Choose plain toast if you want to decide which chocolate to pair it with. If you’re mainly comparing the fibre content of the toast base, take a look at wholemeal options too. The toast ranges at Albert Heijn and Jumbo don’t list any variety explicitly described as chocolate-coated toast. So, if you’re considering a ready-made product, check the exact description, ingredients and allergen information.
You’re looking for chocolate-coated toast, or a crisp base to top with chocolate yourself. These are different product choices, so check the description before opting for plain toast as a substitute.
You want to know which ingredients and allergens are in both the toast and the chocolate. A claim about one component doesn’t tell you everything about the combination.
You want to compare the nutritional value of the toast base separately from the chocolate. Jumbo lists 9.7 g of fibre per 100 g for Van der Meulen Melba Wholemeal Toast. Check the labels of other varieties too.
First, decide whether you want a ready-made chocolate-coated product or plan to add your own topping. Then compare the labels of the products you’re planning to combine.
| What to look for | What to check | Especially useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate coating | Check whether the product description specifically mentions a chocolate coating, and read the ingredients list. | If you’re looking for ready-made chocolate-coated toast, plain toast with a separate topping isn’t the same product. For around 36% of consumers, this product format is the main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for both the toast and the chocolate, including any ‘may contain’ statements. | If certain ingredients or allergens are a deciding factor for me, I want to be able to check both components before buying. This is the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Flavour and texture | Compare plain and seasoned varieties, and check the size and the texture described. | If I’m choosing a sweet topping, I want a toast base whose flavour works well with it. Around 21% of consumers give this combination top priority. |
| Nutritional value | Compare similar toast products per 100 g for fibre, salt, sugars and saturated fat. | When I choose toast based on nutritional value, I want to compare the base without drawing conclusions about the chocolate. This matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
The online toast ranges at Albert Heijn and Jumbo include a variety of options, but no product explicitly described in those terms. Plain toast with a topping of your choice isn’t the same as a ready-made coated product.
If you’re buying a ready-made product, check that the coating is confirmed in both the product description and the ingredients. Otherwise, choose a separate toast base and chocolate component.
A vegan or lactose-free claim on a toast base doesn’t automatically apply to the chocolate you serve with it. The toast itself may also contain ingredients that are relevant to you.
Check the current ingredient and allergen information for both components. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked products is shown on the label.
The fibre content of wholemeal toast tells you nothing about the sugars or saturated fat in any chocolate you add.
Compare the nutritional information for the toast and chocolate separately, preferably per 100 g, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends when comparing products.
The Melba toast range includes plain, wholemeal and sesame varieties in the toast selections at Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
Jumbo describes its Naturel Toast as a base for both sweet and savoury toppings.
The own-brand range includes plain Melba toast, designed as a base for toppings.
Jumbo’s toast range includes its own-brand toast and varieties from other brands.
This round Melba toast is a base for anyone who wants to choose their own chocolate component. If you’re specifically looking for ready-made chocolate-coated toast, check that the product description confirms the coating.
Image unavailable
A toast base for anyone who wants to choose their own chocolate component; this round variety comes in a 100 g pack. Before buying, check the ingredients and allergens in the toast and anything you serve with it.
Yes. Check the toast and chocolate separately: the allergens in one product tell you nothing about those in the other. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked products is shown on the label.
No. Don’t assume iodine has been added without checking the ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that iodine is added to baker’s salt, but bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt; when it is used in bread, this is shown on the label.
Compare similar toast products per 100 g for fibre, salt, sugars and saturated fat, and read the ingredients list. This lets you compare the toast base without attributing the nutritional value of any chocolate component to it.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you buy. Albert Heijn advises keeping AH Melba toast naturel in a sealed tin after opening; for JP by Jos Poell Toast Naturel, Jumbo advises storing it in a cool, dry, dark place.
