When shopping for a healthy lunch, start by choosing a wholegrain lunch base and a suitable topping; chocolate sprinkles on crispbread are a sweet option, not a substitute for that base. A box of chocolates can go in the same shopping basket as a gift or treat for another occasion. For both chocolate products, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging.
You want to choose a base for your meal and a suitable topping first. The Voedingscentrum recommends wholegrain bread or a wholemeal roll as a healthy lunch option; chocolate sprinkles can then be an occasional sweet topping.
You choose chocolate sprinkles for their flavour, but also want to decide how much to use. In that case, check the portion guidance, nutritional information, ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
You’re adding a box of chocolates to your lunch shopping as a thoughtful gift or treat. The fillings and allergens matter to the recipient, while the box serves a different purpose from the lunch products.
Put your lunch together first. Then consider chocolate sprinkles as a sweet topping and a box of chocolates as a separate treat, rather than as an alternative lunch base.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch base | Check that you’ve chosen a wholegrain base and suitable topping for your meal before adding a sweet topping. | If lunch is my main priority, I don’t want a sweet addition to define the meal. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Sweet topping | Compare the portion guidance and nutritional information per 100 g or per portion; check the ingredients and allergens too. | I want the flavour of chocolate sprinkles, but I also want to choose how much to put on my crispbread. This is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Chocolate gift | Check which fillings are in the box and read the allergen information; look out for liqueur if that’s relevant to the recipient. | When I’m buying something for someone else, I want to know whether it’s suitable for them. For around 20% of consumers, the gift is the top priority. |
This can take the focus away from putting together a balanced meal. The Voedingscentrum recommends a wholegrain slice of bread or roll as a healthy lunch option and notes that sweet toppings can contain sugar, salt and/or saturated fat.
Choose your lunch base and a topping for it first; add chocolate sprinkles if you’d also like a sweet topping.
The term describes the type of chocolate, not the nutritional value of the whole pack. According to the Voedingscentrum, dark chocolate isn’t included in the Schijf van Vijf either.
Compare the nutritional information and the amount you intend to use for each product, rather than choosing based only on whether it’s ‘dark’ or ‘milk’ chocolate.
For someone with a food allergy, the ingredients and allergens are essential. A filling may also contain liqueur; Albert Heijn, for example, describes Mon Chéri as pralines with cherry and liqueur.
If you’re buying a gift, read the label on the box you’ve chosen and check that the fillings are suitable for the recipient.
A brand of chocolate sprinkles and chocolate flakes, worth considering if you’re comparing different types of sweet bread topping.
A brand of chocolate sprinkles and other sweet bread toppings, for anyone who wants to choose the flavour separately from the lunch base.
A supermarket where you can browse chocolate sprinkles and chocolate products as separate purchases.
A supermarket where you can compare different chocolate sprinkle products and pack sizes.
A supermarket with chocolate sprinkles under its own brand and from De Ruijter.
A supermarket where you can explore a supermarket own-brand variety of chocolate sprinkles.
These products suit two different choices in the same shopping trip: chocolate sprinkles as a sweet topping and chocolate as a separate gift or treat. Put your lunch together first, using a suitable base and topping.
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A chocolate option for a small gift alongside your lunch shopping, not as a lunch base. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging to make sure it’s suitable for the recipient.
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A chocolate gift pack to give or share, separate from the contents of your lunch. If you’re buying it for someone else, read the ingredients and allergen information before you buy.
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Chocolate sprinkles for anyone who wants to add a sweet topping to crispbread; they’re not a substitute for a lunch base. Use the portion guidance and nutritional information on the packaging to assess how much to have, and check the allergens.
Crispbread with chocolate sprinkles isn’t a substitute for a balanced lunch. The Voedingscentrum recommends a wholegrain slice of bread or roll as a healthy lunch option. Choose your base and a suitable topping first, and think of chocolate sprinkles as a separate sweet topping.
No. The word ‘dark’ alone doesn’t tell you anything about the nutritional value. The Voedingscentrum notes that dark chocolate also contains saturated fat and calories, and isn’t included in the Schijf van Vijf. Compare the nutritional information and the amount you use for the specific varieties.
Read the allergen information and ingredients on the packaging before giving it as a gift. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of allergen information on labels; for pralines, check the individual fillings too.
No, the product name won’t tell you that for a specific pack. If iodine content matters to your choice, check the product information or ask the manufacturer or baker which ingredient they use.
