If reducing sugar is your priority when choosing an afternoon snack, traditional aniseed sprinkles may not be the obvious choice: De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Jumbo and Muisjes Rose en Witte at Albert Heijn both list 79 g of sugars per 100 g. If you mainly want the aniseed flavour on bread or a rusk, keep an eye on your portion. If reducing sugar matters more, compare the nutritional information for other toppings, such as lower-sugar chocolate sprinkles. Chocolate sprinkles are not a like-for-like substitute for aniseed sprinkles in flavour or texture.
You’re looking for an afternoon snack and want to assess the sugar in both the product you choose and the portion you plan to eat. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ingredients and nutritional values are listed on the packaging.
You’re looking for aniseed sprinkles for their aniseed flavour and to enjoy on rusks, bread or yoghurt. If reducing sugar is important too, you’ll need to weigh that preference against the nutritional value of the variety you choose.
You want to know before buying whether a topping contains any ingredients you need to avoid. The product information from Jumbo and Albert Heijn lists wheat in the De Ruijter varieties mentioned here.
First decide whether your priority is reducing sugar, enjoying the aniseed flavour of aniseed sprinkles or choosing the ingredients for your whole afternoon snack. Then compare the packaging of products that suit your priorities.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Less sugar | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and for the portion you plan to use. Check whether a lower-sugar product is aniseed sprinkles or a different topping. | If I want to put together a lower-sugar snack, I want to know how much sugar the topping I choose will add in the amount I use. Around 42% of consumers prioritise reducing sugar. |
| Aniseed flavour and how you’ll use it | Check whether the product description mentions aniseed and the intended use as a topping or garnish. | If you specifically want aniseed sprinkles on a rusk, an alternative with a different flavour and texture may not suit you. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this familiar way of enjoying them. |
| The whole snack | Look at the rest of your snack as well as the topping. Check the ingredients and nutritional information, including sugars, fibre, fat and salt. | If the topping makes up only a small part of my afternoon snack, I also want to assess what else I’m eating. Around 33% of consumers prioritise the make-up of the whole snack. |
The aniseed sprinkles in this comparison are sugar-coated aniseed seeds, used as a topping or garnish. The nutritional values of biscuits or sweets therefore answer a different shopping question.
Check the product description before comparing sugar levels between products.
Colour and occasion don’t tell you anything about sugar content. De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Jumbo and Muisjes Rose en Witte at Albert Heijn both list 79 g of sugars per 100 g.
Check the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g and consider how much you’ll actually use.
A product labelled this way might be chocolate sprinkles rather than aniseed sprinkles. The label alone also doesn’t tell you how the whole snack is made up.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, read the ingredients and check for allergens if they’re relevant to your choice.
Ingredients and nutritional information can change when a product is updated. This is particularly important if sugar content or an allergen is a deciding factor for you.
So check the packaging of the variety you buy and use as well.
De Ruijter offers traditional and crushed aniseed sprinkles for anyone looking specifically for an aniseed topping.
Albert Heijn includes AH lower-sugar chocolate sprinkles in its selection of toppings for people watching their sugar intake. Chocolate sprinkles are a different product category from aniseed sprinkles.
Albert Heijn includes Céréal Hagelslag melk minder suikers in its selection of toppings for people watching their sugar intake. This is also chocolate sprinkles, not aniseed sprinkles.
Don’t assume that’s the case for the traditional varieties mentioned here: Jumbo lists 79 g of sugars per 100 g for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes, and 4.7 g per 6 g portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 11.9 g of sugar for 15 g of aniseed sprinkles. Also consider how much you use as a topping.
No. That label alone doesn’t assess the whole snack. Chocolate sprinkles also don’t have the aniseed flavour and texture of aniseed sprinkles. Compare the nutritional information and ingredients of the products you choose, and take the rest of your snack into account too.
Check the label on the variety you choose: Jumbo lists wheat starch in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes, while Albert Heijn lists wheat and cereals containing gluten in Muisjes Rose en Witte. Don’t rely on the information for a different variety.
Store the De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles mentioned here in a dry place, and follow the storage and best-before information on the packaging of your variety.
