Solo traveller on a hot day
You’re looking for a chocolate snack to enjoy on the way or at your destination. The storage instructions on the packaging will tell you whether you have a suitable place to keep it while travelling.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shopper looking to avoid leftovers
You want to buy something for one snack break. Compare the net weight and the stated number of portions: a single bar can contain several portions.
Shopper who needs to check allergens
You need to be able to check whether the ingredients and any warnings on the current label are suitable for your needs. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that pre-packed products must include allergen information on the label.
What should you look for when choosing?
Choose a single bar if you’re looking for one item to buy; a larger bar may be better for sharing or enjoying over several occasions, while a multipack is designed for several snacks. Once you’ve chosen a size, compare the portions, storage instructions and ingredients.
Single bar
When: if you want to buy one bar for yourself, such as an 87 or 100 g bar.
Bear in mind: a single bar can still contain several portions; Albert Heijn lists six 17 g portions for its 100 g AH Reep melk crispy.
Larger sharing bar
When: if you want to share the bar or enjoy it over several occasions.
Bear in mind: before you buy, consider how you can store an opened bar in line with the packaging instructions.
Multipack
When: if you want to take snacks with you for several days of your holiday.
Bear in mind: check whether the items are individually wrapped if you want to put them loose in your bag.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Storage while travelling | Read the product-specific storage instructions and choose undamaged packaging. | When I’m travelling on a hot day, I want to know whether I can store the bar as directed on the packaging. For around 42% of consumers, transport and storage are the top concern. |
| Quantity and portions | Compare the net weight, portion size and number of portions; for a larger bar, also check how to store it after opening. | For a single snack break, I want to know not just how much the bar weighs, but also how many portions it contains. Around 33% of consumers give the quantity for personal use top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warnings on the current packaging. | If I need to avoid an allergen, the label must help me make my choice before I eat the bar. For around 25% of consumers, checking the label is their main concern when buying. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming one bar is one portion
A single item for sale can contain several portions. For example, Albert Heijn lists six 17 g portions for its 100 g AH Reep melk crispy.
Before choosing a bar for a single snack break, compare its net weight with the portion size.
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Choosing by flavour alone for a hot day of travel
An appealing flavour tells you nothing about the product’s storage requirements. Albert Heijn says to store Tony's Chocolonely Reep melk karamel biscuit in a cool, dry, dark place, but not in the fridge.
Read the instructions for the bar you’re buying and consider whether you can follow them while travelling and during your stay.
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Taking an online ingredients list as definitive
A product’s ingredients can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that pre-packed products must include allergen information on the label.
If you have an allergy, check the current packaging, including any warnings about the possible presence of allergens.
Brands to consider
Verkade
Verkade offers both a chocolate-and-biscuit combination and a larger XXL Choco Biscuit option. The size can help determine whether a product is suitable for one snack break.
- According to Verkade, Crunchy Koek Karamel contains milk chocolate with 7,5% biscuit and 7,5% salted caramel pieces.
- Verkade also describes XXL Choco Biscuit Karamelsmaakvulling as a product to share; check the quantity if you’re buying it just for yourself.
Albert Heijn
The own-brand AH Reep melk crispy is a useful example of the difference between net weight and portion information.
- Albert Heijn lists a weight of 100 g per bar, a portion size of 17 g and six portions.
- The word ‘crispy’ doesn’t mean the whole bar is one portion or that it’s individually wrapped inside.
CHOCEUR (ALDI)
CHOCEUR Choco & biscuit is worth considering if you’re looking for several snacks rather than one bar.
- ALDI describes a combination of biscuit, milk cream and milk chocolate, and lists a 300 g pack.
- Before taking them as individual travel snacks, check how many items are in the pack and whether they’re individually wrapped.
Lotus Biscoff
Lotus Biscoff may appeal if you like chocolate with biscuit, but the brand name alone doesn’t tell you what format the product comes in.
- Use the biscuit flavour as a guide when looking more closely at the ingredients and product type.
- Check the specific product to see whether you’re buying a single bar, a block or a pack containing several items.
Chocolate wafers and biscuits at Joybuy
These products range from small chocolate wafers to larger packs of wafers or biscuits. Choose based on the stated weight, and if you’re buying a multipack, check how it’s divided up if you only want to take one snack with you.
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Meito Pukupukutai Chocolate Strawberry Wafer, 16,5 g per pack
A chocolate and strawberry wafer for anyone looking for a small pack. Check the packaging and, if you have an allergy, read the current label.
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Meito Pukupukutai Chocolate Wafer, 16,5 g per pack
A chocolate wafer for anyone looking for a 16,5 g pack. If you want to buy exactly one snack, check whether the item for sale contains one pack or several.
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Milka Choco Wafer Milk, 180 g
A pack to consider if you’re looking for wafers to enjoy over several snack breaks. The stated total weight is 180 g; if you want to take one wafer with you, check how many there are and how much each one weighs.
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Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
Chocolate biscuits for anyone who wants to spread a pack over several occasions rather than buy a single bar. The total weight is 150 g; check whether there are inner packs if you want to take one portion with you.
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Ülker Laviva Chocolate Wafer, 100 g
A 100 g chocolate wafer for anyone looking for a single item to buy. Check how many portions are listed on the packaging and whether you can follow the storage instructions while travelling in warm weather.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 100 g chocolate bar one portion?
No, you can’t tell from the net weight alone. Albert Heijn lists six 17 g portions for its 100 g AH Reep melk crispy, so compare the weight with the portion information for the bar you choose.
Does a chocolate biscuit bar need to go in the fridge in warm weather?
Not necessarily: follow the storage instructions for the specific product. Albert Heijn says to store Tony's Chocolonely Reep melk karamel biscuit in a cool, dry, dark place, but not in the fridge.
Where can I check the allergens in a packaged chocolate biscuit bar?
Check the current packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that pre-packed products must include allergen information on the label; also read any warnings about possible traces.
What does a white bloom on chocolate mean?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that a white bloom on dark chocolate is caused by fat coming to the surface and is not harmful. For a chocolate biscuit product, don’t judge by appearance alone: check the packaging too and follow the product-specific storage instructions.