Choose a box of chocolates if you want to thank the host or hand out individual chocolates. If you mainly want something to put out with coffee or tea, a pack of biscuits is an easy option. In either case, check the number of pieces and the label on the pack you buy, especially if any guests have allergies.
A box with a selection of flavours is a thoughtful gift that can also be shared with guests. For its 250 g merci box, Jumbo lists 20 individually wrapped chocolate bars; check how the contents are packaged if you choose a different box.
Biscuits are easy to serve with coffee or tea at an informal get-together. Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits in a 250 g pack of Lotus Biscoff Speculoos; ALDI lists 20 biscuits in a 250 g pack of Biscotto chocolate biscuits.
When you’re hosting a mixed group, you’ll want to check which ingredients your guests need to avoid. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the legal requirements for declaring allergens on food labels. So keep the packaging handy when serving biscuits or chocolate.
First decide whether you’re giving a thank-you gift or putting something out on the table. Then check how easy the pieces are to share and the ingredients listed on the exact pack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Occasion and ease of sharing | Check whether you can hand out the contents individually and how many pieces are in the pack. | If I’m thanking the host, I want something I can hand over; for the table, I want something I can serve without any preparation. For around 40% of consumers, this suitable way of serving comes first. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, declared allergens and any warnings on the pack you buy. | When guests have allergies, I want to know what I can offer them without relying on the product name. Around 30% of consumers give checking the label their top priority. |
| Usable quantity | Compare the weight with the number of individual pieces and how you plan to serve them. | For a group, I want to put out enough to go round, but a heavier pack doesn’t tell me how many portions I can hand out. For around 30% of consumers, the usable quantity matters most. |
The 250 g merci assorted box described by Jumbo contains, among other ingredients, milk, hazelnut, almond and soya; it may also contain peanuts, other nuts and egg. So a variety of flavours doesn’t mean there’s an option for every guest.
Read the label on the box you buy and, if anyone has allergies, have a clearly labelled alternative available.
Weight and the number of individual pieces tell you different things. Jumbo lists 20 individually wrapped bars in a 250 g merci box, while Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits in a 250 g pack of Lotus Biscoff.
Decide whether you want to hand out individual pieces or put a pack on the table, then compare the stated number of pieces.
For its 250 g merci selection pack, Joybuy recommends storing it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, heat sources and moisture.
Follow the storage advice on your own box and check the packaging before serving the chocolate.
Speculoos biscuits for putting out with coffee or tea at an informal get-together.
Chocolate to give as a thank-you or hand out individually.
A chocolate option if you want to put pralines on the table rather than give a separate gift.
These chocolate options can be given as a gift, put out on the table or shared individually. If you’re looking for biscuits to serve with coffee or tea, compare the serving style, number of pieces and label separately; the products below are not a selection of biscuits.
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A chocolate gift for handing over or sharing with guests. The pack contains 288 g. Before buying, check whether the bars are individually wrapped if you want to hand them out separately, and read the label if anyone has allergies.
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An assortment of chocolates for the get-together table or as a gift. The pack contains 385 g; check the number of pieces if you want to work out in advance how many you can hand out. Read the label on the pack you buy if anyone has allergies.
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For anyone who wants a set number of tubes to share: this pack contains six tubes of 34 g each. It’s a pack of milk chocolate in tubes, not a box with a selection of chocolate flavours. Check the label if anyone has allergies.
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An option for handing out individual chocolates, with nine individually wrapped bars in one stated flavour combination. Check the best-before date on the pack before buying it for the get-together; this variety is noted as having a short shelf life. Also read the label if anyone has allergies.
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A smaller pack of chocolates to give as a thank-you. It contains 125 g; check the number of chocolates and how they’re packaged if you want to hand them out individually. Read the label on the box you buy if anyone has allergies.
A box of chocolates is an obvious choice if you want to give the host something; biscuits work better if you mainly want to put something out with coffee or tea. If you’ll be handing them out, check the number of individual pieces: Jumbo lists 20 in its 250 g merci Chocolade Assorti Doos, while Albert Heijn lists around 32 biscuits in its 250 g pack of Lotus Biscoff Speculoos.
Read the label on the exact pack before offering chocolate or biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are declared on food labels; a product name or a previous purchase is no substitute for checking. Leave the packaging out so guests can check the information themselves.
Follow the storage advice on the box you buy. For a 250 g merci selection pack, Joybuy recommends storing it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, heat sources and moisture.
Keep the packaging by the plate so guests can check the ingredients and allergens. If someone has a food allergy, it’s best to have a clearly labelled, unopened option available too, rather than offering only loose biscuits.
