Breakfast topping shoppers
You’re looking for chocolate sprinkles for rusks or bread, or as a topping for yoghurt, porridge or cakes. In that case, flavour, pack size and ingredients matter more than gift presentation.
Who are these options for?
Shoppers looking for a small chocolate gift
You want to add something for someone else to an online grocery order. An assortment of bonbons or a chocolate gift box is suitable as a ready-to-give present; chocolate sprinkles are generally intended for a different use.
Shoppers who check ingredients carefully
You’re buying for someone who needs to avoid certain allergens or alcohol. Check the information for the exact product and read the packaging before it’s eaten.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re looking for something to put on rusks or a chocolate gift. Then check the product information that matters most for your choice.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Check whether you need chocolate sprinkles as a topping, or chocolate to give as a gift. | For breakfast rusks, I want a topping I can use at home, not a box to give away. Around 31% of consumers say using it as a topping comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | For the exact product, read the ingredients and allergen information, and check whether alcohol is listed. | If I’m buying for someone with an allergy or someone who avoids alcohol, I need to know what’s in the chocolate. For around 25% of consumers, checking the ingredients is the top priority. |
| Gift presentation | Check the product type, packaging, contents and number of pieces. When ordering online, also check whether it can be delivered to your postcode. | I want to be able to give the product as a gift without having to turn it into one myself. Around 25% of consumers put presentation at the top of their list. |
| Variant and quantity | For chocolate sprinkles, compare the flavour, net weight and nutritional information. If the product claims to contain less sugar, check exactly what it’s being compared with. | If I’m buying chocolate sprinkles for regular use, I want to choose the right variant and quantity. Around 19% of consumers prioritise these product differences. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming chocolate sprinkles and bonbons are interchangeable
Chocolate sprinkles are used as a topping; bonbons and pralines are also sold as treats or gifts. The fact that they contain the same ingredient—chocolate—doesn’t mean they’re suitable for the same purpose.
Before ordering, decide whether you need a breakfast topping, a gift, or both as separate items.
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Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘low in sugar’
Albert Heijn compares the amount of sugar in AH Hagelslag melk minder suiker with that in AH Melk hagelslag. The product page lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g for the first variant; the comparative claim doesn’t in itself mean that it’s low in sugar.
Check both the product used as the comparison and the nutritional information per 100 g for the variant you want to order.
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Choosing a chocolate gift without considering the recipient
The product information for the pralines and bonbons reviewed lists ingredients including nuts, milk and soya; some products also contain alcohol. This may make an assortment unsuitable for a particular recipient.
If necessary, ask which ingredients the recipient avoids, then check the information for the exact product.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
Worth considering for chocolate sprinkles as a topping, with both standard packs and small portions available.
- Albert Heijn’s product information lists De Ruijter Chocoladehagel melk in a 390 g pack, with at least 20% cocoa solids. De Ruijter Kleintjes contains eight portions of different types of sprinkles.
- The milk variant mentioned lists milk, lactose and soya. Check the ingredients for the variant you choose.
Venz
Worth considering if you’re specifically looking for dark chocolate sprinkles as a topping.
- Albert Heijn lists Venz Hagelslag puur in a 400 g pack, with at least 32% cocoa solids.
- The product information lists milk and soya, and says it may contain lactose. The word ‘dark’ is no substitute for checking the allergen information.
Albert Heijn
Worth considering for an own-brand chocolate sprinkle variant and a separate range of bonbons.
- According to Albert Heijn’s product page, AH Hagelslag melk minder suiker contains 30% less sugar than AH Melk hagelslag; the nutritional information lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
- AH Handgemaakte bonbons is a different type of product. Its information lists 0.8% alcohol and ingredients including milk, soya, almonds and hazelnuts.
Lindt
Worth considering for a small assortment of pralines sold as a treat or gift.
- Albert Heijn’s product information lists Lindt Mini pralines as a pack of 20, containing nine types of praline.
- The ingredients information lists almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, milk, soya, wheat and alcohol, among other ingredients. Check that the assortment is suitable for the recipient.
Chocolate sprinkles and chocolate gifts at Joybuy
These products fall into two groups: chocolate sprinkles for rusks, bread or toppings, and chocolate gift packs to give or share. The chocolate gift pack with bars is not a box of bonbons.
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Milka Happy Birthday Milk Cream Pralines 110 g
The birthday theme makes this a good choice if you’re looking for a small chocolate gift. The pack contains 110 g. Check the latest ingredients information for the recipient, particularly for milk, soya and hazelnuts.
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De Ruijter Intense Pure Chocolate Sprinkles 200 g
A dark chocolate sprinkle option for anyone looking for a topping, in a 200 g pack. Check the latest allergen information: this product lists milk solids and soya.
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Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Gift Pack 288 g
This 288 g chocolate gift pack is suitable as a present or for sharing, but it isn’t a box of pralines or chocolate sprinkles. Check the ingredients for the recipient; the product information lists nuts, milk and soya, among other ingredients.
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g'woon Pure Chocolate Sprinkles 400 g
A 400 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles for anyone looking for a topping. If you have an allergy, check the latest packaging: the available product information lists milk and possible traces of wheat.
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Venz Sprinkles Beer Milk Vanilla 380 g
A 380 g milk and vanilla variant for anyone looking for chocolate sprinkles rather than a gift. The available allergen information is contradictory. If you have an allergy, don’t rely on just one listing; check the latest packaging before choosing this product.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate sprinkles an alternative to a box of bonbons as a gift?
Chocolate sprinkles are generally not the same type of product as a ready-to-give chocolate gift. The chocolate sprinkles described here are intended as a topping, while the pralines and bonbons reviewed are sold as treats or gifts. Choose according to how you plan to use them.
Which allergens should I check in chocolate sprinkles and bonbons?
Check the allergen information for the exact product, not just the product category or brand name. The variants described list ingredients including milk, soya and nuts; some also list wheat or alcohol. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that relevant allergens must be clearly listed on the label of prepacked food.
Does the rule about iodised baker’s salt mean that chocolate sprinkles or bonbons contain iodine?
No, that doesn’t follow from the rule. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s guidance concerns iodine compounds in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products through baker’s salt; you can’t use it to determine the ingredients of a pack of chocolate sprinkles or bonbons. Check the ingredients of the exact product instead.
Is the information in a supermarket app enough to choose a chocolate product?
Use the product page to compare variants, pack sizes and ingredients before ordering, but read the packaging before eating the product too. Albert Heijn notes that information such as ingredients, nutritional values and allergen details can change. This final check is especially important if you’re buying for someone with an allergy.