Who might face this choice?

People who want to eat after training

You’re looking for something to fit in with your next meal, rather than using sweets as a meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper main meal after exercise.

People looking to avoid sugar

You want mouse-shaped sweets, but need them to be sugar-free. In that case, the difference between sugared aniseed sprinkles and sweets sold as sugar-free matters more than the product name alone.

People who check for polyols

You want to know which sweeteners have been used before having a sweet treat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large quantities of polyols can cause digestive problems.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’re looking for aniseed sprinkles, mouse-shaped sweets or something to eat after exercise. Then compare the nutritional information and ingredients of products that suit your needs.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Eating after exercise Think about what you’ll eat and drink as a meal; don’t treat a sweet as a substitute for it. I want something to eat after training, not just to satisfy a sweet craving; this meal choice comes first for around 45% of consumers.
Sugar-free options Read the claim and check the amount of sugars per 100 g on the packaging. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the EU ‘sugar-free’ claim allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If I want to avoid sugar, the word ‘mouse sweets’ in a product name doesn’t automatically make it suitable; this is a priority for around 33% of consumers.
Polyols and ingredients Check the ingredients list for maltitol or other polyols, and read any warnings on the packaging. I want to weigh up sweets containing polyols against my own experience with these ingredients; this matters most to around 22% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming all products called ‘mouse sweets’ are the same

    According to Jumbo, De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes are aniseed sprinkles containing sugar, while Snoepman sells a Joris version in sweet form made with maltitol syrup. They aren’t necessarily intended for the same purpose.

    First choose between sprinkles and sweets. Then compare only products that match the flavour and use you’re looking for.

  • Thinking ‘sugar-free’ means it can replace a post-workout meal

    A sugar claim doesn’t tell you what else you eat or drink. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper main meal after exercise.

    Plan that meal if your aim is to eat after training, and consider a sweet treat separately.

  • Overlooking the ingredients in sugar-free sweets

    The Joris version listed by Snoepman contains maltitol syrup. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large quantities of polyols can cause digestive problems.

    Read the ingredients list and instructions on the packaging, and take your own tolerance into account.

  • Treating a product name as a full ingredients label

    According to its ingredients list, the standard Joris Muisjes bel at Albert Heijn contains sugar and glucose syrup. That information doesn’t tell you what’s in a separately sold sugar-free version.

    Check the nutritional information and ingredients on the packaging of the exact version you’re buying.

Brands and product types to help you choose

De Ruijter

Gestampte Muisjes are traditional aniseed sprinkles, not the same type of product as soft mouse-shaped sweets.

  • An option if you’re looking for an aniseed-flavoured topping.
  • Jumbo lists sugar as the first ingredient in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes, along with wheat starch. This applies to this particular version, not the entire brand.

Joris

Mouse-shaped sweets come in different versions, which you can’t compare based on the name alone.

  • Snoepman sells one version as sugar-free mouse-shaped sweets and lists maltitol syrup and edible gelatine among its ingredients.
  • According to its ingredients list, the standard Joris Muisjes bel at Albert Heijn contains sugar and glucose syrup. Check the current label of the version you choose.

Haribo

White mice are mouse-shaped sweets, not traditional aniseed sprinkles.

  • Their shape may be relevant if you’re specifically looking for mouse-shaped sweets.
  • Albert Heijn’s nutritional information lists sugars for Haribo Witte muizen, so this version doesn’t meet a sugar-free requirement.

Mouse-shaped sweets and snacks on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘sugar-free’ mean on packaging?

For the EU ‘sugar-free’ nutrition claim, Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. Check the claim and nutritional information for the version you’re buying; the claim alone tells you nothing about the other ingredients.

Are De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes sugar-free?

No. According to the ingredients listed by Jumbo, sugar is the first ingredient in De Ruijter Gestampte Muisjes. If you need a strictly sugar-free topping, don’t choose this version based on the word ‘muisjes’ in its name.

Can sugar-free mouse-shaped sweets replace my post-workout meal?

Don’t treat mouse-shaped sweets as a substitute for a meal after exercise. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper main meal after exercise; a sugar-free claim doesn’t turn sweets into a meal.

What should I look for in mouse-shaped sweets containing maltitol?

Read the ingredients list and instructions on the packaging, especially if you’re sensitive to polyols. Snoepman lists maltitol syrup in the Joris version it sells; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large quantities of polyols can cause digestive problems.

Is the Joris version sold as sugar-free vegan?

Not according to the ingredients Snoepman lists for that version: edible gelatine is included. Check the packaging of the product you’re buying before choosing based on its ingredients.