The host who wants to make sharing easy
You want players to be able to help themselves between turns. The number of pieces and whether they’re individually wrapped matter more than the size of the box alone.
Who is this for?
The gift-giver who values a choice of flavours
You’re looking for a gift that lets recipients choose from different types of chocolate or fillings, rather than one large bar or a single type of chocolate.
The host who takes allergies into account
You want to know which ingredients and allergens are in your chosen variety before serving it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on labels; check the packaging itself too.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the chocolate is mainly for sharing during the game or as a gift. Then choose the number of portions, flavours and ingredients to suit your group. Consider currant buns separately if you’d also like to serve a bread snack.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing during the game | Count the individual pieces and check whether they’re individually wrapped; compare this with the number of players. | If I want guests to help themselves without having to pass a box of chocolates around, I need enough individual portions. For around 36% of consumers, ease of sharing would be the top priority. |
| Flavours and gift presentation | Check which flavours are included in the exact variety and whether the packaging is suitable as a gift. | If I don’t know their flavour preferences, I want to give recipients a choice. A range of flavours and presentation would come first for around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warnings about possible traces on the exact packaging. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know before putting the chocolate out. For around 21% of consumers, checking this would be their first purchase priority. |
| A bread snack on the side | Decide whether you’d like to offer currant buns as well as chocolate. If baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the label or ask the baker. | I might also want a bread snack on the table, but it doesn’t serve the same purpose as a chocolate gift. For around 14% of consumers, this separate snack requirement would be the main consideration. |
Common mistakes
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Choosing an assortment without checking the allergens
An assortment may contain different ingredients in each flavour. Product information for the Celebrations and Tony's Chocolonely assortments reviewed lists several allergens; variety doesn’t automatically make a box suitable for everyone in your group.
Ask which allergies you need to consider and check the ingredients and allergens on the exact packaging before you buy and serve it.
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Looking only at the size of the box
The pack weight doesn’t tell you how many players can each take a piece at the same time. Albert Heijn lists 32 individually wrapped bars in the merci Gift Box reviewed; Jumbo lists 22 individually wrapped chocolates in the Tony's Chocolonely box reviewed.
Compare the number of pieces and how they’re wrapped with the size of your group. Check separately that the box contains the flavours you want.
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Treating currant buns like a box of chocolates
Currant buns are a bread snack; they don’t offer the variety of chocolate or gift-style presentation of a chocolate box. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so don’t automatically assume that currant buns contain added iodine.
Choose currant buns if you’d also like to offer a bread snack. If baker’s salt affects your choice, read the label or ask the baker.
Brands compared
merci
A gift box of small chocolate bars for anyone looking to combine attractive presentation with easy sharing.
- Albert Heijn lists 32 individually wrapped bars in eight varieties in the 400 g merci Gift Box.
- Information for this variety lists milk, hazelnuts, almonds and soya, with possible traces of peanuts and egg. Check the label if you have allergies.
Tony's Chocolonely
A chocolate assortment for anyone who wants to offer a range of mini treats.
- Jumbo lists 22 individually wrapped Tiny Tony's in ten flavours in its All the Flavours of the Rainbow assortment.
- Information for this assortment lists milk, almonds, hazelnuts, egg, soya and wheat. Check the exact packaging before sharing it with guests.
Celebrations
A mix of familiar chocolate bars and fillings for an informal sharing occasion.
- Jumbo lists Snickers, Mars, Twix, Bounty and Maltesers Teasers among the products in the assortment reviewed.
- Product information for this assortment lists milk, peanuts, wheat, soya and egg, with possible traces of nuts. Check the packaging if you have allergies.
Ferrero Rocher
A box of chocolates for anyone looking for a classic gift, rather than an assortment of mini bars.
- Albert Heijn lists 16 chocolates in the gift box reviewed.
- Information for this box lists hazelnuts, milk, soya and wheat. Read the label if a guest needs to avoid any ingredients.
Chocolate and snacks for game night
These Joybuy products offer different ways to bring chocolate to a board game night, from a chocolate collection to multipacks of snacks. If you’re buying a gift, check the presentation. If you want guests to help themselves, check whether the contents are individually wrapped.
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Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Gift Pack, 288 g
A chocolate gift pack to consider if you’d like to bring something for the group. Check whether the contents are individually wrapped if players need to be able to help themselves to a portion.
Quantity according to the product name: 288 g. Check the packaging of this variety for allergen information.
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Smarties Milk Chocolate Tubes, 6 × 34 g
Six tubes are a handy option if you want to share portions during the game. Check the packaging separately if you’re buying them as a gift.
Pack size: 6 × 34 g. Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packaging.
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Milka Choco Wafer Milk, 180 g
A chocolate wafer to consider as a snack during the game. Check the packaging to see how many individual portions you can hand out and whether it’s suitable as a gift.
Quantity according to the product name: 180 g. Check the current ingredients and allergen information.
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Nestle Kitkat Itoen Matcha & Chocolate, 9 pieces, 104,4 g
An option if you’re looking for nine chocolate snacks to share with the group and matcha suits your choice of flavours. Check the best-before date and whether each item is individually wrapped before taking them along.
Pack size: 9 pieces, 104,4 g in total. Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging too.
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merci Petits Chocolate Collection, 125 g
A chocolate collection to consider if you’d like to bring a small gift. Check the number of pieces and whether they’re individually wrapped if everyone needs to be able to help themselves during the game.
Quantity according to the product name: 125 g. Check the ingredients and allergen information for this variety.
Frequently asked questions
Which chocolate box is handy for sharing during a board game night?
A box with enough individually wrapped pieces is handy when players need to be able to help themselves between turns. Then compare the number of pieces with the size of your group: Albert Heijn lists 32 individually wrapped bars in the merci Gift Box reviewed, while Jumbo lists 22 individually wrapped chocolates in the Tony's Chocolonely box reviewed.
Is a chocolate assortment suitable if a guest has an allergy?
Don’t assume it is without checking the label: suitability depends on the exact variety and your guest’s allergy. The assortments reviewed contain various allergens. Before buying and serving, read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling on food products.
Is baker’s salt something to consider when choosing a chocolate box?
No, baker’s salt won’t help you choose between chocolate boxes. If you’re also buying currant buns, it may be worth considering: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t have to use baker’s salt. Check the label or ask the baker if this matters to your choice.
Which label should I check if the online product information differs?
When you buy, check the packaging of the exact variety you intend to serve. Ingredients, nutritional information and allergens can vary by product or variety, so don’t use an online description instead of checking the label.