Don’t choose standard aniseed sprinkles if you need the topping to contain demonstrably less sugar: according to product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes discussed here each contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g. A small amount of standard aniseed sprinkles can work as decoration if the school allows it and the ingredients are suitable for the group. If a lower sugar content is essential, consider a different small treat whose nutritional information you can compare.
You’re looking for a topping whose lower sugar content you can check on the label. Using fewer standard aniseed sprinkles means a smaller portion, but it doesn’t change the nutritional value per 100 g of those sprinkles.
For example, you might want to finish cupcakes or other bakes with a few aniseed sprinkles. Before you start baking, check whether edible treats are allowed and whether the ingredients are suitable for the children and visitors you’re baking for.
You want to take school rules, allergies, religious beliefs and dietary requirements into account. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends asking about these needs in advance; depending on the answers, a treat without aniseed sprinkles may be a better choice.
First, decide whether the topping needs to have a lower sugar content, and check which treats the school allows. Then choose a product and decide how much you want to use on each item.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrably less sugar | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g for the exact variants. Using a smaller amount doesn’t change that value. | If I want less sugar in the topping, I need to be able to compare this on the label. For around 40% of consumers, a demonstrable reduction is the most important factor. |
| School rules and ingredients | Ask what can be handed out, and read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging you’re using. | I want to avoid a treat that conflicts with school rules or that someone has to avoid because of the ingredients. Suitability comes first for around 40% of consumers. |
| Decoration and quantity | Work out how many bakes you’re making and how many aniseed sprinkles you want to use on each one before choosing a pack. | The familiar aniseed-sprinkle decoration matters for my bakes, but I don’t want too much left over. For around 20% of consumers, this practical consideration is the top priority. |
Using fewer sprinkles means less sugar per treat, but the sugar content of the product per 100 g stays the same. Albert Heijn and Jumbo each list 79 g of sugars per 100 g for the De Ruijter variants discussed here.
Only say ‘less sugar’ if you can compare the nutritional information with that of the exact alternative variant. Otherwise, simply describe standard aniseed sprinkles as a small decoration.
A festive topping isn’t automatically suitable for everyone. The De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes discussed here list wheat and cereals containing gluten.
Ask about the school rules and the group’s needs in advance. Then check the label on the pack you’re actually going to use.
One pack may be more than enough for a small group, especially if you’re only using the sprinkles as decoration.
Count the treats and work out in advance how much topping you want to use on each one.
Any sprinkles left over after decorating will need to be kept for later or will go unused.
Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes are two De Ruijter variants to distinguish between when comparing packaging and nutritional information.
Compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g on the exact packs; a smaller portion of standard aniseed sprinkles isn’t a lower-sugar variant. Albert Heijn and Jumbo product information lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for each of the De Ruijter Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes discussed here. Lower-sugar chocolate sprinkles are also a different product from aniseed sprinkles.
A smaller amount of aniseed sprinkles contains less sugar than a larger amount of the same sprinkles, but the sugar content per 100 g doesn’t change. So decide how much decoration you want to use on each treat without presenting that portion choice as a product feature.
Ask in advance what rules apply to this school fair. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, school policy can determine what treats are allowed; also ask about allergies and products that children don’t eat for other reasons.
No. Albert Heijn and Jumbo product information for the Feestmuisjes and Gestampte Muisjes discussed here lists wheat and cereals containing gluten. Check the label on the exact pack before using it.
