Choose crushed aniseed sprinkles for an aniseed-flavoured decoration, but not to meet a requirement for Fairtrade-certified chocolate: the ingredient lists for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Albert Heijn and Jumbo do not mention cocoa. If your aim is to use Fairtrade chocolate, choose a chocolate product bearing the FAIRTRADE mark and the accompanying claim on the packaging. Before baking, also check the allergens and the school’s guidelines.
If you want to use Fairtrade-certified chocolate, the wording on the packaging is what matters. According to Fairtrade Netherlands, cocoa sourced through mass balance must carry a claim on the packaging alongside the FAIRTRADE mark.
For cupcakes, cakes or rusks, the aniseed flavour and familiar look of crushed aniseed sprinkles may be just what you’re after. The ingredient lists for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Albert Heijn and Jumbo do not mention cocoa.
When you’re making treats for a group, both the ingredients in the product you buy and the school’s guidelines matter. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that children may have to turn down a treat because of an allergy, religious beliefs or dietary requirements.
Choose these if: the aniseed flavour and familiar muisjes decoration are your priority.
The trade-off: the ingredient lists for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Albert Heijn and Jumbo do not mention cocoa, so this product does not support a choice of Fairtrade chocolate.
Choose these if: your specific aim is to buy Fairtrade chocolate and the packaging you choose carries the mark and accompanying claim.
The trade-off: chocolate sprinkles are not crushed aniseed sprinkles, so they don’t have the same aniseed flavour or appearance.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiable Fairtrade chocolate | Check that it is a chocolate product, then look for the FAIRTRADE mark and accompanying claim on the packaging. | For a fair with a Fairtrade chocolate goal, I don’t want to serve a decoration that doesn’t meet the requirement. This verifiable Fairtrade choice is the top priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| Muisjes appearance and aniseed flavour | Decide whether the decoration needs to be crushed aniseed sprinkles or whether chocolate sprinkles will do. | If I want to finish cupcakes or rusks with that familiar aniseed flavour, chocolate sprinkles won’t give me the result I’m after. This muisjes decoration is the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Suitable for the school group | Read the ingredients and allergen information on every pack you buy, and make sure your choice follows the school’s guidelines. | When I’m baking for a whole school group, I want to avoid anyone having to miss out on a treat because of its ingredients or school guidelines. Suitability for the group matters most to around 22% of consumers. |
The ingredient lists for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Albert Heijn and Jumbo do not mention cocoa. Using this product means you can’t correctly claim that the decoration is Fairtrade chocolate.
Use crushed aniseed sprinkles when you’re after an aniseed decoration. If the fair requires Fairtrade chocolate, choose a separate chocolate product and check its mark and packaging claim.
For Jumbo Chocolade Hagelslag Puur, Jumbo lists cocoa ingredients bearing the Rainforest Alliance Certified designation. This is not proof of Fairtrade certification.
Write down the exact certification the school or organisation requires, then check for it on the product you buy.
For a school group, the allergen information must match the product you actually buy. The listings for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes at Albert Heijn and Jumbo mention wheat and cereals containing gluten.
Read the label on the packaging before preparing the food, and check with the school what ingredient information the helpers need.
De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes are a good option when the fair calls for an aniseed-flavoured muisjes decoration.
Fairtrade Original chocolate sprinkles are a different type of product from crushed aniseed sprinkles and may be suitable if your aim is to use Fairtrade chocolate.
Jumbo has its own dark chocolate sprinkles, and the product information lists a different cocoa certification.
No. Based on the listed ingredients, this product does not meet a requirement for Fairtrade chocolate. The ingredient lists at Albert Heijn and Jumbo include sugar, aniseed and wheat starch, among other ingredients, but no cocoa.
Look for the FAIRTRADE mark and accompanying claim on the packaging of the chocolate sprinkles you buy. Fairtrade Netherlands says that cocoa sourced through mass balance must always carry a claim on the packaging alongside the mark.
No. A Rainforest Alliance designation does not show that a product is Fairtrade-certified. Jumbo lists Rainforest Alliance Certified for the cocoa ingredients in Jumbo Chocolade Hagelslag Puur; if Fairtrade is required, check for that specific mark separately.
Read the label on every product you buy and make sure the treats follow the school’s guidelines. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list wheat and cereals containing gluten for De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses that label information can be important for people with food allergies.
