Who is this choice relevant to?

Parents looking for a daily snack for their toddler

For a snack, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables, fruit or wholemeal bread rather than chocolate flakes.

Parents looking for Fairtrade cocoa in a bread topping

You want to use chocolate flakes as a sweet topping on bread, and will only choose a variety with an explicit Fairtrade statement on the packaging.

Families who need to consider milk or lactose

Check the ingredients and the allergen warning. According to PLUS, its dark variety may contain milk and lactose; its milk chocolate variety contains milk.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re looking for a snack or a sweet bread topping. If you choose chocolate flakes, the Fairtrade statement and the ingredients of that variety become key factors.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters most to
When you’ll use it Is it for a snack or as a bread topping? For snacks, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends options including vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread. For a daily snack, I want to choose something that follows the advice for young toddlers and toddlers; around 50% of consumers prioritise this use.
Fairtrade cocoa Look for an explicit Fairtrade statement on the pack and check that the variety you want is available. If the origin of the cocoa is my main requirement, I want to be able to identify it on the packaging too; this matters most to around 33% of consumers.
Milk and lactose Read both the ingredients and warnings about possible traces. According to PLUS, its dark variety may contain milk and lactose; its milk chocolate variety contains milk. If I need to limit milk or lactose, I want to be able to check the variety before using it; around 17% of consumers prioritise these ingredients.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming Fairtrade means it’s suitable as a toddler snack

    A Fairtrade statement relates to the cocoa, not whether chocolate flakes are suitable as a snack. For young toddlers and toddlers, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five.

    For a snack, try vegetables, fruit or wholemeal bread, for example. Consider chocolate flakes separately as a sweet bread topping.

  • Assuming dark chocolate flakes are automatically milk-free

    PLUS states that its dark Fairtrade chocolate flakes may contain milk and lactose. The word ‘dark’ doesn’t override this warning.

    Check the ingredients and allergen warning on the pack every time you buy them, especially if you need to avoid milk or lactose.

  • Choosing a listed variety without checking its availability

    Albert Heijn’s product page lists the 300 g pack of Fairtrade Original Dark Chocolate Flakes as ‘no longer available’. So a Fairtrade statement alone doesn’t make this an obvious option to buy from Albert Heijn.

    Check current availability at the shop where you plan to buy, and look for a Fairtrade statement on the packaging of any alternative.

Brands to consider

PLUS

PLUS states that its 300 g dark and milk chocolate flakes contain Fairtrade cocoa.

  • The product pages show the ingredients, allergens, nutritional information and Nutri-Score E for both varieties.
  • According to PLUS, its dark variety may contain milk and lactose; its milk chocolate variety contains milk. Check the packaging before use.

Fairtrade Original

For its 300 g pack of Fairtrade Original Dark Chocolate Flakes, Albert Heijn states that the cocoa comes from Fairtrade farmers in Africa.

  • The product page explicitly states where the Fairtrade cocoa comes from.
  • Albert Heijn lists this pack as ‘no longer available’; check current availability before adding it to your shopping list.

De Ruijter

Albert Heijn stocks several De Ruijter chocolate flakes, including dark, milk and white varieties.

  • There are several varieties to compare by type of chocolate.
  • If Fairtrade cocoa is a requirement, check for a statement on the packaging of the specific variety.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are Fairtrade chocolate flakes suitable as a regular snack for a toddler?

Not as a regular snack, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Its guidance for young toddlers and toddlers recommends snacks from the Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables or wholemeal bread. You can consider chocolate flakes separately as a small sweet topping on bread at mealtimes.

Are PLUS dark Fairtrade flakes milk-free?

You can’t assume that: according to PLUS, its dark variety may contain milk and lactose, even though milk isn’t listed among the ingredients. If you need to limit milk or lactose, read the warning on the pack you’re buying.

How can I check whether the cocoa in chocolate flakes is Fairtrade?

Look for an explicit Fairtrade statement or the Fairtrade mark on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen. For example, PLUS states that its dark and milk chocolate flakes contain Fairtrade cocoa. A brand name or chocolate flavour alone doesn’t confirm this for another product.