Organisers catering for a range of tastes
Don’t want to limit guests to one type of rusk? Offering plain and wholegrain rusks separately gives them a clear choice, without suggesting that both types have the same ingredients.
Who is this choice important for?
Caterers providing allergen information
Even at a buffet, you need to be able to say which allergens are in the rusks and chocolate sprinkles. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must be available to consumers for non-prepacked catering products.
Guests comparing nutritional information
For example, they may want to choose wholegrain rusks or compare the sugar content of different types of chocolate sprinkles. The label on the rusk packaging and the nutritional values per 100 g for the chosen topping are more useful for this than a general impression of its colour or taste.
What should you look for when buying?
Start with two clearly identifiable types of rusk. Then decide which chocolate sprinkles to offer and how guests can check the information for both items.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Plain or wholegrain | Check that one pack is explicitly labelled wholegrain, and label both types of rusk separately. | If guests have different preferences, I don’t want to prescribe one type for everyone. Around 40% of consumers who make catering choices put this freedom of choice first. |
| Allergens | Check the latest allergen information for both the rusks and the chocolate sprinkles, and make it available before guests eat. | At a buffet, I want to be able to tell guests what is in the complete combination they choose. Around 30% of these consumers put clear allergen information first. |
| Toppings and serving arrangements | Compare sugars per 100 g and check the precise basis for any reduced-sugar claim. Make sure the packaging and storage instructions suit the way the food will be served. | When buying for a group, I want to plan the choice of toppings and refills without mistaking a product name for nutritional information. Around 30% of these consumers give this the highest priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming brown or multigrain means wholegrain
A dark colour or a multigrain label doesn’t, by itself, tell you whether you’re serving wholegrain rusks. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes wholegrain cereal products from products made with flour.
For the wholegrain option, choose rusks explicitly labelled wholegrain and put the correct name by the serving dish.
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Checking only the chocolate sprinkles for allergens
Rusks can contain allergens too. For example, Jumbo lists wheat and egg for Bolletje Wholegrain Rusks; the product pages for the chocolate sprinkles reviewed by Albert Heijn list milk and soya, among other allergens.
Check the current packaging for both items and give guests information about the combinations they can make. Don’t assume a product is suitable for someone with an allergy just because it says ‘dark’ or ‘wholegrain’.
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Taking ‘less sugar’ to mean sugar-free
Albert Heijn compares the sugar claim for AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles Less Sugar with its own AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles. A relative claim like this doesn’t mean the product contains no sugars.
When making a comparison, name the specific reference product and invite guests to check the nutritional values per 100 g on the current label.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
A brand to consider if you’re thinking of offering milk chocolate sprinkles alongside an intensely dark variety.
- The intensely dark variety described by Albert Heijn lists at least 52% cocoa solids.
- The same product information says this dark variety contains milk and soya, and may contain lactose. ‘Dark’ is not an allergen label.
Venz
Jumbo lists Venz milk and dark chocolate sprinkles, among other options; the XXL milk variety is a separate product choice.
- The XXL milk variety described by Jumbo comes in a 380 g pack.
- Jumbo lists milk, soya and lactose for this variety. Check the label of the variety you’re actually serving.
Albert Heijn
The own-brand range includes milk chocolate sprinkles with a relative reduced-sugar claim.
- According to Albert Heijn, AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles Less Sugar contains 30% less sugar than AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles.
- The comparison applies to that specific reference product; don’t use the claim to suggest that the chocolate sprinkles are sugar-free.
Jumbo
A supermarket range where you can compare different types of rusks for the buffet.
- Jumbo lists Bolletje Wholegrain Rusks, among other products, as well as its own-brand wholegrain rusks.
- The product information for both wholegrain rusks reviewed lists wheat and egg; check the allergens on each pack.
ALDI
The Kiekeboe range is one option for exploring different flavours of chocolate sprinkles.
- ALDI lists milk, dark and mixed varieties, including 600 g packs.
- For catering, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of each variety you choose.
Lidl
A supermarket option for Mister CHOC Dark Chocolate Sprinkles.
- Lidl describes this variety as a 600 g pack and says it is only available in store.
- Before serving it at the buffet, check the current packaging in store for ingredients and allergens.
Rusks and chocolate sprinkles at Joybuy
These products include wholegrain rusks and separate varieties of chocolate sprinkles for your buffet. If you want guests to choose between plain and wholegrain, also select a suitable plain rusk. Check the current labels for every item you choose.
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Bolletje Wholegrain Rusks, 13 pieces
Wholegrain rusks to serve as a separate option alongside plain rusks.
For Bolletje Wholegrain Rusks, Jumbo lists wheat and egg, among other allergens. Check the current packaging and the allergens in your chosen topping.
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Bolletje Dark Wholegrain Rusks, 10 pieces
A second wholegrain rusk to consider for the wholegrain side of the buffet, not as a replacement for the plain option.
Check the current packaging to see which grains and allergens this variety contains.
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De Ruijter Dark Chocolate Sprinkles, 390 g
A dark chocolate sprinkles option to serve separately as a topping.
Check the sugars per 100 g and the allergens on the packaging of this exact variety; ‘dark’ doesn’t mean sugar-free or allergen-free.
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Venz Milk Chocolate Sprinkles, 400 g
Milk chocolate sprinkles to serve alongside another flavour of topping.
Use the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values from the current packaging for your buffet label.
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Venz Chocolate and Vanilla Flavour Sprinkles, 400 g
A topping with chocolate and vanilla flavour for guests who would like to choose between different types of chocolate sprinkles.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information before putting this variety out at the buffet.
Frequently asked questions
What allergen information is needed at a buffet serving rusks and chocolate sprinkles?
Guests must be able to get allergen information for both the rusks and the chocolate sprinkles before eating. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about non-prepacked catering products can be provided in writing or verbally. If it is provided verbally, guests must be clearly told that they can ask for it.
Why offer plain rusks as well as wholegrain?
Offering both types separately lets guests choose according to their preference. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says wholegrain cereal products contain more fibre than white cereal products, but the wholegrain rusks described by Jumbo also contain allergens such as wheat and egg. So check each variety you choose individually.
Are chocolate sprinkles with less sugar the same as sugar-free chocolate sprinkles?
No. Albert Heijn describes AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles Less Sugar as containing 30% less sugar than AH Milk Chocolate Sprinkles; that comparison doesn’t mean the product contains no sugars. Compare the current nutritional values per 100 g and make sure the reference product named in the claim is clear.
Does all rusk in the Netherlands contain iodine from baker’s salt?
The rules on using baker’s salt don’t mean that it does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through the use of baker’s salt. This doesn’t mean that every type of rusk contains this salt. Check the label or ask the supplier if this is important to your product choice.
How do I keep rusks and chocolate sprinkles in suitable condition for serving?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the products you choose, and top up the buffet from sealed packs as needed. The rusk products reviewed at Jumbo and the chocolate sprinkle products reviewed at Albert Heijn say to store them in a dry place. Check each current label for any additional instructions.