If you want to serve loose chocolate flakes, keep them in their original packaging or use a spoon to serve them from a bowl; don’t guess at a squeezy bottle size. Jumbo describes flakes as a bread topping and garnish, while HANOS describes a squeezy bottle for smooth sauce. So, if you choose sauce, you’re choosing a different kind of topping too. Then decide which flavour and quantity will suit your brunch, and check the label of your chosen variety for guests with dietary requirements.
If guests will be topping their own bread, croissants or yoghurt, it helps to decide first between loose flakes and liquid sauce. For flakes, you can put out the original packaging or leave a spoon beside a bowl; a squeezy bottle for sauce won’t automatically offer the same way to serve them.
When you’re catering for several people, the net weight matters, as does what you’ll have left after brunch. Compare the quantity with your plans for other occasions, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging you choose.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you’ll be serving. PLUS describes its dark chocolate flakes as vegan, but its product information also warns that they may contain milk and lactose.
First decide whether you want to sprinkle loose chocolate flakes or dispense smooth sauce. If you choose flakes, consider the quantity and check the label of the variety you’ll be putting on the table.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| How to serve them | Choose packaging or a spoon for loose flakes. Use a squeezy bottle only if you want to dispense smooth sauce. | I want to be able to sprinkle flakes on bread or yoghurt without accidentally switching to sauce. For around 40% of consumers, the way it’s served would be the first thing to consider. |
| Quantity | Compare the net weight in grams and follow the storage instructions on the packaging for any leftovers. | If several guests will be helping themselves, I want to put out enough without opening more than necessary. For around 30% of consumers, quantity would be the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | For your chosen variety, read both the ingredients and any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. | If guests have different dietary requirements, I want to know what I’m serving them. Ingredients and allergens would be the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
Smooth sauce in a squeezy bottle, like the topping described by HANOS, has a different texture from loose chocolate flakes. There’s no substantiated nozzle size that will automatically make a standard squeezy sauce bottle suitable for flakes.
First decide which topping you want to serve. Keep flakes in their original packaging or serve them from a bowl with a spoon; choose a squeezy bottle for sauce.
A label on the front doesn’t replace the allergen information. PLUS states that its dark chocolate flakes, labelled as vegan, may contain milk and lactose.
Before serving, read the current label on the exact variety, even if you’ve bought the product before.
A larger box can be handy if you’re serving them on several occasions, but any leftovers must be stored according to the instructions on that packaging. For De Ruijter Royaal chocolate flakes, Jumbo advises storing them in a cool, dry place and pressing the packaging closed after use.
Choose a quantity that suits the number of guests, and close the packaging after brunch as directed on the label.
If you want to put sauce in a separate or reusable bottle alongside the flakes, check that the bottle is intended for direct contact with food.
Check what the bottle is intended for and read its instructions before putting a topping in it.
These examples can help you compare flavours, quantities and labels; the varieties available may differ from one shop to another.
De Ruijter offers several varieties of chocolate flakes. Product information from Jumbo and PLUS shows packs of 200 g, 240 g and 300 g, among others.
Alongside other brands, Jumbo lists its own 300 g packs of milk, dark and duo chocolate flakes.
PLUS lists 300 g packs of dark chocolate flakes labelled Fairtrade cocoa and vegan.
ALDI lists 300 g packs of Kiekeboe chocolate flakes in milk and dark varieties.
Lidl lists 300 g packs of milk chocolate flakes as a supermarket product.
These products are suitable for serving loose chocolate toppings at brunch. The first and third are flakes; the De Ruijter variety is chocolate sprinkles. None of these products is a smooth sauce for a squeezy bottle.
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For anyone looking to sprinkle milk chocolate flakes and wanting a 300 g pack.
These are loose flakes, not sauce for a squeezy bottle. Before serving, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
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For anyone looking for a 390 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles.
These are chocolate sprinkles, not chocolate flakes or smooth sauce. Choose this variety only if this different type of topping suits your brunch, and check the current label too.
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For anyone looking to sprinkle chocolate flakes and wanting a 200 g pack.
Compare the quantity with the number of occasions you’re planning to serve them. If you’re catering for guests with dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
There’s no substantiated standard size for dispensing loose chocolate flakes from a squeezy bottle. Keep flakes in their original packaging or serve them from a bowl with a spoon; choose a squeezy bottle if you want to apply smooth sauce instead.
Follow the instructions on the packaging you’ve opened, and close it after use. For De Ruijter Royaal chocolate flakes, Jumbo advises storing them in a cool, dry place and pressing the packaging closed carefully after use; check the packaging for any other variety.
No. Check that the bottle is intended for direct contact with food, and follow its instructions. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that items intended for contact with food in the Netherlands must comply with the Commodities Act Decree on Packaging and Consumer Products; a bottle intended for another use is not automatically suitable for food.
No. The word ‘dark’ alone doesn’t guarantee that. PLUS describes its dark chocolate flakes as vegan, but also states that they may contain milk and lactose. So, before serving this variety, read the allergen information on the exact packaging.
