Don’t choose ordinary chocolate flakes if sugar-free is a strict requirement: PLUS lists 63.8 g of sugars per 100 g for its dark chocolate flakes, while the Voedingscentrum defines sugar-free as no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. In that case, look for a different chocolate spread or topping and check its sugar-free claim and nutritional information. If ordinary flakes are suitable for your celebration, also check the ingredients, allergens and pack size.
If you want to serve flakes as a bread topping or dessert topping, first check whether the product is actually labelled sugar-free and what its nutritional information says per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, sugar-free means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If sugar-free isn’t a strict requirement, you could consider ordinary flakes for rolls or desserts. De Ruijter’s product information at PLUS also suggests using them as a topping. Choose a flavour and pack size that suit what you’re serving.
Ask guests in advance which ingredients they need to avoid, then read the packaging for the variety you choose. For example, PLUS’s product information lists milk, lactose and soya for De Ruijter milk chocolate flakes; allergen information may differ for other flakes.
First decide whether sugar-free is a strict requirement for the birthday party. Then check the allergens in your chosen variety, followed by its flavour, intended use and pack size.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free | Check the claim and the number of grams of sugars per 100 g. The Voedingscentrum defines sugar-free as no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If sugar-free is a strict requirement for my guests, I don’t want to choose ordinary flakes based on the product name alone. For around 50% of consumers, this sugar-free requirement comes first. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, including any warnings about possible traces. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in this particular variety before serving it. Checking for allergens is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Flavour and quantity | Choose a flavour for bread or toppings, and compare pack sizes with how much you want to serve. | For rolls or desserts, I want a flavour and quantity that suit my party, as long as the ingredients are suitable for my guests. Around 20% of consumers give this consideration top priority. |
These claims don’t mean the same thing. According to the Voedingscentrum, sugar-free means a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If sugar-free is a strict requirement, compare the claim on the packaging with the nutritional information per 100 g.
PLUS lists 63.8 g of sugars per 100 g for its dark chocolate flakes, 70 g for De Ruijter milk chocolate flakes and 71 g for Choca flakes. These varieties aren’t suitable if you have a strict sugar-free requirement.
In that case, look for a different type of chocolate spread or topping, and check its claim and nutritional information too.
Dark chocolate doesn’t necessarily mean a product is free from milk. According to PLUS’s product information, its dark flakes may contain milk and lactose; De Ruijter milk chocolate flakes contain milk, lactose and soya.
When buying, check the ingredients and allergen information for every variety you plan to serve.
Chocolate flakes that are also described as a topping for desserts and baked goods.
The online flakes category includes AH own-brand products, De Ruijter, Choca and Venz.
The online category includes own-brand flakes and branded products.
Lidl describes its milk chocolate flakes as coming in a 300 g pack.
ALDI lists Kiekeboe chocolate flakes in milk or dark, in a 300 g pack.
For its 300 g pack of dark chocolate flakes, PLUS lists the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
According to the Voedingscentrum, sugar-free means that a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ is a different claim and doesn’t in itself mean that the product meets this limit, so check the nutritional information per 100 g.
The varieties from PLUS, De Ruijter and Choca mentioned here aren’t suitable: according to the product information at PLUS, they contain 63.8 g, 70 g and 71 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. For any other product, always check the claim and nutritional information for that specific variety.
Ask which ingredients your guests need to avoid, then check the packaging for every variety you choose before serving. PLUS’s product information lists milk, lactose and soya for De Ruijter milk chocolate flakes; possible traces of milk and lactose for PLUS dark flakes; and wheat and soya, with possible traces of milk, for Choca flakes.
