A snack with a base of your choice
If you have bread, yoghurt or porridge at home, you can use chocolate sprinkles as a topping and choose the amount yourself.
Who is each option suitable for?
Sharing or giving a small gift
If you want others to be able to help themselves to a piece of chocolate, or you’re looking for gift-style presentation, check the contents and packaging of a box of chocolates.
Checking ingredients and allergens
If you need to avoid certain ingredients, read the label for the exact product. The examples mentioned include milk, soya and nuts.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a topping for yourself or chocolates that are ready to serve. Then compare the amount you plan to eat with the label on the pack you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| A snack for yourself | Do you have bread, yoghurt or porridge to use as a base, or would you rather be able to pick up individual chocolates straight away? | I already have something to sprinkle chocolate over and want to choose the amount of topping myself. This is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Sharing and presentation | Check the contents, the number of varieties and whether the individual chocolates are wrapped. | If others need to be able to help themselves straight away, the packaging and ease of sharing matter more to me than a topping. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Portion size and nutritional value | Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and for the amount you actually plan to eat, paying particular attention to sugars and saturated fat. | For a late-night snack, I want to be able to judge how much I’m having and what that portion contains. Around 25% of consumers give this consideration top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings on the exact pack. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I want to check the product I’ve chosen before serving it. This is the most important consideration for around 19% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Thinking a box of chocolates can replace chocolate sprinkles
Chocolate sprinkles are a spread or topping for a base you provide yourself. Chocolates from a box can be served as individual pieces.
Before comparing flavours, decide whether you want something to sprinkle over food, a piece to enjoy yourself or chocolates to share with others.
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Not taking the amount of chocolate sprinkles into account
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a reference portion of 15 g of chocolate sprinkles contains 67 kcal and 9.4 g of sugars. These values don’t apply to every product or portion.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and compare it with the amount you plan to use.
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Relying on the words dark or milk when checking allergens
Ingredients vary by product. The De Ruijter milk chocolate sprinkles mentioned contain milk and soya, while the 250 g merci assortment box also lists hazelnuts and almonds.
Always check the current label for the exact product before serving, even if you’ve bought it before.
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Buying a large pack without thinking about storage
An opened pack needs to be stored with care. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping chocolate sprinkles tightly sealed and dry.
Choose an amount that suits how much you use, and follow the best-before date and storage instructions on the pack.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
A good option if you want to use chocolate sprinkles on bread or as a topping. The milk and dark varieties mentioned each come in a 390 g pack.
- Albert Heijn also recommends the milk variety for yoghurt, porridge and breakfast cereal.
- Ingredients and allergens vary by variety; the dark variety carries a warning about milk protein and lactose.
Venz
The Venz XXL Milk Chocolate Sprinkles mentioned are worth considering if you want to compare larger pieces with regular chocolate sprinkles.
- Jumbo describes the pieces in this XXL milk variety as extra large.
- Jumbo lists 14 g of sugars per 20 g serving for this variety; don’t apply this figure to other Venz products.
merci
A good option if you’re looking for a box of chocolates to share or give as a small gift.
- Albert Heijn lists eight types of chocolate in the 400 g Gift Box; Jumbo describes merci chocolates as individually wrapped.
- Ingredients vary between boxes. The 250 g assortment box lists milk, soya, hazelnuts and almonds, among other ingredients.
Kiekeboe
A good option if you want to browse larger packs of dark or XXL chocolate sprinkles at ALDI.
- ALDI Netherlands lists 600 g of dark chocolate sprinkles and a 550 g XXL mix of milk and dark chocolate sprinkles.
- Check the current label for your chosen variety and its availability at your local shop.
Products for topping and sharing
These products show two ways to enjoy chocolate: sprinkles for a snack with a base of your choice, and chocolate assortments for serving or sharing individual chocolates. For boxes, check the exact contents if individual portions matter to you.
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De Ruijter dark chocolate sprinkles, 390 g
For anyone who wants to choose how much topping to sprinkle over bread, yoghurt or porridge. Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack if they’re important to your choice.
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Celebrations Chocolate Assorted, 385 g
A chocolate assortment for anyone who wants to offer a selection of chocolates. Check how many pieces there are and whether they’re individually wrapped if you want to hand them out separately.
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Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Gift Pack, 288 g
A gift pack for anyone who wants to try or share chocolate. Check whether the bars are individually wrapped if you want to hand them out separately or store them separately after opening.
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Milka Chocolate Assortment Party Pack, 143 g
An assortment for anyone who wants to serve chocolate as a snack. Check the contents if the number of pieces or individual wrapping matters when sharing.
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merci Petits Chocolate Collection, 125 g
A chocolate collection for anyone who wants to offer a selection of flavours as a little snack. Check the contents and individual wrapping if you need separate portions.
Frequently asked questions
What’s more practical for one late-night snack: chocolate sprinkles or a box of chocolates?
Chocolate sprinkles are a good fit if you already have bread, yoghurt or porridge and want to choose how much topping to use. If you want to pick up individual chocolates straight away, look for a box and check what’s inside.
How should I store chocolate sprinkles after opening?
Seal the pack tightly and store it in a dry place, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre for chocolate sprinkles. Also follow the best-before date and storage instructions on the pack.
Can I follow one set of storage instructions for an opened box of chocolates?
No. Check the instructions for the exact box, especially if it contains different types of chocolate. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides storage guidance for dark chocolate, but that doesn’t automatically apply to every chocolate in an assortment.
Where can I check the allergens in chocolate sprinkles and boxes of chocolates?
Read the allergen information on the label of the exact pre-packed product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label. Don’t rely only on words such as dark or milk in the product name.