If you’re looking for a ready-to-eat snack to go with your afternoon coffee, consider a bar with a clearly defined portion rather than loose chocolate flakes. Flakes are a good choice if you want to measure out a small topping yourself. For a bar, check the weight of each piece, how the pack is divided and which ingredients and allergens it contains.
A bar may be more convenient if you don’t want to scoop flakes out of a box yourself. Check whether the pack contains individually wrapped bars and how much each one weighs. A box with several portions is not the same as a single bar sold on its own.
You’ll want to assess the snack as part of everything else the person eats. The Dutch Nutrition Centre highlights the importance of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals in older people’s diets. If someone has a reduced appetite, individual guidance may also be helpful.
Bars and chocolate flakes can contain different ingredients and allergens. Always read the label for the exact product, including any warning that it may contain other allergens.
First decide whether you want a ready-to-eat bar or flakes to use as a topping. Then compare the portion size, nutritional information and ingredients of the product you’re actually considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Product type and portion | Check whether you’re looking at loose flakes or bars. For bars, check the number of pieces, the weight of each bar and whether they’re individually wrapped. | I want something I can serve with coffee without measuring it out. Around 40% of consumers prioritise a manageable portion. |
| Nutritional value | Compare the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g, including fibre, protein and sugars. Also consider what else is eaten during the day. | If someone has a smaller appetite, I want to know what this snack adds to their eating occasion. Nutritional value is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variant, including any ‘may contain’ warning. | If someone has a food allergy, I want to know what’s in the product before serving it. Around 30% of consumers put this check first. |
Chocolate flakes are a loose bread topping or sprinkle. Jumbo says its Appel & Haver Vlokken Reep came in a pack of 5 × 30 g and is no longer available online. So even that product name didn’t refer to a single bar sold on its own.
First decide whether you want a topping to measure out yourself or a ready-to-eat bar. For a bar, check the current packaging rather than relying on the word ‘flakes’.
An ingredient or flavour name doesn’t tell you how much fibre, protein or sugar is in the portion you eat. Portion sizes can also differ between a bar and a serving of scooped flakes.
Read the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g, and only compare values measured on the same basis.
Oat bars and chocolate flakes can contain different allergens. For example, PLUS lists wheat and soya in Choca Vlokken and says that it may contain milk.
If you have an allergy, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the variant you’ve chosen, even if you’ve bought a similar product before.
De Ruijter makes chocolate flakes as a sweet bread topping, for anyone who wants to measure out their own topping to enjoy with coffee.
Jumbo sells chocolate flakes as a bread topping and also used to offer an Appel & Haver Vlokken Reep.
PLUS sells plain chocolate flakes as a loose product for sprinkling.
Venz describes its flakes as a sweet bread topping or sprinkle.
Choca sells flakes in a box that you can portion out yourself.
Golden Bridge is an ALDI own-brand range that includes muesli bars, a different product type from chocolate flakes.
These Joybuy products are bars or oat sticks to consider as a snack with your afternoon coffee, not loose chocolate flakes. For each product, check how the packaging and stated portion size compare with what you’d eat in one sitting.
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If you’re considering a bar with nuts and seeds to enjoy with your coffee, it’s worth checking how many pieces make up a portion.
The product name lists six pieces. Check whether one bar matches the portion stated in the nutritional information and whether the bars are individually wrapped. If you have an allergy, read the current label.
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These oat bars are worth comparing if you’re looking for a ready-to-eat snack to enjoy with your coffee.
The product name lists four pieces. Check the weight of each bar, whether they’re individually wrapped and which allergens are listed on the packaging.
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If you’d rather have an oat stick than loose flakes, it’s particularly important to check the portion size for each eating occasion.
The product name gives the weight of the pack as 150 g, not the weight of one stick. Check the weight of each stick and the allergens listed on the current label.
No. Chocolate flakes are sold loose as a bread topping or sprinkle, whereas a bar is a separate piece to eat. If you’re buying a box of bars, also check whether the pieces are individually wrapped and how much each one weighs.
Start with the number of pieces and the weight of each bar so you know what one portion contains. Then read the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g. The word ‘oat’ in the name doesn’t tell you how much fibre, protein or sugar that portion contains.
Yes. If a food allergy or serious sensitivity is a concern, you need to check the exact product. Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning. The ingredients can vary between bars and different varieties of flakes.
