Pupils who want sprinkles on bread
You’re taking a sandwich with you and want a sweet topping, not a snack to eat straight from the wrapper. Bear your lunchbox in mind, and if you have a food allergy, check the label of the variety you choose.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Pupils who mean a snack to eat on its own
You want something individually wrapped that you can eat without bread. In that case, look in the bars category and check the ingredients and allergens for that bar separately. Sprinkles are a different type of product.
Parents choosing a regular lunch staple
You’re mainly looking for something you can pack for school regularly. For a school lunch, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five. It lists sprinkles as one option for a sweet sandwich topping, not as a replacement for the rest of the lunch.
What should guide your choice?
First decide whether you’re looking for a sandwich topping, a snack you can eat straight away, or a topping for a lunch you pack regularly. Then compare the flavour and check the label.
Chocolate sprinkles
Choose these if: you’re taking a sandwich with you and want a sweet topping.
Bear in mind: sprinkles are scattered over bread; they’re not an individually wrapped snack.
Individually wrapped bar
Choose this if: by ‘single bar’ you mean a snack you can eat without bread.
Bear in mind: a bar is a different product category, so check its ingredients and allergens separately.
Topping for a regular lunch staple
Choose this if: you’re mainly putting together a lunch to take to school regularly.
Bear in mind: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five, rather than building lunch around a sweet topping.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Something you can eat straight away | Check whether it’s sprinkles to scatter over bread or an individually wrapped bar, and look at the packaging. | If I want something to eat between lessons without bread, I need a snack rather than a sandwich topping. For around 42% of consumers, something to eat individually straight away is the priority. |
| A regular school lunch | Consider the role the topping plays in the lunch as a whole. For a school lunch, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five. | If you take lunch to school almost every day, you’ll want to choose a staple first, rather than just something sweet for bread. Around 33% of consumers prioritise that lunch staple. |
| Finding the right sprinkles | Compare the flavour and pack size. If you have allergies, always check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging. | When choosing between milk and dark chocolate sprinkles, I want a flavour I enjoy without overlooking an allergen. For around 25% of consumers, choosing the right variety is their main concern. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking sprinkles for an individual bar
You can’t use a pack of sprinkles in the same way as an individually wrapped snack. For the lunch described here, you’ll need a sandwich to go with the sprinkles.
Decide before you buy whether you want a sandwich topping or something you can eat straight away, then choose from the relevant product category.
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Assuming ‘dark’ means dairy-free
Jumbo says De Ruijter Vlokken Puur contains soya and may contain traces of milk. PLUS says its dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk and lactose.
If you have an allergy, always check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. Don’t assume a product is suitable based on its flavour name alone.
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Treating a sweet topping as a complete lunch
Sprinkles don’t determine what else goes in the lunchbox. For a school lunch, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five.
First decide what the lunch as a whole will consist of, then choose whether you also want to pack a sandwich with sprinkles.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
De Ruijter offers chocolate sprinkles as a sweet sandwich topping, including a dark chocolate variety. Check the specific variety and packaging when choosing.
- An option if you’re specifically looking for dark sprinkles for bread.
- According to Jumbo’s product listing, De Ruijter Vlokken Puur contains soya and may contain traces of milk.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s sprinkles range includes own-brand milk chocolate and dark chocolate varieties.
- Both varieties mentioned are listed in 300 g packs.
- Choose based on the ingredients and allergen information for each variety, not just the flavour name.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists own-brand milk chocolate and dark chocolate sprinkles as sweet sandwich toppings.
- The milk and dark varieties mentioned each come in a 300 g pack.
- Check the packaging to see which ingredients and allergens apply to the variety you choose.
PLUS
PLUS lists dark chocolate sprinkles in a 300 g pack.
- A dark own-brand option if you’re looking for sprinkles to put on bread.
- PLUS product information warns that this variety may contain milk and lactose.
Kiekeboe
ALDI lists Kiekeboe chocolate sprinkles in milk chocolate and dark chocolate varieties.
- The varieties mentioned are sold in 300 g packs.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for the variety you choose.
Chocolate sprinkles for bread at Joybuy
These products are chocolate sprinkles for anyone taking a sandwich for lunch and looking for a sweet topping. If by ‘single bar’ you mean a bar you can eat straight away, that’s a different product choice. When choosing sprinkles, also consider how to pack your sandwich securely, and check the current label if you have allergies.
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g'woon Milk Chocolate Flakes 300 g
Milk chocolate sprinkles for anyone taking a sandwich with a sweet topping; the pack contains 300 g.
Before use, check the latest allergen information and make sure you can pack the sandwich as you’d like.
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De Ruijter Flake Feast 200 g
Sprinkles for a sandwich, in a 200 g pack; this is not an individually wrapped bar.
If you have an allergy, check the information on the current label and consider how you want to pack the topping.
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De Ruijter Flakes Milk 200 g
A milk chocolate variety of sprinkles for anyone looking for a sweet topping for bread; the pack contains 200 g.
Before choosing this for lunch, check the ingredients and allergens for this variety on the current packaging.
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Sprinkles Choca Flakes 200 g
Sprinkles in a 200 g pack for anyone taking a sandwich with a sweet topping.
Check the packaging for allergen information and the unit used for nutritional values, such as whether a value is per 100 g or per serving.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate sprinkles a good basis for every school lunch?
No. Sprinkles are a sweet sandwich topping and don’t make a complete school lunch on their own. For a school lunch, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five. It also lists sprinkles as a type of topping you can choose once a day.
Are sprinkles the same as a ‘single bar’?
No. Chocolate sprinkles are a topping you scatter over bread, whereas a ‘single bar’ is individually wrapped. For example, Albert Heijn lists a single Mars Bar at 51 g. Treat a bar like this as a separate product, with its own ingredients and allergen list.
Can I assume that dark sprinkles don’t contain milk?
No. The flavour name ‘dark’ isn’t enough to tell you that. Jumbo lists possible traces of milk for De Ruijter Vlokken Puur, while PLUS says its dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk and lactose. If you have an allergy, always check the current packaging for the exact variety you’re buying.
Where can I find allergen information on a pre-packed product?
Check the ingredients list and any allergen warnings on the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that mandatory labelling covers 14 allergens. So check the product’s own label, rather than relying on the product name alone.