Standard kano cakes are best suited to a few larger compartments, rather than a whole advent calendar: Albert Heijn lists six portions per pack and Jumbo lists five. Mini kano cakes or small chocolate treats can add variety, but check the number of pieces, dimensions and allergens on each pack you choose.
If you’re filling the calendar yourself, both the treats and their packaging need to fit in the compartments. Albert Heijn lists its butter kano cakes as 45 g portions, while Jumbo lists its kano cakes as 55 g portions. So compare the size of each cake with the inside dimensions of your calendar: portion weight doesn’t tell you how big the cake is.
If you’re filling a calendar for someone with a food allergy, check the ingredients of the exact products before choosing. Ingredients can vary between treats in an assortment. Keep the original packaging or give the recipient the relevant ingredients information.
If you want to spread biscuits and chocolate across different days, first work out how many individual treats you need. Chocolate gift boxes from shops such as Albert Heijn and Jumbo can add variety, but a box won’t necessarily contain individual pieces that fit in your calendar.
Start by choosing the treat the recipient would like, then check the compartment size and how many days you need to fill. The three options below mainly differ in the size of the treats and how you fill the calendar.
Best for: a calendar with room for a few larger biscuit treats.
Consider: Albert Heijn lists six portions per pack and Jumbo lists five, so you’ll need other treats too for a 24-day calendar.
Best for: a mixed calendar with smaller biscuits, provided they fit in the compartments.
Consider: ALDI lists 14 pieces in the pack reviewed and describes it as available while stocks last.
Best for: a calendar with different chocolate treats to enjoy on different days.
Consider: a gift box alone won’t tell you the size of each piece or whether it’s individually wrapped. Check the ingredients for each product you choose too.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Compartment size and quantity | Measure the inside of a compartment and check how many individual pieces or portions come in a pack. | I want to know whether my treats will fit and whether I have enough to fill the calendar. This combination of size and quantity is the top priority for around 28% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label on the exact pack, including any ‘may contain’ information. | If I’m filling a calendar for someone with an allergy, I need to be able to judge which treats are suitable. Around 28% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Variety | Check which different pieces are in an assortment and whether you can use them individually. | I don’t want to give the same biscuit or chocolate every day. Around 22% of consumers put variety first. |
| Convenience and availability | Check that your chosen treats are available at your shop before you finalise the calendar layout. | I want to be able to gather the treats I need without relying on a temporary product. Around 22% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
A pack listed as containing five or six portions won’t fill a 24-day calendar if you’re planning one portion for each day.
Count the days before you buy. Use standard kano cakes for some of the calendar and add other suitable treats.
The name ‘kano cakes’ or ‘chocolate assortment’ won’t tell you which ingredients are in the exact pack. Ingredients can also vary between pieces in a mixed box.
Read the current label and keep the ingredients information available for the recipient. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises that allergens must be clearly listed in the ingredients of prepacked foods.
The weight of a box doesn’t tell you the dimensions of the individual chocolates. Nor does it tell you whether each piece is individually wrapped.
Check both for the box you want to use and compare the pieces with the inside dimensions of your calendar.
ALDI describes the mini kano cakes reviewed as available while stocks last. And just because a shop stocks an assortment doesn’t mean every product will be available at your local branch.
Check local availability before assigning days to a specific product, and leave room for another suitable treat.
These examples show the kinds of kano cakes and chocolate treats you can compare. A brand being mentioned doesn’t mean every product is available at every shop.
Albert Heijn stocks both butter kano cakes and chocolate gifts.
Jumbo offers kano cakes and a separate range of chocolate gifts to compare.
Sondey kano cakes are an option if you want to use standard kano cakes for part of the calendar.
ALDI stocks both standard and mini kano cakes from Heerlijck Banket.
At PLUS, you can browse a range of chocolate products to add variety to your calendar.
Verkade offers chocolate and biscuit combinations that could add variety alongside kano cakes.
These Joybuy products are chocolate and biscuit treats you could consider for part of a DIY advent calendar. For each product, check that the individual pieces and their packaging will fit in your compartments, and that there are enough for the days you want to fill.
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A chocolate gift box to consider if you want to spread different treats throughout the calendar.
Pack weight: 288 g. Check how many individual pieces you can use, whether they’re individually wrapped and which allergens are listed on the box.
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A chocolate wafer to mix things up alongside kano cakes or other chocolate treats.
Pack weight: 180 g. Before assigning these to calendar days, check how many wafers there are, their dimensions, whether they’re individually wrapped and the ingredients.
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A chocolate treat to consider if you’re looking for something different to add to the calendar alongside kano cakes.
Pack weight: 150 g. Check the pack for the number of individual pieces, their size and the ingredients.
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A matcha and chocolate option for anyone who wants to include different flavours in the calendar.
The pack lists 9 pieces and 104.4g. Nine pieces will only fill part of a 24-day calendar, so check the dimensions, ingredients and best-before date too.
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Individual tubes could fill part of a mixed calendar if the compartments are big enough.
The pack contains 6 tubes of 34 g. Check the size of a tube, its packaging and the label; six tubes won’t fill a 24-day calendar.
Not if you want to use one of the listed portions for each day: Albert Heijn lists six portions for its butter kano cakes, while Jumbo lists five for the kano cakes reviewed. Use a pack for a few days and fill the remaining compartments with other treats. Check that the cakes will fit too.
Mini kano cakes are worth considering if you’re looking for smaller biscuits, but measure the product and the compartment first. The pack listed by ALDI contains 14 pieces, so you’ll need other treats for a 24-day calendar. Check whether this temporary product is still available too.
Read the label on the exact pack for each treat you choose, including any ‘may contain’ information. Keep this information with the calendar for the recipient. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises that allergens should be clearly listed in the ingredients of prepacked foods.
Fill the calendar when you can follow the storage instructions and best-before dates for all the products you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn advises storing the kano cakes reviewed in a cool, dry place and keeping them in a sealed tin after opening. Jumbo advises storing its kano cakes in a cool, dry, dark place. Follow the instructions on the packaging for other treats.
