If you have a planned meal break
If you’ve brought bread, yoghurt, quark or porridge, you can use sprinkles as a topping. PLUS describes De Ruijter sprinkles as suitable for this; they’re not a standalone bar.
Which option suits you?
If you want a snack with no preparation
If you don’t have any bread, a bowl or cutlery during a short break, a bar is a better choice for eating on the go. Check the portion packaging, though: the word ‘bar’ doesn’t tell you how many portions are in a pack.
If you need to check ingredients carefully
If you have an allergy or other dietary restriction, the exact product variant matters more than whether it’s described as milk or dark chocolate. PLUS lists milk, lactose or soya in several sprinkles products, including some where you might not expect it from the flavour name.
What to look for when choosing
Chocolate sprinkles
A good choice if: you have a planned break with bread or another food to put the sprinkles on.
Keep in mind: you’ll need to bring both the sprinkles and something to put them on; they aren’t designed to be eaten straight from the pack like a bar.
Chocolate bar
A good choice if: you want something to eat during a short break without needing bread, a bowl or cutlery.
Keep in mind: a bar isn’t the same as chocolate sprinkles, and its shape doesn’t guarantee that it’s a separately portioned snack.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Easy-to-eat format | Check whether you’re buying a bar or a box of sprinkles, and how much the pack contains. | If I only have a short break, I want to eat my snack straight away without preparing anything. Around 50% of consumers prioritise a convenient single portion. |
| Using it with a meal | Choose sprinkles based on flavour, and make sure you have bread, yoghurt or another suitable base with you. | During a planned meal break, I want to use chocolate as a topping rather than eat it as a bar. This is the main priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Label and nutritional information | Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per 100 g and per portion on the pack you’ve chosen. | When ingredients are a deciding factor for me, I want to assess the exact product before taking it with me. Around 20% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming sprinkles are a standalone bar
The sprinkles described by Jumbo and PLUS are intended as toppings for bread or other foods. Without something to put them on, they won’t meet your need for a bar you can eat straight from the wrapper during a short break.
Before choosing a flavour, decide whether you’re looking for a topping for a planned break or a bar you can eat straight away.
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Relying on the flavour name to identify allergens
‘Dark’ doesn’t mean allergen-free: PLUS says its dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk and lactose. For De Ruijter milk chocolate sprinkles, PLUS lists milk, lactose and soya, among other ingredients.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact product you’re buying.
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Automatically treating a sweet snack as a meal for your break
Sprinkles are an addition to something else, and choosing a bar still doesn’t tell you how it fits into your break-time meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that many snack products are high in sugar or saturated fat.
First decide what you want to eat during your break, then compare the portion size and nutritional information of the snack you’ve chosen.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
Chocolate sprinkles in a range of flavours, intended as a topping.
- PLUS describes the milk chocolate sprinkles as suitable for bread and as a topping for foods such as yoghurt and porridge.
- For the milk variety, PLUS lists milk, lactose and soya; this is a pack of sprinkles, not a standalone bar.
Jumbo
Own-brand products include milk and dark chocolate sprinkles.
- Jumbo describes 300 g packs of milk and dark chocolate sprinkles.
- The milk chocolate sprinkles described are not individually wrapped bars; check the label of the variety you choose.
PLUS
Own-brand dark chocolate sprinkles in a 300 g box.
- The product information states that this dark variety contains Fairtrade Cocoa.
- PLUS says these sprinkles may contain milk and lactose. The box isn’t a single bar.
Venz
A brand offering sprinkles and other varieties for use as toppings.
- Venz says its Rimboe sprinkles can be used on bread and with foods such as yoghurt or porridge.
- For the separate Venz Kwinkslag variety, PLUS lists ingredients including wheat, milk and soya; check allergens for the exact product.
Kiekeboe
ALDI own-brand chocolate sprinkles in milk and dark varieties.
- ALDI lists 300 g packs of milk and dark chocolate sprinkles.
- These are sprinkles in a pack, not an individually wrapped snack bar.
Chocolate bars for your break
These Joybuy products are chocolate bars for anyone who’d rather take a bar than sprinkles on their night shift. Check the packaging if you’re specifically looking for one measured portion: the shape and weight of a bar don’t tell you this automatically.
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Lindt Creation Crème Brûlée, 150 g
A bar for a break without bread or a bowl. The pack contains 150 g; check how it’s portioned if you want to take one measured snack with you, and read the current label if you have allergies.
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Côte D'or Bonbon Bloc Milk Praline, 200 g
A milk chocolate bar with praline for a break. The pack contains 200 g; consider how you’ll divide it if you’re looking for a single portion, and check the current allergen information.
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Toblerone Milk Almond Nougat, 100 g
A milk chocolate bar with almond nougat that you can enjoy without bread or another topping base. The bar contains 100 g; check the packaging if portion size or allergens are important to your choice.
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Milka Broken Hazelnuts, 90 g
A chocolate bar with hazelnuts for anyone who isn’t bringing anything to put sprinkles on during their break. The pack contains 90 g; check the current label for allergens and portion information.
Frequently asked questions
Are chocolate sprinkles a standalone snack bar?
No. The sprinkles described by Jumbo and PLUS are toppings for bread or other foods, sold in boxes. If you want something you can eat straight from the wrapper during your night shift, look for a bar and check whether the pack suits the portion size you want.
When are sprinkles a good choice on a night shift?
Sprinkles are a good fit for a planned break when you can add them to foods such as bread, yoghurt or porridge. So bring a suitable base with you, or check whether one is available at work.
Should I check the allergen label on dark chocolate sprinkles too?
Yes, check the exact pack, even if the variety is called ‘dark’. For example, PLUS says its dark chocolate sprinkles may contain milk and lactose; ingredients and warnings can differ between other varieties.
How do I compare the nutritional value of sprinkles and a bar?
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and for the amount you actually plan to eat. Check the current label for details such as sugars and fats for that portion; the product category or pack weight alone won’t tell you what your portion contains.