Choose a selection box with individually wrapped chocolates if guests want to pick their own at the table; a box of pralines is a better fit when the main aim is to give the host a present. For both, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging, and if you’re buying on Easter Sunday, check in advance whether your chosen store is open.
If several guests will be choosing from one box, a range of flavours and individually wrapped chocolates are practical. Even then, check that the ingredients and allergens are suitable for the guests who will be there.
A box of pralines or a gift box can make a thoughtful present for the host. Look beyond the packaging, too: check the fillings, whether they contain alcohol and the storage advice for the product you choose.
If the chocolate will be served after lunch, the weight and number of pieces are more useful than the size of the box alone. Check how many pieces it contains if you want to offer one to every guest.
Choose this: if several guests want to pick a chocolate for themselves. Jumbo describes its 250 g Merci Assorti box as containing eight varieties and twenty individually wrapped chocolates.
Consider: a selection offers choice, but the variety of ingredients makes it important to check the exact packaging.
Choose this: if you’re mainly taking the box as a gift or want to serve pralines with coffee.
Consider: check the fillings and storage instructions. PLUS recommends storing its Belchic cream pralines in a cool, dry place at 14–18 °C; this guidance does not automatically apply to other boxes.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing and choice of flavours | Check the number of pieces, the flavours and whether they are individually wrapped. | If I’m putting a box on the table for guests to help themselves, I want to know whether there’s enough choice and enough pieces. For around 42% of consumers, being able to share is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and warnings such as ‘may contain’. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I need to be able to check the exact box. For around 33% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
| Presentation and quantity | Look at the packaging and weight, and check the number of pieces if needed. | For a gift, I look at how it’s presented; for chocolate with coffee, I look at how much I can serve. Around 25% of consumers give this consideration the highest priority. |
Ingredients vary between chocolate boxes and can differ within a selection, too. A familiar name or recognisable packaging won’t tell you whether a box is suitable for a particular guest.
Read the current packaging before buying and check it again before serving. Look out for warnings about the possible presence of allergens, too.
According to the Government of the Netherlands, whether shops can open on Sundays and public holidays varies by municipality. So you can’t assume another branch’s opening hours will apply.
Buy the box in advance or check the opening hours of the specific branch before you set off.
PLUS recommends storing Belchic cream pralines in a cool, dry place at 14–18 °C. Other chocolate boxes may have different instructions.
Follow the label on the box you buy, and keep the chocolate out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
These shops offer examples of chocolate gifts or boxes of pralines. Always check the ingredients, packaging and storage instructions for the specific product you choose.
Albert Heijn lists products including a 400 g Merci Gift Box containing 32 individually wrapped chocolates.
Jumbo has a chocolate gifts category, including the 250 g Merci Assorti box.
PLUS lists products including a 350 g box of Belchic Belgian cream pralines.
Dirk lists products including Choco Sweet Belgian pralines in a 250 g box.
ALDI describes Merci Finest Selection, 250 g, as a chocolate assortment in gift packaging.
These options suit two occasions around Easter lunch: a chocolate selection to put on the table and pralines to give as a gift. If you’re buying a box to share, check the number of pieces and whether each chocolate is individually wrapped.
Image unavailable
A selection of chocolates to take along as a small gift. The box contains 125 g; if guests will be eating them, check the flavours, number of pieces and allergens on the packaging.
Image unavailable
A chocolate selection for anyone looking to put something on the table to share. The pack contains 143 g; if several guests will be choosing from it, check the number of pieces, how they’re wrapped and the allergens.
Image unavailable
A box of pralines to consider as a gift for the host. The box contains 110 g; before serving, check the number of pralines, the ingredients and the storage advice on the packaging.
It depends on the branch. According to the Government of the Netherlands, whether shops can open on Sundays and public holidays varies by municipality. So check the opening hours of the shop you plan to visit before setting off.
Yes, check the packaging of the box you’re actually serving. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label. Don’t rely on the brand name or a previous purchase alone for ingredient information.
Follow the storage advice on the exact packaging. PLUS recommends storing Belchic cream pralines in a cool, dry place at 14–18 °C. Don’t assume the same instructions apply to another box of pralines, and keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
