If you’re looking for an individual bar
If you want to take one snack with you without any preparation, check how the product is packaged. A box of several bars may contain individually wrapped portions, but it isn’t the same as buying a single bar.
Which option is right for you?
If you want to portion it yourself at home
Chocolate flakes work as a topping or spread when you want to decide for yourself how much to add to bread, yoghurt or porridge. PLUS product pages show that the flakes reviewed are sold in packs.
If you want to compare ingredients and nutritional values
If allergens, sugars, fats, fibre or protein are important to your choice, compare the current labels of the products you’re considering. Also check whether the nutritional values are given per 100 g or per portion.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a ready-to-eat bar or flakes to enjoy at home. Then check the packaging and the label information that matters to you.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Check whether you’re buying flakes in a pack, one bar or a pack of several bars. For bars, also check the weight of each one. | If I want to eat a bar straight away while I’m out, a pack of flakes won’t make things any easier. For around 42% of consumers, having a portion they can take with them comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and any warnings about possible cross-contamination. Compare nutritional information on the same basis. | If an ingredient or allergen limits my choice, the label matters more than the type of snack. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Portioning it yourself | Think about whether you want to add flakes to bread, yoghurt or porridge and choose the amount yourself, or whether you’d prefer a fixed portion in a bar. | If I’m eating at home and want to choose how much to use, I don’t need a pre-portioned bar. That’s the main preference for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Thinking a pack of flakes is a snack bar to take with you
Chocolate flakes are intended as a topping or spread. You’ll need something to serve them on, and you’ll have to decide how much to use.
Choose a bar if you want to eat it straight from the wrapper; choose chocolate flakes if you want a spread or topping to enjoy at home.
You’ll also need bread, yoghurt or another dish to go with the flakes, and taking them with you requires some preparation.
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Relying only on a claim on the front of the pack
A claim such as vegan or gluten-free doesn’t tell you which other ingredients or allergens may be relevant. For example, the dark chocolate flakes described by PLUS may contain milk and lactose.
Read the full ingredients list, allergen information and nutritional details for the product you’re buying, rather than relying on the front of the pack.
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Assuming a product page confirms ongoing availability
A bar you’ve found may no longer be available to order: Jumbo says its Appel & Haver Flakes Bar is no longer part of its online range.
Check current availability before planning to take a particular bar on holiday.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
Chocolate flakes for bread or as a topping. PLUS lists, among other options, a 200 g pack of milk chocolate flakes.
- The milk chocolate variety described by PLUS can be used on bread, yoghurt or porridge.
- This isn’t an individual snack bar. Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose; the milk chocolate variety described by Albert Heijn lists milk, lactose and soya, among other ingredients.
PLUS
Chocolate flakes sold in a pack under the retailer’s own brand. PLUS lists a 300 g dark chocolate variety.
- You can portion the flakes yourself at home.
- PLUS labels the dark chocolate variety as vegan, but it may contain milk and lactose. Check the current label if this information matters to your choice.
Venz
Flakes for sweet toppings and spreads; PLUS lists, among other products, Venz crunchy flakes in a 200 g pack.
- The crunchy flakes described by PLUS are also intended for use with yoghurt, porridge and baking.
- A pack of flakes isn’t an individually wrapped bar. Check the packaging and nutritional information for the variety you choose.
Products for different types of snack
This selection includes cereal bars if you’re looking for a bar, chocolate flakes to portion yourself at home, and individually portioned chocolate wafers. If you choose a multipack of bars, check how many it contains: several portions in one pack aren’t the same as a single bar.
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Hero B'Tween Zero White Chocolate cereal bars, 120 g
A cereal bar for anyone who’d rather take a bar with them than portion flakes at home. The pack is 120 g; check how many bars it contains and read the current label if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.
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Hero B'Tween Milk Chocolate cereal bars, 150 g
A chocolate option if you’re looking for a cereal bar. The pack is 150 g; for a portion to take with you, check the number of bars and the weight of each one. If you have allergies, check the current label.
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Hero Coconut Muesli Bar, 6 bars
An option if you want to buy several bar portions for separate snack breaks. The pack contains six cereal bars; check the information per bar and read the label before taking them with you.
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Venz milk chocolate flakes, 400 g
For use as a spread or topping when you want to choose the amount yourself at home. This is a 400 g pack of chocolate flakes, not an individual snack bar; if you have an allergy, check the current label.
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Kahve Dunyasi Gofrik Pistachio Paste Milk Chocolate, 10 × 12,5 g
If you’re looking for individually portioned chocolate wafers rather than flakes or a cereal bar, this could be an option. The pack contains ten 12,5 g portions. Before buying, read the label if ingredients, allergens or nutritional values matter to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate flakes the same as an individual snack bar?
No. The chocolate flakes described by PLUS are sold in a pack for use as a topping or spread, while an individual bar is a defined portion you can eat straight away. You choose how much to use with flakes, and you’ll need something to serve them on, such as bread or yoghurt.
How can I tell if a pack contains one bar?
Check whether the packaging says it contains one bar and what its weight is. PLUS describes Lion Single as one 42 g bar; the Appel & Haver Flakes Bar described by Jumbo, on the other hand, came in a pack of 5 × 30 g.
Where can I check the allergens in a packaged snack?
Read the ingredients list on the current packaging and check for any warnings about possible cross-contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed in the ingredients list for pre-packed foods.
Can I compare a bar and chocolate flakes by nutritional value?
Yes, as long as you use the same basis for comparison. For example, compare nutritional values per 100 g, then consider how much you actually want to eat: a fixed portion in a bar or an amount of flakes you choose yourself.