Fans of a dark chocolate flavour
You’re looking for a less milky chocolate flavour. So look beyond the word ‘dark’: how much chocolate does the biscuit contain, and is the cocoa percentage of that chocolate stated?
Who might these biscuits suit?
Commuters short on breakfast time
You want to be able to take a biscuit with you, without needing cutlery or preparation. The number of portions, portion size and any individual wrappers all affect how easy it is.
Breakfast eaters who consider nutritional information
As well as flavour, you want to check sugars, fibre and saturated fat, and think about what else you’ll have for breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholegrain products, yoghurt and fruit among its breakfast options.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide what matters most for your breakfast on the go: chocolate flavour, a portion that’s easy to take with you, the overall make-up of your breakfast or ingredients you need to avoid.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dark chocolate flavour | Compare the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit and any separately stated cocoa percentage. | I’m mainly looking for a dark chocolate flavour and want to know how much chocolate the biscuit contains. For around 33% of consumers, this flavour-led choice comes first. |
| Convenient portions | Check the number of portions, the weight per portion and whether there are individual wrappers. | I want to be able to take a portion with me without any preparation. For around 27% of consumers, convenience is the top priority. |
| Breakfast and nutritional values | Check sugars, fibre and saturated fat per 100 g and per portion; also think about what you’ll eat with the biscuit. | If a biscuit is part of my breakfast, I want to know how it fits in with the rest of what I eat. Around 27% of consumers give this consideration priority. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warning. | I need to be able to check before buying whether the ingredients suit my dietary requirements. For around 13% of consumers, this check is decisive. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘dark’ means a familiar cocoa percentage
A stated chocolate content tells you how much chocolate is in the biscuit, not how much cocoa that chocolate contains. The cocoa percentage of a chocolate bar also tells you nothing about a biscuit from the same brand.
Compare the ingredients list, chocolate content and any separately stated cocoa percentage for each biscuit variety.
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Thinking a handy biscuit is a complete breakfast
A small pack makes a biscuit practical to take with you, but says nothing about the rest of your breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholegrain products, yoghurt and fruit among its breakfast options.
Decide whether you’d like to take something else with the biscuit, such as fruit, yoghurt or a wholegrain product.
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Checking only the type of chocolate for allergens
According to product information from Jumbo and McVitie's, the dark chocolate biscuits mentioned contain wheat, milk and soya. Warnings about the possible presence of other allergens can vary by product.
Read the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ wording on the current packaging of the variety you choose.
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Treating a dark chocolate muesli bar as the same kind of snack
A muesli bar and a chocolate biscuit have different ingredients and formats. Jumbo states that its Pure Chocolate Muesli Bar contains 5.5% dark chocolate and warns that maltitols may have a laxative effect if consumed in excess.
Compare a bar and a biscuit based on their own ingredients, nutritional information and portion size, rather than just the words ‘dark chocolate’.
Brands to consider
Jumbo
Jumbo sells both a dark chocolate biscuit and a dark chocolate muesli bar; they’re different types of snack.
- Jumbo states that its Dark Chocolate Biscuits contain 63% chocolate and come in nine portions.
- According to Jumbo, its Pure Chocolate Muesli Bar contains 5.5% dark chocolate and maltitols. Don’t use the bar as a guide to the biscuit’s chocolate flavour.
Lotus Biscoff
The dark chocolate speculoos combines a speculoos biscuit with a layer of chocolate.
- Lotus Bakeries Netherlands lists a pack of seven portions of three biscuits and 22% chocolate.
- The product information states 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g. Compare this figure and the portion size with what you’re looking for in a breakfast.
Verkade
Verkade sells both biscuits and dark chocolate.
- Verkade states that its Extra Dark chocolate bar contains at least 71% cocoa.
- That percentage applies to the bar, not automatically to a biscuit. Check the label on the biscuit variety itself.
ALDI / Biscotto
Biscotto Chocolate Biscuits are a mix of butter biscuits with different types of chocolate.
- ALDI Netherlands describes biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate, individually wrapped in pairs.
- A mixed pack is less suitable if you want to take only dark chocolate biscuits with you.
Dark chocolate-flavoured biscuits on Joybuy
These biscuits are a good fit if you’re looking for a handy snack with a dark chocolate flavour. A flavour description doesn’t confirm a particular chocolate or cocoa percentage; check the packaging of the variety you choose for its ingredients and nutritional values.
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quduoduo Chunky Cookies Dark Chocolate Flavour, 72 g
A biscuit labelled as dark chocolate flavour, ready to take with you as a snack.
Check the packaging for the chocolate or cocoa percentage and sugar content before comparing nutritional values.
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Franzzi Premium Dark Chocolate Flavour Cookies, 70 g
An option if you’re looking for a biscuit labelled as dark chocolate flavour to take with you.
If you want to take individual portions with you, check the inner packaging. Also read the chocolate or cocoa percentage and nutritional information on the label.
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Franzzi Mellow Dark Chocolate Flavoured Cookies, 115 g
A dark chocolate-flavoured biscuit for anyone weighing up flavour and convenience.
Check the portion sizes, sugar content and chocolate or cocoa percentage on the current packaging.
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Bourbon Alfort Mini Chocolate Dark Matcha, 12 pieces, 60 g
Mini chocolate biscuits with a dark chocolate and matcha combination for anyone who enjoys these flavours together.
The pack contains 12 pieces. Before buying, check the current allergen information, nutritional details and whether there’s any inner packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dark chocolate biscuit a complete breakfast on the go?
A dark chocolate biscuit isn’t automatically a complete breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholegrain products, yoghurt and fruit among its breakfast options, so think about what else you’d like to take with your biscuit.
Does ‘dark’ mean a biscuit has a particular cocoa percentage?
No. The word ‘dark’ doesn’t tell you how much cocoa the whole biscuit contains. Check the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit separately from any stated cocoa percentage for that chocolate.
Which allergens should I check in chocolate biscuits?
Check the allergen information for the specific biscuit, including any ‘may contain’ warning. The product information for the Jumbo and McVitie's biscuits mentioned lists wheat, milk and soya; don’t assume that every variety has the same ingredients.
Is online nutritional information enough to help me choose a biscuit?
Use online information to compare varieties, but also read the current label before eating the product. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.