Who is this relevant to?

Walkers who need to avoid sugar completely

You want to check the claim and sugar content of the exact product. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’ don’t mean the same thing.

Walkers packing a snack for a long hike

You’re looking for a snack that suits the duration and intensity of your walk, rather than simply a sweet with a particular shape or claim.

Walkers who are mindful of digestive comfort

You want to know which sweeteners a product contains and would rather not try a new sweet containing polyols for the first time while out walking.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re looking for aniseed sprinkles to put on bread, a sweet to eat on its own or another snack to take with you. Then check the exact pack and consider what you need during your walk.

Aniseed sprinkles

A good choice when: You want aniseed sprinkles for bread or a treat, and being sugar-free isn’t essential.

The trade-off: Holland Snack Express states that blue and white De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g, so this variety isn’t suitable if you need a strictly sugar-free option.

Gummy mice

A good choice when: You’re looking for a sweet in the shape of a mouse and can check the exact pack to see whether it meets your sugar-free requirements.

The trade-off: These aren’t aniseed sprinkles for putting on crispbread. A Belgian retailer lists maltitol syrup and gelatine in Joris gummy mice; with products like these, consider how well you personally tolerate them.

Another snack to take with you

A good choice when: You’re mainly looking for something suited to a longer walk, rather than specifically for aniseed sprinkles.

The trade-off: You’re giving up the mouse shape. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses sports bars and gels for prolonged, strenuous exercise; whether these suit your walk depends on the route.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this important for?
Sugar-free claim Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g on the exact pack. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a solid product can be labelled ‘sugar-free’ if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. I only want to take something with me if the sugar-free claim is accurate for the variety I’m buying. For around 40% of consumers, verifiable sugar-free credentials are the top priority.
Suitability for your walk Choose your snack to suit the duration and intensity of your walk. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses sports products specifically in relation to prolonged, strenuous exercise. For a long walk, I want to take something that suits when I plan to eat. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this when choosing a snack.
Digestive comfort Check whether the ingredients list includes maltitol or another polyol. Try a new product at home first and read any warnings on the label. I don’t want to find out how I react to a new sweet for the first time while I’m out. Predictable tolerance matters most to around 30% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming aniseed sprinkles and gummy mice are the same product

    The name and shape hide an important difference: the De Ruijter sprinkles listed are aniseed toppings for bread, while the Joris mice sold by a Belgian retailer are soft gummies made with maltitol syrup and gelatine.

    First choose between a bread topping and a sweet to eat on its own. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the products you’re actually considering.

  • Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, these are different nutrition claims: a product with no added sugars may still contain sugars.

    If sugar-free is essential, check both the claim and the sugar content per 100 g on the pack of the exact variety.

  • Trying a sweet containing polyols for the first time during a walk

    Polyols can cause digestive problems for some people. This can be especially inconvenient if you can’t easily stop while you’re out.

    Check the ingredients and any warnings. Try a small portion of a new product at home first.

  • Replacing all your walking food with sugar-free sweets

    The ‘sugar-free’ claim doesn’t tell you whether a sweet is suitable for what you want to eat while walking. The duration and intensity of your walk matter too.

    Decide in advance when you want to eat during your walk, and choose a snack to suit your route rather than relying on the claim alone.

Brands and retailers to help you get your bearings

De Ruijter

A brand of traditional aniseed sprinkles for bread or crispbread, with varieties listed by Albert Heijn and Jumbo.

  • The listings at Albert Heijn and Jumbo include varieties whose packaging you can check individually.
  • Holland Snack Express lists sugar as the first ingredient in its blue and white De Ruijter sprinkles, which contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g. Don’t choose this variety if you need a sugar-free option.

Joris

A Belgian retailer describes Joris soft gummy mice as sugar-free; these aren’t traditional aniseed sprinkles.

  • The product listing names maltitol syrup and gelatine, so you can check specifically for these ingredients.
  • Before choosing these gummies to meet a strict sugar-free requirement, check the claim against the nutritional information on the exact pack.

Albert Heijn

A supermarket with a category for aniseed sprinkles that includes De Ruijter varieties.

  • The product listings give you a starting point for comparing varieties and their labels individually.
  • A description such as ‘sugar-conscious’ isn’t the same as the nutrition claim ‘sugar-free’, so check the exact product information.

Jumbo

A supermarket with a category for aniseed sprinkles that includes De Ruijter varieties.

  • You can use the varieties shown to work out what kind of aniseed sprinkles you’re looking for.
  • The category label ‘aniseed sprinkles’ doesn’t tell you whether a particular variety is sugar-free; check the label for that information.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘sugar-free’ mean on a pack?

According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the nutrition claim ‘sugar-free’ means a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. ‘No added sugars’ is a different claim: a product may still contain sugars that occur naturally. For aniseed sprinkles, check the nutritional information per 100 g for the exact variety.

Are regular De Ruijter sprinkles sugar-free?

The blue and white De Ruijter sprinkles listed by Holland Snack Express aren’t: the listing states that they contain 79 g of sugars per 100 g. Always check the pack for any other variety, as its ingredients may differ or change.

Are sugar-free aniseed sprinkles suitable as a snack for a long walk?

A sugar-free claim alone doesn’t automatically make aniseed sprinkles suitable for a long walk. Decide what you want to eat during your walk and consider its duration and intensity; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses sports bars and gels in relation to prolonged, strenuous exercise.

What should you look out for if a mouse-shaped sweet contains maltitol?

Maltitol is a polyol that can cause digestive problems for some people. Check the ingredients and any warnings on the pack, and try a new product at home first rather than for the first time on a long walk.