Choose chocolate sprinkles as a familiar sweet topping with an everyday meal, not as a substitute for your fuelling plan during a long run. A box of chocolates is better suited to a gift or sharing; don’t use it as planned running fuel without considering portion size, ingredients and what you can tolerate during training.
You want to know how sweet toppings on toast fit into an everyday meal, while keeping an eye on your overall carbohydrate intake for long runs. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses carbohydrates as part of nutrition for endurance sports.
You want to avoid a large or high-fat portion just before running, and prefer something you’ve already tried during training so you know how it sits. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise.
You’re looking for chocolate to give or share, without mistaking it for fuel during training or a race. Ingredients and allergens are important for the recipient.
Chocolate sprinkles and a box of chocolates serve different purposes. First decide whether you’re looking for a topping to enjoy with a meal or chocolate to give as a gift. Then check the portion size and the information on the packaging.
When: you want a familiar amount of sweet topping on toast for breakfast or lunch.
Consider: a sprinkle of chocolate is not the same as a full meal or a plan for fuelling during a run.
When: you want to thank someone or share chocolate around marathon time.
Consider: fillings and ingredients vary from one chocolate to another; a gift is no substitute for fuelling you’ve tested in advance.
| What to consider | Check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates per portion | Check the carbohydrates in the amount you actually eat, and how they fit into your overall meal or running plan. | For a long training run, I want to plan my carbohydrate intake rather than calculate using an amount of chocolate sprinkles I won’t eat. Around 42% of consumers put this ability to plan first. |
| Portion size and timing | Compare the portion size, fat content and any fillings; try a meal during training first. | If I’m going running soon after eating, I want to know how my usual meal sits. For around 33% of consumers, when they eat is the most important factor. |
| Toast toppings for home | Compare pack sizes, ingredients and the nutritional information on the label. | I’m mainly looking for chocolate sprinkles for my usual breakfast or lunch, not for eating on the go during a run. This everyday use is the priority for around 17% of consumers. |
| Suitability as a gift | Check the contents, ingredients and allergens so the recipient can decide whether it’s suitable. | I want to be able to give or share chocolate without pretending it’s race fuel. A gift is the main reason for this choice for around 8% of consumers. |
The merci gift box described by Jumbo contains 36,3 g of fat per 100 g. In an assorted box, the ingredients can also vary from one chocolate to another; the box won’t tell you how that portion will sit during a long run.
Buy the box as a gift, and stick to food and drink you’ve tried during training when you’re running.
For the varieties described by Jumbo, 20 g portions of De Ruijter Royaal puur and Venz puur contain 12 g and 14 g of carbohydrates respectively. So a figure per 100 g doesn’t tell you how much will end up on one slice of toast.
Compare products based on the amount you actually use.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise. An unfamiliar chocolate product may therefore be an inconvenient choice just before setting off.
Try changes to your meal on a training day, not for the first time on the day of a long run or race.
Ingredients vary between varieties. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the 14 specified allergens must be listed on the label.
If you have an allergy, read the current ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you’re buying.
Chocolate sprinkles for toast; the Royaal puur variety described by Jumbo comes in a 390 g pack.
Chocolate sprinkles as a sweet toast topping; the pure variety described by Jumbo comes in a 400 g pack.
Own-brand chocolate sprinkles for toast; the AH Hagelslag puur described here comes in a 600 g pack.
Own-brand products and a wider range of chocolate sprinkles in different pack sizes.
Dark chocolate sprinkles described by ALDI in a 600 g pack.
The assorted chocolates below are suited to giving or sharing; the two chocolate sprinkle products are intended as a sweet toast topping with an everyday meal. For a long run, don’t choose based only on these product types: consider your portion size and your usual fuelling plan too.
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A chocolate collection for a small thank-you or to share, not as a replacement for fuel during a long run. Check the ingredients and allergens for the recipient, and look at the pack to see the portion size per chocolate.
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An assortment of chocolates to give as a gift or share. Check the current label for ingredients and allergens, and check the nutritional information for the amount someone actually eats; don’t use the assortment as a substitute for running fuel you’ve tested.
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A gift pack for someone who’d like to try or share some chocolate. When giving it as a gift, check the ingredients and allergens, and read the portion information on the pack; its gift packaging doesn’t mean it’s suitable for eating while running.
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Dark chocolate sprinkles for anyone looking for a sweet toast topping with an everyday meal. Compare the nutritional information for the amount you actually use and, if you have an allergy, check the current label; don’t treat chocolate sprinkles as standalone running fuel.
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Dark chocolate sprinkles to enjoy on toast with a familiar meal. Check the nutritional values for your own portion and the current label for allergens; don’t treat this product as standalone fuel for a long run.
No. Treat chocolate sprinkles as a topping on toast with a meal, not as a complete fuelling plan for on the go. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of getting enough carbohydrates for endurance sports; consider your overall diet and the amount of chocolate sprinkles you actually eat.
A large portion just before a run isn’t an obvious choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against large portions and foods high in fat, protein or fibre just before exercise; try the timing and amount during training.
If you want to plan your carbohydrate intake during a long effort, look for products with a portion size you can control and that you can tolerate during training. For endurance efforts lasting 1 to 2,5 hours, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests a possible intake of 30 to 60 g of easily absorbed carbohydrates per hour; a sprinkling of chocolate on toast isn’t the same as a fuelling plan for on the go.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the chosen pack, even if you already know the brand. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the 14 specified allergens must be listed on the label; in an assortment, ingredients can vary from one chocolate to another.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the product you buy. The chocolate sprinkle products described by Jumbo say to store in a cool, dark and dry place; for a gift box, also check the advice about heat and the best-before date.
