Choose a box of chocolates if afternoon coffee is also a chance to say thank you or share a treat. If so, check the contents and allergens of the pack you choose. Dutch egg cakes are a better fit when you want to serve a snack without gift packaging. It’s important to check the latest allergen information for these too.
If you want your treat to say thank you, a box of chocolates or a personalised chocolate gift is a better choice than a standard pack of Dutch egg cakes. For example, Verkade offers gift boxes with a personal message or photo.
If you’re putting out a snack at home, at work or when you have visitors, without making a point of gift-style presentation, Dutch egg cakes are another option.
For you, whether the specific product is suitable matters more than how it’s presented. Both Dutch egg cakes and chocolate assortments may contain relevant allergens, so check the latest packaging before offering them.
A good fit for: saying thank you or a coffee gathering where guests can choose from different types of chocolate.
Bear in mind: the allergens across the full assortment. A personalised gift box, such as one from Verkade, also requires some planning.
A good fit for: an informal coffee break when you mainly want to serve a snack.
Bear in mind: the less gift-like presentation and the allergens. The Bolletje and Albert Heijn varieties we looked at list egg, milk and cereals containing gluten, among other things.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Gifting and variety | Look at the gift packaging and check which types of chocolate it contains. | If I want to thank someone or give guests a choice, the contents need to suit the occasion. For around 27% of consumers, gift presentation or flavour variety comes first. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the latest packaging for the variety you’ve chosen. | If someone at the table has a food allergy, I need to know whether I can offer them the product. For around 33% of consumers, suitability is the top priority. |
| Ready to serve | Decide whether you want to serve Dutch egg cakes individually or share out the chocolates. | For an informal coffee break, I mainly want to be able to put something out without turning it into a gift. That’s the most important consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Buying and availability | Check current availability and whether an item is sold online or only in store. | If I need to pick something up today, I want to know in advance where I can buy it. For around 20% of consumers, immediate availability matters most. |
Different chocolates in one assortment may have different ingredients and allergen warnings. So even if a box looks like a suitable gift, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for the recipient.
Read all the information on the packaging you’ve chosen, especially if you know the recipient has a food allergy.
The Bolletje and Albert Heijn egg cakes we looked at list egg, milk and cereals containing gluten, among other things. Their texture doesn’t tell you whether they’re suitable for someone with an allergy.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen warnings before serving Dutch egg cakes.
For the chocolate products we looked at, Lidl listed in-store sales on specific dates. So you can’t necessarily rely on them for a gift for a coffee date at a later time.
Just before you buy, check the latest terms of sale and availability for the item you want to pick up.
Bolletje presents Brosse Eierkoek as a light snack option.
Verkade offers chocolate products and personalised chocolate gift boxes.
Albert Heijn offers both Dutch egg cakes and chocolate assortments, including a Celebrations mix.
Jumbo has separate categories for chocolate gifts, chocolates and pralines.
Lidl is worth considering if you want to pick up chocolate in store.
ALDI offers a range of chocolate products under the Choceur and Moser Roth brands, including pralines and chocolates.
These Joybuy products are chocolate assortments for a small gift or to share over coffee. If you’re mainly looking for a simple snack without gift-style presentation, Dutch egg cakes are another option.
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A chocolate collection to consider as a small treat with coffee.
Contents: 125 g. If you have an allergy, check the latest packaging. Also check how the chocolates are wrapped if you want to hand them out individually.
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A gift pack of chocolates to take along to a coffee gathering.
Contents: 288 g. Before serving, check the ingredients and allergen information on the latest packaging.
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A chocolate assortment to consider if you’d like to share something over coffee.
Contents: 385 g. Check the packaging for allergens and, if you need to divide it between guests, the number of pieces.
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A chocolate assortment for sharing over coffee in an informal setting.
Contents: 143 g. Check the latest allergen information and see how the contents are divided in the pack if you want to serve individual portions.
Dutch egg cakes are a good fit for an informal coffee break when you want to serve a snack rather than give a gift. If you want to give someone a treat or let guests choose from different chocolates, consider a box of chocolates.
Yes. Before giving a box of chocolates to someone with a food allergy, check the latest ingredients and allergen warnings. An assortment may contain different types of chocolate, so don’t rely on the name or picture alone.
Check the packaging of the product you buy too. Albert Heijn says that information about ingredients, nutritional values and allergens can change, so an older product page isn’t enough if someone has a food allergy.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the chocolate you choose. For opened chocolates, the Voedingscentrum provides advice on storing them in a kitchen cupboard, but product-specific instructions and the best-before date still matter.
