To add a sweet option to your drinks spread, start by choosing the base: Dutch rusks with chocolate sprinkles, or sourdough bread as an alternative. If you choose sourdough and the type of bread matters to you, check whether it is wholemeal or brown; ‘sourdough’ on its own tells you nothing about the type of grain used. Then choose your chocolate sprinkles based on taste, nutritional information and ingredients, and check whether baker’s salt has been used in the bread.
You want to serve sourdough bread as an alternative to Dutch rusks, and the type of bread matters to you. Check whether the bread is wholemeal or brown: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread in particular contains fibre, vitamins and minerals.
You want to add chocolate sprinkles without losing track of how much you serve. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes chocolate sprinkles as a sweet topping containing sugar and saturated fat, so check the nutritional information and the portion you plan to serve.
You use the exact packaging to decide which topping is suitable. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows that ingredients and allergens vary between the chocolate sprinkle varieties reviewed.
First decide whether you want to serve Dutch rusks or sourdough bread. If you choose sourdough, select the type of bread next; for either base, compare the chocolate sprinkles on the points that matter most to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Type of bread | If you choose sourdough, check the label for ‘wholemeal’ or ‘brown’, or ask the baker. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, choosing sourdough as a leavening method does not tell you which type of grain was used. | I want to serve sourdough bread alongside drinks nibbles and make a considered choice about the type of bread. For around 36% of consumers, that choice comes first. |
| Portion size and nutritional information | For the specific chocolate sprinkles, check the sugar and saturated fat content per 100 g and per portion; decide how much you want to sprinkle on. | When adding something sweet to savoury nibbles, I want to decide how much chocolate sprinkles to serve. Around 29% of consumers prioritise portion size. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you choose, including dark chocolate sprinkles and reduced-sugar varieties. | If an ingredient is unsuitable for me, I need to be able to check before serving. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Storage and serving | Match the amount of bread to the occasion and check the storage instructions for both the bread and the topping. | For a small drinks gathering, I want to put out only what I’ll use and be able to store the rest. This practical consideration matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
Sourdough describes how bread is made, not whether it is wholemeal. If you want to choose based on the type of bread, you can’t rely on the word ‘sourdough’ alone.
Check the type of bread on the label or ask the baker whether it is wholemeal or brown.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. This matters if you want to know whether the bread contains iodised salt.
Check the ingredients list or, if you’re buying unwrapped bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
These claims don’t tell you which allergens or sweeteners are in the specific variety. The De Ruijter, Jumbo and Céréal products reviewed differ in these respects.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If the variety contains sweeteners, also check the instructions and any warnings.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights the sugar and saturated fat in chocolate sprinkles. The amount you sprinkle on also affects how much you serve.
Check the nutritional information and sprinkle on an amount that suits the portion you want to offer.
Worth comparing if you’re looking for a particularly dark chocolate sprinkle with a stated cocoa content.
Worth comparing if you want to look at different chocolate sprinkle flavours side by side.
Worth considering if you want to assess a dark own-brand variety based on its stated sugar comparison.
Worth considering if you’re looking at dark chocolate sprinkles with sweeteners.
These products are chocolate sprinkles and flakes to compare as sweet toppings. Choose your Dutch rusks or sourdough bread separately, and check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on each topping’s packaging.
Image unavailable
An option to compare if you’d like flakes as a sweet topping. The pack contains 200 g; check the ingredients and allergens if these affect your choice.
Image unavailable
For anyone considering chocolate chunks as a sweet topping. The pack contains 390 g; check this variety’s nutritional information and allergens before choosing a portion.
Image unavailable
Dark chocolate sprinkles for anyone looking for this flavour with Dutch rusks or bread. The pack contains 390 g; read the label if cocoa content or allergens are important to you.
Image unavailable
An option to consider if you want to serve intensely dark chocolate sprinkles. The pack contains 200 g; check the nutritional information and allergens for the exact variety.
Image unavailable
For anyone who wants to compare dark chocolate flakes as a sweet topping. The pack contains 300 g; check the product description for suggested uses and read the allergen information.
No. Sourdough describes how the bread is made, not whether it is wholemeal. If you want to serve sourdough instead of Dutch rusks, check the type of bread on the label or ask the baker; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between wholemeal, brown and white bread.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. Check the label or, if you’re buying unwrapped bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
Check the allergen information on the specific packaging. The product information reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists milk, soya and possible traces of wheat among the allergens found in different varieties; not all chocolate sprinkles have the same ingredients.
For wholemeal sourdough bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing it for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard or for 1–3 months in the freezer. If you’re only using some for your drinks gathering, you can freeze the rest in portions.
