Who is this choice relevant to?

People who want a small snack just before heading out

You’re looking for a sweet snack to take with you, but don’t want to eat a large portion just before your workout. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises considering how much you eat and when you eat it around exercise.

People who want to measure out their chocolate portion

You want to enjoy chocolate biscuits without automatically eating the whole pack. Check whether the portions are individually wrapped and how many grams each one contains.

Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens

Milk, wheat and soya feature in the products mentioned; warnings about peanuts or nuts vary by product. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information before choosing.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, consider how long it is until your workout and how much you want to eat. Then compare the portion size on the packaging, the nutritional information and the ingredients.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Timing and amount Check the fat content per 100 g and how many grams you actually want to eat. If I eat shortly before my workout, I don’t want a large portion that might feel heavy. For around 31% of consumers, stomach comfort would be the main concern.
A portion to take with you Check the weight of each individual portion and how many portions the pack contains. I want to be able to take a set amount with me without having to eat a whole bar. A measured portion would be the main priority for around 31% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the latest ingredients list and any warnings about allergens or possible traces. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to know what’s in this particular variety. An estimated 23% of consumers would put this check first.
Flavour and product type Compare the filling or type of biscuit, and check whether it’s a bar, biscuits or sticks. Once the portion and ingredients suit me, I mainly want to choose a flavour and format I enjoy. For around 15% of consumers, that would be the main reason for their choice.

Common mistakes

  • Having a whole large bar just before your workout

    A large portion may feel heavy while you’re exercising. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against having a large portion or foods high in fat just before exercise.

    Check how much time you have and decide in advance how much of the bar you’ll eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper meal around two to three hours before exercise.

  • Assuming one bar is the right portion

    The size of a pack doesn’t tell you how much you’ll want to eat around a workout. A 58 g bar, a 100 g tablet and a stated portion of 16,7 g are all different amounts.

    Compare the weight per portion with the total pack size, and check whether you can easily store the rest.

  • Guessing allergens from the flavour or product name

    Even similar-looking products can have different ingredients or warnings about traces. The chocolate biscuit products mentioned here and the biscuit alternative differ in this respect.

    When buying, check the latest ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen.

Relevant brands and retailers

These brands and retailers offer different product formats to compare. Their inclusion doesn’t mean that every product is suitable just before a workout.

Verkade

Verkade offers, among other products, a filled Choco Biscuit with caramel flavour and Crunchy Koek Pinda with biscuit.

  • For Choco Biscuit with caramel-flavoured filling, Verkade lists biscuit, caramel-flavoured cream and milk chocolate, making it easy to compare the filling.
  • For this variety, the manufacturer lists 28,7 g of fat per 100 g and warns that it may contain traces of peanuts and nuts. Check the portion size and the label of the variety you choose.

Lotus

Lotus Biscoff is a speculoos biscuit for anyone also considering a portion of biscuits without chocolate.

  • Lotus lists packs containing two biscuits, which makes it easier to compare a clearly defined portion.
  • Biscoff isn’t a chocolate biscuit bar. Lotus lists wheat and soya as allergens; check the weight of the portion you plan to eat here too.

Albert Heijn

AH Chocolade repen karamel biscuit are worth comparing with a larger tablet if you’re looking for individually wrapped bars.

  • Albert Heijn lists individually wrapped 58 g bars in a multipack.
  • For this product, Albert Heijn lists 25 g of fat and 42 g of sugars per 100 g, as well as several allergens. An individual wrapper doesn’t automatically make 58 g the right portion just before exercise.

Jumbo

Jumbo provides product information for Milka Choco-Biscuit, making it possible to compare the tablet with a smaller portion.

  • For Milka Choco-Biscuit, Jumbo lists a 100 g tablet and a 16,7 g portion.
  • The same product information lists 29 g of fat per 100 g. Decide how much of the tablet you actually want to eat.

Lidl

Lidl lists caramel biscuit as a flavour in its Way To Go chocolate range.

  • This flavour gives you another product to compare if caramel biscuit is your preference.
  • Check the packaging to see whether the product format, portion size, nutritional information and ingredients meet your needs.

Chocolate biscuit products at Joybuy

These products include biscuits, sticks and a chocolate biscuit tablet, so you can compare portion sizes. If you choose a pack for more than one occasion, decide for yourself how much you want to have before your workout.

Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g pack

Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g

Worth considering if you want to take milk chocolate biscuits with you and measure out the amount yourself.

The pack contains 150 g. Check the label to see how many grams are in the portion you want to eat and which allergens are listed for this product.

View at Joybuy
Glico Pocky Cookie Bar Chocolate Flavor IN, 47 g pack

Glico Pocky Cookie Bar Chocolate Flavor IN, 47 g

A different chocolate biscuit format if you’re not looking for a traditional tablet.

The pack contains 47 g. Check how many individual portions you want to have, and read the nutritional information and allergen details on the packaging.

View at Joybuy
Milka Chocolate Bar Choco-Biscuit, 100 g tablet

Milka Chocolate Bar Choco-Biscuit, 100 g

Worth considering if you want to share a chocolate biscuit bar or break off a smaller amount beforehand.

The tablet contains 100 g. Jumbo lists 29 g of fat per 100 g for Milka Choco-Biscuit, so a whole tablet won’t necessarily make a small snack just before exercise.

View at Joybuy
Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g pack

Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g

An option if you’re looking for chocolate biscuits and want to have some of the pack before exercising.

The pack contains 150 g. Check the number of portions, the weight per portion and the latest ingredients before deciding how much to take with you.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat a chocolate biscuit bar just before exercising?

Pay particular attention to the timing and amount. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against having a large portion or foods high in fat just before exercise. If you still fancy a chocolate biscuit, compare the fat content and choose a small portion.

When is a larger chocolate biscuit bar a better choice?

You could have a larger bar well before your workout or split it into smaller portions, rather than eating the whole thing just beforehand. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper meal around two to three hours before exercise; a bar isn’t automatically a substitute for that meal.

Which allergens should I check for?

Read the allergen information on the specific pack. The products mentioned include milk, wheat and soya, while some also list peanuts, nuts or possible traces of them. Ingredients vary by product.

What if the online product information differs from the packaging?

When buying, check the latest packaging for ingredients, nutritional values and allergens. Albert Heijn notes that product information can change, so recommends checking the label.