If Fairtrade chocolate is what you’re looking for, choose a chocolate bar with a verifiable Fairtrade mark. But don’t automatically treat it as fuel for a long run. For on-the-go carbohydrates, consider how long you’re running, the amount per serving and what you can tolerate while running. A kano biscuit is a different option: it’s a filled biscuit, so think about portion size and timing around your training.
You want to know which carbohydrates you can take with you and tolerate during a long effort. Voedingscentrum discusses carbohydrate intake during endurance sports, but choosing a product also means considering how long you’ll be training and how much fluid you’ll need.
You’re looking for a chocolate bar whose Fairtrade claim you can verify on the product itself. According to Fairtrade International, relevant information about the mark is also printed on the back of the packaging.
You’re thinking about having a filled biscuit and want to know what it contains and when it might fit around a run. Albert Heijn’s product information for AH Roomboter kano's describes a butter biscuit with almond paste, not a chocolate bar.
Choose this: if your main aim is to buy chocolate with a verifiable Fairtrade claim.
Bear in mind: the mark alone doesn’t tell you whether a chocolate bar is suitable to eat while running.
Choose this: if you want to take on carbohydrates during a long, intensive training session.
Bear in mind: according to Voedingscentrum, sports gels, bars and drinks aren’t necessary for every athlete. Try your chosen fuel during training first.
Choose this: if you fancy a filled biscuit, rather than something specifically required to be Fairtrade chocolate or on-the-go fuel.
Bear in mind: before setting off, consider the portion size and fat content, especially if you’re prone to stomach trouble while running.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates during long training sessions | Check the carbohydrate content per serving and whether you can eat and tolerate the product while on the move. | If I’m running for a long time at a high intensity, I want to be able to eat on the go without interrupting my training. For around 33% of consumers, topping up on carbohydrates while running is the priority. |
| Fairtrade mark | Check the Fairtrade claim on the specific packaging and see whether it applies to the product or an ingredient. | I want to buy a chocolate bar whose certification I can check for myself, rather than relying on a general brand claim. This is the first thing around 33% of consumers want to check. |
| Stomach comfort and timing | Consider how long it is until you set off, the portion size and fat content. Try a new snack during training first. | If I’m going running soon after eating, I want to know whether a biscuit or bar will suit me. Stomach comfort and timing are top priorities for around 22% of consumers. |
| Kano biscuits as a snack | Read the label for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information, especially if the ingredients matter to you. | If I mainly want a kano biscuit as a snack, I consider it a filled biscuit—not a chocolate bar or sports gel. For around 12% of consumers, this choice of snack is the main consideration. |
For endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours, Voedingscentrum recommends 30 to 60 g of fast-absorbing carbohydrates per hour. That doesn’t mean every biscuit or chocolate bar is practical to eat while running. Consider the portion size, how easy it is to carry, your fluid intake and what you can tolerate during training.
During a long effort, it’s also important to consider how much you can take on and what you can tolerate while running. Voedingscentrum says sports products aren’t automatically necessary for every athlete.
Choose your on-the-go fuel based on the length of your training session, and try out your chosen type and portion during a training run.
A retailer may use certified cocoa without every product carrying the same Fairtrade claim. Lidl, for example, distinguishes between its wider cocoa policy and its Fairtrade-certified seasonal chocolate.
Check which mark appears on the packaging you’ve chosen and whether it applies to the product or to an ingredient.
Voedingscentrum warns that food high in fat, protein or fibre can stay in your stomach for longer and cause discomfort if eaten just before exercise.
Consider how long it is between eating and running. Don’t try a kano biscuit or chocolate bar for the first time just before an important run.
Ingredients and allergens can affect your choice of filled biscuit or chocolate bar, and product information may change.
Check the packaging before eating if you need to avoid any ingredients or allergens.
The product listing for AH Roomboter kano's helps you assess kano biscuits as filled biscuits.
An option to consider if you’re looking to buy Fairtrade chocolate from a supermarket’s own-brand range.
Lidl distinguishes between certified cocoa in its purchasing policy and Fairtrade-certified seasonal chocolate.
Worth considering if you’re specifically looking for chocolate bars or chocolate letters made with Fairtrade cocoa.
This chocolate bar suits you if you’re choosing chocolate as a snack. Consider separately whether and when you want to eat chocolate around a training session; it isn’t a kano biscuit or on-the-go sports fuel.
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A milk chocolate bar for anyone choosing chocolate as a snack. The product description mentions Fairtrade, so check the claim on the packaging too.
The bar weighs 180 g and, according to its product name, contains pecans and caramel. Check the nutritional information per serving and the allergen details before eating it around a training session.
A kano biscuit isn’t automatically Fairtrade chocolate: Albert Heijn describes AH Roomboter kano's as butter biscuits with almond paste. If you want to buy a Fairtrade product, check the claim on the packaging of the specific product.
It depends on the portion size, how long it is until you set off and what you can tolerate. Voedingscentrum recommends eating a meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercise and warns against large or high-fat portions just beforehand. Try a new snack during training first.
Eating during prolonged, intensive exercise may be useful, but sports gels and bars aren’t needed for every training session. Voedingscentrum recommends 30 to 60 g of fast-absorbing carbohydrates per hour for endurance exercise lasting 1 to 2.5 hours. Use training sessions to work out what you can eat and tolerate on the go.
Look for the Fairtrade logo or an explicit claim on the packaging, and check what it applies to. According to Fairtrade International, relevant information for products with multiple ingredients is printed on the back of the packaging.
Read the latest label before eating. Albert Heijn’s product information lists, among other things, egg, milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and almonds. Also check the packaging for the full ingredients list and warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
