First, choose the chocolate flakes that suit your guests and the quantity you need. Check the label on the exact product and decide whether you want to serve milk chocolate, dark chocolate or a mix. Then test the glass jar you have in mind: the weight on a pack won’t tell you how much space the flakes will take up. Use a small serving spoon if you want to offer the treat in portions.
You want to put jars of flakes on the table without trying to work out the jar size from the weight on the pack. Among the varieties reviewed, Jumbo, PLUS and ALDI list packs ranging from 200 g to 300 g. Testing the chosen product in a jar will help you work out how many jars you’ll need.
If several children will be serving themselves from the jars, keep the ingredient information for each variety to hand and use separate spoons. Allergen information varies by product, so check the packaging of the product you’re actually serving.
You want to offer flakes as a topping or bread spread, but not just put out one large self-service jar. The Dutch Wheel of Five does not include chocolate bread spreads; a small serving spoon makes it easier to keep track of how much is being offered.
Start with your guest list and preferred variety, then decide how much you want to serve and test the jar. The need that matters most to you will determine which check is the most important.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and jar | Compare the net weight and test the exact flakes in the jar you have in mind to see whether it’s easy to fill and serve from. | I want to know how many packs and jars I need without converting grams directly into millilitres. This planning question is the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Allergens on the table | Read the label on each pack and keep the information by the jar; use separate spoons for different varieties. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in each jar before pouring the flakes in and to minimise the risk of mixing varieties. Checking allergens is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Variety and portion | Choose between milk chocolate, dark chocolate and a mix; decide how you’ll offer the flakes as a topping or bread spread. | For the party, I want to choose a variety that suits my guests and control how much is served at a time. This choice is the priority for around 30% of consumers. |
A 200 g or 300 g pack tells you the weight, not the volume it will fill in millilitres. As a result, the jar may be too small for the amount you want to pour in.
Buy a pack of your chosen variety first and try it in the jar you have in mind, using the spoon you plan to put on the table.
PLUS’s dark chocolate flakes are labelled vegan, but the same product information says they may contain milk and lactose. A label describing the variety is no substitute for checking the ingredients.
Keep the ingredient information by each jar and use separate spoons to minimise the risk of mixing varieties.
When everyone serves themselves from the same jar, it’s harder to tell how much is being served each time. The Dutch Wheel of Five does not include chocolate bread spreads.
Put a small serving spoon by the jar and offer the flakes as part of the party spread.
The features listed apply to the specific varieties described, not automatically to a brand’s entire range.
Jumbo lists, among other products, 200 g packs of milk chocolate flakes, 240 g packs of Royaal flakes and a 200 g party variety.
PLUS lists 300 g packs of dark chocolate flakes made with Fairtrade cocoa and labelled vegan.
ALDI lists 300 g packs of Kiekeboe chocolate flakes in milk and dark varieties, with a Rainforest Alliance statement.
A 300 g variety of dark chocolate flakes is listed on the Joybuy Netherlands product page.
These flakes and chocolate sprinkles are worth considering as toppings. When choosing, check the exact product type, pack weight and label. Test the glass jar you have in mind with the variety you buy.
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Consider this pack if you’re looking for milk chocolate sprinkles to serve on several occasions.
The pack contains 400 g. Check that the shape of the sprinkles suits the presentation you have in mind, and try them in the jar before pouring them all in.
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These milk chocolate flakes are a good fit for a table where you want to serve one milk chocolate variety.
The pack contains 300 g. Read the label before pouring the flakes into a jar, and use a filling test to choose the right one.
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The 200 g pack is a good option if you want to try a smaller quantity of flakes in your chosen jar first.
Check the label on the pack you buy before serving the flakes to your guests.
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Consider this dark chocolate variety if you’re looking for a larger pack for the party table.
The pack contains 390 g. Before buying, check that the product type matches the flakes you want to serve; ‘dark’ on its own says nothing about allergens.
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These flakes are an option if you’re looking for a 200 g pack to use as a party topping.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you buy, and keep that information by the jar when you pour the flakes in.
Choose the jar size by testing the exact product, rather than converting grams into millilitres. Try one pack in the jar you have in mind first and check that you can serve from it comfortably with your spoon.
Keep the label, or a clear copy of it, by each jar so guests know which variety it contains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels for pre-packed foods. At a private party, keeping this information to hand will help you answer questions about ingredients before serving.
No, you can’t assume that from those labels. PLUS says its dark chocolate flakes labelled vegan may contain milk and lactose. Always check the label on the exact pack.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you bought. For the De Ruijter milk variety described here, the product information says to store it in a cool, dry place. When transferring the flakes, use a clean, dry jar with a lid, and keep the original label to hand.
