Host putting together a mixed St Nicholas’ Eve platter
Wants to choose a pack for several people and check in advance whether milk or dark chocolate is a better fit for the group. Ingredients and allergens deserve just as much attention as flavour.
Who are these choices relevant to?
Someone with an allergy or intolerance
Needs clear information about ingredients and possible traces. A gluten-free, lactose-free or vegan label doesn’t mean a product is free from all other relevant allergens.
Shopper comparing nutritional information
May want to take organic ingredients, sugars and saturated fat, or the amount per serving into account. Nutritional information and your chosen portion are more useful for this than the look of the packaging alone.
What should you look for when choosing?
For your St Nicholas’ Eve platter, first decide which ingredients are suitable for your guests. Then choose the type and amount of chocolate, and compare the nutritional information if it matters to your decision.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Diet and allergens | Read the ingredients and any warnings about possible traces; check relevant dietary claims on the pack you choose. | If I have an allergy, intolerance or specific dietary preference, I want to know whether I can eat this variety. For around 33% of consumers, suitability comes first. |
| Type of chocolate | Check whether the coating is made with milk or dark chocolate, and read the ingredients. | When I’m choosing something for a festive platter, whether I prefer milk or dark chocolate determines my choice. For around 27% of consumers, the type of chocolate is the main consideration. |
| Quantity | Compare the net weight and, if stated, the number of rice cakes in the pack. | For a platter shared by several people, I want to work out how many packs I’ll need. For around 20% of consumers, quantity matters most. |
| Nutritional information and portion size | Compare sugars and saturated fat per 100 g, and check the nutritional values per serving if provided. | When there are other St Nicholas’ treats on the table, I want to decide how much of this snack to have. For around 20% of consumers, nutritional information or portion size is the most important consideration. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming dark chocolate is automatically dairy-free or vegan
Albert Heijn states that its dark chocolate-coated rice cakes may contain milk and lactose. Jumbo warns that one of its dark varieties may contain milk. Warnings about possible traces can also be relevant for products labelled vegan.
Check both the ingredients and the allergen and trace warnings on the pack you choose, especially if an allergy is a concern.
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Forgetting the coating when checking nutritional values
A chocolate-coated rice cake has a different nutritional profile from an uncoated rice cake. The product category alone won’t tell you how much sugar or saturated fat you’ll have per serving.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and, where provided, per serving. Then decide how much you want to serve alongside the other treats.
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Treating an online description as the definitive label
Ingredients and allergen information can change. This is particularly important when the suitability of a specific variety is a deciding factor.
Check the latest product information before buying, and read the label on the pack you actually have before eating it.
Brands compared
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists dark and milk chocolate-coated rice cakes in 150 g packs.
- According to Albert Heijn, both of the varieties described have a coating containing 60% chocolate.
- According to the product information, the dark variety may contain milk, lactose and sesame seeds; the milk chocolate variety contains milk.
Jumbo
Jumbo has described varieties with milk or dark chocolate in 150 g packs, as well as a 100 g organic dark variety.
- The different pack sizes and types of chocolate give you specific features to compare for your platter.
- Jumbo states that one dark variety may contain milk; also check the warning about possible milk and sesame in the organic variety.
PLUS
PLUS describes a rice cake coated in milk chocolate, in a 150 g pack.
- According to PLUS, the variety described is made with 60% milk chocolate.
- The variety contains milk and lactose. Check the information on the current packaging.
Goud Gebakken / ALDI
ALDI describes Goud Gebakken rice cakes coated in yoghurt, milk or dark chocolate, in 150 g packs.
- The coatings described give you a choice to suit different taste preferences.
- For ingredients, allergens and nutritional values, read the label of the specific variety you choose.
Consenza
PLUS describes a 100 g pack of organic, vegan chocolate-coated rice cakes by Consenza.
- PLUS labels the variety described as gluten-free, with less than 20 ppm of gluten, and lactose-free, with less than 0.01 g of lactose per 100 g.
- The product information warns that it may contain traces of soya, milk, nuts and sesame.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Are dark chocolate-coated rice cakes automatically vegan or dairy-free?
No. Albert Heijn states that its dark variety may contain milk and lactose; Jumbo also warns that one of its dark varieties may contain milk. If avoiding milk or following a vegan diet matters to you, check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging.
What should I check on the pack for a mixed St Nicholas’ Eve platter?
Check the type of chocolate, ingredients, allergen information, net weight and nutritional information for the variety you choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that allergens must be clearly listed on the labels of prepacked foods; also read any warnings about possible traces if they’re relevant to a guest.
How should I store chocolate-coated rice cakes until St Nicholas’ Eve?
Follow the storage and use-by instructions on the pack you choose, and protect the rice cakes from moisture and heat. Seal an opened pack securely.
What should I look for when comparing the nutritional values of different varieties?
Compare like for like: for example, check sugars and saturated fat per 100 g, then use the per-serving information to assess how much you want to serve. Don’t draw conclusions about the snack as a whole from a single nutritional value or the words ‘rice cake’.