If you’re looking for a meal after exercise, spritz biscuits or chocolate aren’t a substitute for a proper meal: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating a normal main meal after exercise. If you simply fancy something sweet, choose between a biscuit and chocolate based on the portion you want, and check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging. A box of chocolates is better suited to sharing or giving as a gift than choosing a single snack.
If eating after your training is mainly part of your regular diet, start by thinking about the meal you’re going to have. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating a normal main meal after exercise and discusses the importance of getting enough protein during intense activity.
If you’re mainly in the mood for a biscuit or chocolate, the portion size and nutritional information can help you choose a treat mindfully. Compare portions by product: a spritz biscuit and a chocolate biscuit won’t necessarily weigh the same.
Check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen variety before buying and eating it. Spritz biscuits and chocolate products may contain wheat, milk, egg or soya, among other ingredients; the composition varies by product.
When: choose this if eating after training is mainly your mealtime; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating a normal main meal after exercise.
Consider: a meal is different from the sweet treat you might be craving.
When: choose plain spritz biscuits if you want a biscuit without a chocolate coating, or chocolate-coated spritz biscuits if that’s what you fancy.
Consider: treat the biscuit as a treat, not a meal replacement; portion sizes and allergens vary by variety.
When: choose a box if you want to share chocolate or give it as a gift.
Consider: check the contents, portions and allergens of the specific box, especially if other people will be eating them.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Eating after training | Check whether you’re still going to have a proper meal. If not, compare the nutritional information per portion for the snacks you’re considering. | If I still need to eat after training, I don’t want a biscuit to replace my meal. Around 36% of consumers would make eating after training their main consideration. |
| Portion and treat | Check the weight per portion and the number of portions in the pack; compare nutritional values on the same basis. | If I’m just in the mood for something sweet, I want to decide in advance how much to have. For around 22% of consumers, choosing a defined treat would be the main consideration. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any precautionary warnings about traces on the packaging of your chosen variety. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, the composition determines which biscuit or chocolate I can consider. This would be the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Sharing or giving as a gift | Check the contents, the number of individual portions and any allergens relevant to the recipients. | If I’m looking for something for several people or as a gift, the packaging matters more than my own snack. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise sharing or giving a gift. |
A biscuit or chocolate isn’t the same as the meal you eat after training. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating a normal main meal after exercise.
First decide what you’re going to have as a meal; choose spritz biscuits or chocolate separately if you’d also like a treat.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that chocolate is also high in calories and saturated fat. Choosing dark chocolate doesn’t, in itself, tell you whether it’s suitable as part of your meal after training.
Choose based on taste and occasion, and check the nutritional information and portion size of the product you want to buy.
Plain spritz biscuits, chocolate-coated spritz biscuits and filled chocolates may have different ingredients and warnings. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products.
Read the current packaging for the exact variety you’re buying, even if you know another product from the same brand.
With plain Nobo Sprits and a milk chocolate variety, you can compare two types of spritz biscuits from the same brand.
AH Lunetta spritsen are a supermarket own-brand option to assess by portion size and label information.
Jumbo lists its own spritz biscuits with dark chocolate and Verkade Nobo Sprits Naturel, so you can check the product labels separately.
Sondey is Lidl’s brand for a range of biscuits and snacks. Assess a spritz biscuit or other biscuit using the information for the specific product.
Biscotto-roombotersprits is an option if you want to assess a pack of spritz biscuits by its contents and biscuit count.
PLUS offers roombotersprits and chocolade-sprits; compare the nutritional information and ingredients for each variety.
These products offer options for an individual sweet snack, portions to share or anyone considering a bar. They aren’t spritz biscuits or boxes of chocolates, so compare them based on what you’re actually looking for.
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A bar to consider if you’d rather take an individual snack with you after exercise than have spritz biscuits or chocolate from a box.
The pack contains 12 bars of 60 g each. The words High Protein in the product name don’t make this bar a meal replacement; check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
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An option if you’re mainly in the mood for a chocolate biscuit after exercise.
The pack contains 150 g. These are chocolate biscuits, not spritz biscuits; check the portion size and allergens on the label.
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An option if you want to choose an individual sweet treat from a multipack.
The pack contains nine chocolate wafer snacks. They aren’t spritz biscuits; check the nutritional information per piece and the allergens.
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An individual wafer if you want a sweet treat with a clearly stated weight per piece.
The wafer weighs 33 g and isn’t a spritz biscuit or a box of chocolates. If you have an allergy, carefully read the ingredients and warnings on the packaging.
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A pack of individual bars to consider if you want sweet portions to share.
The pack contains 24 bars, each weighing 90 g. This isn’t a box of chocolate truffles; check the nutritional information for each bar and check the allergens for anyone who’ll be eating them.
Yes, if you fancy a biscuit as a treat; don’t use it to replace a meal you still need to have after training. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends eating a normal main meal after exercise.
Not necessarily. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, most people who exercise can get enough protein from a normal, varied diet. So start by looking at what you eat throughout the day rather than focusing only on a product with a protein claim.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information is shown on the label of prepacked products. Read the ingredients and any warnings on the specific pack: wheat, milk, egg, soya and nuts won’t be relevant in the same way for every variety.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and seal an opened pack securely. Instructions may vary by product.
