Who is each option right for?

If keeping sugar low is your priority

You check the sugars per 100 g and don’t settle for a claim such as ‘less sugar’ on its own. Oat flakes may suit you, but they won’t replace chocolate flakes on bread.

If you want to keep using chocolate toppings

You want chocolate with your weekend breakfast, but are open to sprinkles instead of flakes. Compare the sugar content and product type before you choose.

If you’re specifically looking for chocolate flakes

You’re after that light, flaky texture. Check the nutrition information, allergens and pack size for each variety; a different type of topping isn’t automatically an equivalent alternative for your breakfast.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether sugar content, chocolate toppings or the texture of chocolate flakes matters most to you. Then check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the packaging; a comparative claim tells you something different from the product’s sugar content itself.

What to consider What to check Who is it important to?
Low sugar content Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets a maximum of 5 g of sugars per 100 g for solid products to carry the ‘low sugar’ claim. If sugar content matters more than having chocolate on bread, I want to choose a product based on its nutrition information. Around 50% of consumers put this first.
Keeping chocolate toppings Check whether it’s sprinkles or flakes, how much sugar the product contains per 100 g, and what a reduction claim is comparing it with. I want to keep using chocolate on bread or as a topping, even if that means switching from flakes to sprinkles. For around 30% of consumers, this is their top priority.
Flake texture and packaging Compare the sugars per 100 g, allergens and pack size for each variety. I specifically want chocolate flakes for my weekend breakfast, so I need to know what’s in the variety I choose. This matters most to around 20% of consumers.

The differences are clear: according to Jumbo, Jumbo Havermout Grove Vlokken Volkoren contains 0.7 g of sugars per 100 g, but it’s an oat breakfast product, not a chocolate topping. Albert Heijn lists AH Hagelslag puur minder suiker at 43 g per 100 g, with a 30% reduction compared with its own standard dark chocolate sprinkles. So ‘less sugar’ doesn’t mean ‘low sugar’ here.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘less sugar’ means ‘low sugar’

    Albert Heijn compares its lower-sugar dark chocolate sprinkles with its own standard variety. According to Albert Heijn, the product still contains 43 g of sugars per 100 g; for solid products, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets a maximum of 5 g per 100 g for the ‘low sugar’ claim.

    Use the comparison on the front of the pack as extra information, and always check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g as well.

  • Treating sprinkles, chocolate flakes and oat flakes as interchangeable

    Sprinkles and chocolate flakes are different shapes; oat flakes are an oat breakfast product, not a chocolate topping. A lower sugar content alone doesn’t make them interchangeable at the same breakfast.

    First decide what you want to keep: chocolate flakes on bread, another chocolate topping or oat flakes as part of breakfast.

  • Overlooking the ingredients in greatly reduced-sugar sprinkles

    Albert Heijn says Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers contains maltitols and carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check the current ingredients and warnings on the packaging, and bear in mind how much you use.

Brands and product ranges to consider

Céréal

The lower-sugar dark chocolate sprinkles are an alternative if you want to keep chocolate toppings but aren’t set on having them in flake form.

  • Albert Heijn lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g and 88% fewer sugars than standard dark chocolate sprinkles.
  • The product contains maltitols; the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Albert Heijn

AH Hagelslag puur minder suiker is an option if you’re comparing it with Albert Heijn’s own standard dark chocolate sprinkles.

  • Albert Heijn says it contains 30% less sugar than AH Chocolade hagel puur.
  • At 43 g of sugars per 100 g, it’s still a chocolate sprinkle product and doesn’t meet the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s stated threshold for ‘low sugar’.

De Ruijter

Royaal Chocoladevlokken are worth considering if you’re specifically looking for chocolate flakes, rather than the lowest possible sugar content.

  • Jumbo’s product information lists 56 g of sugars per 100 g for Royaal Chocoladevlokken, making it easy to compare this variety directly.
  • According to Jumbo, this variety contains soya and may contain milk; check the packaging of the variety you buy.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers both chocolate flakes and coarse wholegrain oat flakes: two different types of breakfast product.

  • Jumbo lists 0.7 g of sugars and 10 g of fibre per 100 g for Havermout Grove Vlokken Volkoren.
  • The coarse oat flakes are made from oats and aren’t chocolate flakes for sprinkling on bread.

PLUS

PLUS Chocoladevlokken puur are a standard chocolate flake product to assess by checking the nutrition information and packaging.

  • PLUS lists 63.8 g of sugars per 100 g for this dark chocolate variety.
  • Check the current packaging and product information when comparing this variety, as details may change.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products will be added soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘less sugar’ mean the same as ‘low sugar’?

No. ‘Less sugar’ compares a product with a reference product; for solid products, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets a maximum of 5 g of sugars per 100 g for the ‘low sugar’ claim. According to Albert Heijn, AH Hagelslag puur minder suiker contains 43 g per 100 g, despite being compared with the standard AH variety.

Are standard chocolate flakes suitable for a low-sugar breakfast?

The standard varieties compared here don’t meet the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s stated threshold for ‘low sugar’: Jumbo lists 56 g of sugars per 100 g for De Ruijter Royaal Chocoladevlokken, while PLUS lists 63.8 g for PLUS Chocoladevlokken puur. If sugar content will determine your choice, compare the nutrition information for the variety you want to buy.

What should I look for in sprinkles with much less sugar?

As well as checking ‘of which sugars’, look at the ingredients and warnings. Albert Heijn says Céréal Hagelslag puur minder suikers contains maltitols and that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

How should I store chocolate flakes and oat flakes?

Follow the storage and use-by information on the packaging of your chosen product. For Jumbo Havermout Grove Vlokken Volkoren, Jumbo recommends storing it in a cool, dry place and sealing the bag securely after use.