Choose a large, resealable pack if lots of guests will be using the same chocolate sprinkles from a shared buffet station. Individual portions are better if guests need to take a measured amount each. Smaller consumer packs give you more choice of flavours, but may need topping up more often at a busy buffet. Whichever you choose, check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product.
If lots of guests will be served from the same station, capacity and easy refilling are important. Bidfood describes a 1.5 kg box of De Ruijter dark chocolate sprinkles for professional catering use.
At a self-service buffet, you can let each guest take a pre-packed portion. Van Oordt lists 10 g sticks, while Makro shows 20 g portions from De Ruijter.
For a smaller Christmas table, you can combine consumer packs rather than opening one large box of a single flavour. Jumbo’s Venz range includes milk, dark and white chocolate sprinkles.
First decide how guests will take the chocolate sprinkles: from a shared pack, as individual portions or from several packs in different flavours. Then compare the pack sizes and the information on the label for each product.
Best suited to: lots of guests using the same dark chocolate sprinkles, when you want to be able to top up the pack.
Consider: you’ll need to manage serving the sprinkles and resealing the opened pack properly.
Best suited to: guests taking a measured portion each at a self-service buffet.
Consider: individual portions mean more separate wrappers and give guests less flexibility over how much they add to each dessert.
Best suited to: a smaller festive table where a range of flavours is more useful than one large pack of a single variety.
Consider: you’ll need to keep the labels for each pack separate and reseal every pack properly after use.
| Point to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and refilling | Compare the net weight with the number of planned serving occasions. Think about how you’ll reseal a large pack once it’s open. | At a busy buffet, I don’t want to keep finding an empty pack while guests are still helping themselves to bread or desserts. For around 36% of consumers, having enough in the pack to make refilling easy is the top priority. |
| Serving individual portions | Check the number of portions in each box and the weight of each stick or sachet. Bear in mind that they come in separate wrappers, too. | When guests are serving themselves, I want everyone to be able to take their own measured portion. Around 29% of consumers say this way of serving is their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any precautionary ‘may contain’ warnings on the exact pack. Keep the details for each variety to hand. | When guests ask about ingredients, I want to be able to show them what each variety contains. Clear allergen information is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Variety of flavours | Choose which flavours you want to offer together and decide how many separate packs you’ll need to open. | For a small Christmas table, I’d rather offer a variety of flavours than lots of just one kind. That’s the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
A 600 g pack, a 1.5 kg box and a box of individual sticks each meet different serving needs. Looking only at the weight of one pack tells you little about how often you’ll need to refill it.
First decide between serving from a shared pack and offering individual portions. Then compare the total quantity and type of packaging.
The flavour name doesn’t tell you which allergens a particular product contains or may contain. According to its product information, the De Ruijter large pack of dark chocolate sprinkles checked contains milk and soya; the Van Oordt dark sticks checked carry a warning that they may contain milk.
Check the latest label before every purchase, and keep the information for all the varieties on offer together at the buffet.
A 10 g stick isn’t the same as a 20 g portion. Portion packs make serving straightforward, but they also create separate packaging waste.
Compare the amount per portion with how you’ll serve the chocolate sprinkles, and provide somewhere to put empty wrappers.
Moisture and a poor seal can affect the quality of chocolate sprinkles. The Voedingscentrum says a musty smell is a sign that food has spoiled.
Seal opened packs properly, store them in a dry place and don’t use chocolate sprinkles that smell musty.
In the selection reviewed, this brand offers consumer packs, a professional catering box of dark chocolate sprinkles and individual portions.
An option for a buffet where individual portions of dark chocolate sprinkles are preferred.
Consumer packs for a smaller festive table where you can serve several flavours side by side.
A larger consumer pack of dark chocolate sprinkles for anyone who doesn’t need a professional box or individual portions.
A consumer pack of dark chocolate sprinkles for a party at home.
For a smaller Christmas table, this 390 g consumer pack of dark chocolate sprinkles is an option. For a large buffet, compare how many packs you’ll need and whether serving from a shared pack suits your set-up.
No image available
A consumer pack for a smaller festive table serving dark chocolate sprinkles.
Pack size: 390 g. If you’re catering for more guests, work out how many packs you’ll need in advance and check the latest ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
Work out the amount based on the planned number of sandwiches or dessert portions and how you’ll serve the sprinkles, not just the number of guests. Van Oordt lists 10 g sticks; the De Ruijter portions shown by Makro contain 20 g and are described there as enough for one slice of bread. The amount per guest may differ if guests are helping themselves to sprinkles as a dessert topping.
If you’re offering unpackaged chocolate sprinkles to consumers as a business or caterer, information about the allergens present must be available. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for unpackaged foods must be provided to consumers in a way other than on a product label. So keep the information for each exact variety and make it clear to guests where they can find it.
Seal the pack properly and store the chocolate sprinkles in a dry place. Also check the best-before and storage information on the pack; the Voedingscentrum says a musty smell is a sign that food has spoiled.
No. The name ‘dark’ doesn’t guarantee that for every product. The product information for the De Ruijter large pack checked lists milk and soya, while the Van Oordt dark sticks checked are labelled as potentially containing milk. Always check the latest packaging for the product you’re serving.
