Anyone giving a ready-to-present housewarming gift
If you’d like to hand over a gift without wrapping it yourself, consider chocolate gifts and selection boxes. Check that the packaging is suitable for the occasion.
Who is each option for?
Housemates bringing something to share
Biscuits are an alternative to a box of chocolates for coffee during a first visit. Lotus Bakeries also offers Biscoff in individually wrapped packs.
Anyone buying with food allergies in mind
If the student or a housemate has a food allergy, the information on the specific packaging is what matters. Check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings before giving the gift.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the gift is mainly for handing over straight away or for sharing together. Then compare the contents and check that the product is suitable for the people who will eat it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gift presentation | Check whether the specific box is presented as a gift and whether its packaging suits the occasion. | I want to be able to hand the student something as soon as they arrive, without putting a gift together myself. For around 36% of consumers, presentation comes first. |
| Sharing | Check how many pieces there are and whether they’re individually wrapped. | If the housemates are joining us for coffee, I want to put something out that everyone can help themselves to. Sharing is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and preferences | Read the current ingredients and allergen information; if you know about an allergy, ask what’s suitable. | If I’m not sure what the recipient can or wants to eat, suitability matters more than how the box looks. Around 21% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Availability | Check the current range at the shop you’re visiting and choose an alternative in advance if needed. | I want to be able to pick up a gift while doing my usual shopping, without relying on one particular box being in stock. For around 14% of consumers, this practical consideration matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Choosing a box of chocolates without reading the label
A selection box may contain ingredients that aren’t suitable for the recipient. Jumbo lists milk, hazelnuts, almonds and soya among the ingredients in its merci selection box.
Check the current packaging before you buy, and make sure the recipient reads the label before eating anything too. If there’s a known severe allergy, don’t rely on the brand name or product photo alone.
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Treating biscuits and chocolate gifts as the same kind of present
A Biscoff biscuit to enjoy with coffee serves a different purpose from a box of chocolates presented as a gift: one is for sharing, the other is for giving.
Decide what the occasion is before choosing the packaging.
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Counting on a particular box of pralines being available
Supermarket ranges can vary from one shop to another and change over time. That makes a particular box of pralines a less reliable choice if you leave it until just before your visit to look for one.
Check the shop’s current range and think of another product that would suit the same occasion.
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Forgetting the storage instructions
If the student won’t eat the gift straight away, the information on the packaging will still matter after you’ve handed it over.
Leave the packaging with the product, including its best-before date and storage instructions. According to the Voedingscentrum, storage instructions are shown on the label.
Brands and product ranges to consider
merci
Chocolate selections for anyone who’d rather give a box than individual chocolates.
- Albert Heijn sells Merci Finest Selection as a chocolate selection.
- Jumbo lists milk, hazelnuts, almonds and soya among the ingredients in its merci selection box; check the allergens on the specific packaging.
Celebrations
A chocolate gift pack and an assortment mix for anyone who’d like to share a variety of chocolates.
- Albert Heijn sells both a gift pack and an assortment mix.
- Albert Heijn notes that product information may change, so check the current packaging before use.
Choceur
An ALDI chocolate range to consider if you’re thinking of giving pralines as a housewarming gift.
- ALDI lists products including pralines and chocolate seashells with hazelnut praline filling.
- Check which varieties are available in store and read the ingredients on the packaging.
Favorina
A Lidl range to consider if you’re specifically looking for a box of pralines.
- Lidl lists Belgian and handmade pralines among its product types.
- Check the current range and the packaging of the variety you’d like to take with you.
Lotus Biscoff
Speculoos biscuits for sharing over coffee, rather than a traditional box of chocolates.
- Lotus Bakeries also sells individually wrapped Biscoff biscuits.
- Choose these for sharing biscuits, not when the presentation of a box of chocolates is the main priority.
Gifts for a student moving into a new home
These Joybuy products include chocolate gifts and a biscuit alternative for sharing over coffee. If you’re choosing a festive-looking pack, check which occasion it’s intended for; biscuits are more suited to sharing.
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Milka Happy Birthday Milk Cream Pralines, 110 g
A box of pralines for a chocolate gift; the birthday message may not be the best fit for a house move.
Contents: 110 g. Check the current allergen information, particularly if milk, soya or nuts are a concern.
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Lindt Creation Petits Desserts Ball, 173 g
A praline option for a small sharing occasion. Check the packaging if you’d like to hand over the box without wrapping it.
Contents: 173 g. If you have allergies or other dietary requirements, read the current label.
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merci Petits Chocolate Collection, 125 g
A small chocolate selection for anyone who mainly wants to give the student a gift, rather than bring biscuits for the whole household.
Contents: 125 g. Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the box you buy.
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Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Gift Pack, 288 g
A chocolate gift for anyone who wants to give bars; choose another product if you’re specifically looking for chocolates.
Contents: 288 g. Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging before sharing the gift.
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Lu Scholiertje Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 150 g
Milk chocolate biscuits for coffee with housemates, rather than for anyone looking to give a box of chocolates.
Contents: 150 g. Check for yourself whether the packaging is suitable as a gift, and read the current allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Should I check for allergens when giving someone a box of chocolates?
Yes. Check the allergen information on the current packaging, especially if you know the recipient has a food allergy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the labels of prepacked foods; gift packaging doesn’t automatically make a product suitable.
Should I compare pralines and biscuits in the same way?
No. Start by thinking about the purpose of the gift: pralines work well as a chocolate gift, while biscuits are an alternative for sharing over coffee. Then check the contents of the specific packs and consider who will be eating them.
What if the student won’t eat the gift straight away?
Leave the packaging with the product and follow the best-before date and storage instructions. According to the Voedingscentrum, storage instructions are shown on the label.
Can I count on finding a particular box of pralines at Lidl or ALDI?
Check the range at the shop you’re planning to visit shortly before you buy. Lidl and ALDI list pralines as a product type, but the selection in store can vary over time, so it’s worth having a suitable alternative in mind too.