A chocolate biscuit to consider if you’d like to take a sweet snack with you after exercising, alongside your usual meal.
150 g pack. Check the label to see how many biscuits make up your chosen portion and what the nutritional values are.
Image unavailable
Milka Choco Wafer Milk 180 g
A chocolate wafer for anyone who’d prefer a wafer as a treat after training rather than a chocolate biscuit.
180 g pack. Check the pack for the size and nutritional information of the portion you’ll take with you, and check the allergens.
Image unavailable
Lotte Pepero Choco Cookie Sticks 32 g
Chocolate-coated biscuit sticks for anyone looking to take a small pack of something sweet with them.
32 g pack. Use the label to decide how many sticks to have, and check the ingredients and allergens.
Image unavailable
Kahve Dunyasi Gofrik Pistachio Paste Milk Chocolate 10x12.5g
An option if you’re looking for a pistachio-flavoured chocolate wafer and want to decide in advance how much to take with you.
The product name states 10x12.5g. Check the current packaging for the full ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per portion.
Image unavailable
Merci Petits Chocolate Collection 125 g
A chocolate assortment for a gift or sharing, not a box of chocolate biscuits or a defined post-workout snack.
125 g pack. When choosing a portion, check the information on the current packaging, including the ingredients and allergens for each variant.
Frequently asked questions
Can a chocolate biscuit replace my post-workout meal?
Don’t treat a chocolate biscuit as an automatic replacement for a proper meal after exercising. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a main meal, which provides nutrients including carbohydrates and protein, as well as drinking plenty of fluids. You can enjoy a biscuit as a treat alongside that meal.
What’s a good option if I only want to take one snack with me?
A pre-portioned pack makes it easier to choose one portion. Lotus offers Dinosaurus Minis with milk chocolate in six bags, while ALDI packs Biscotto chocolate biscuits in pairs. Also check the nutritional information for the portion you’ll have.
Where can I check the allergens in a chocolate biscuit?
Read the ingredients list on the current packaging for the exact product variant. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that 14 allergens must be declared on the labels of pre-packed foods; a general product title won’t tell you which allergens are in your particular variant.
Can I rely only on the online information for Lidl chocolate biscuits?
For ingredients, allergens and nutritional values, check the packaging for the specific product too. Lidl says a complete online list of these details isn’t available for its food products.
When is a chocolate box a better fit for what I’m buying?
A chocolate box or assortment is suited to giving as a gift or sharing; for one planned post-workout snack, a pre-portioned biscuit may be more practical. Whichever you choose, check the portion and the ingredients and allergens for the exact products.