Choose a praline or gift box if presentation and a choice of fillings are your priorities. For a large number of guests, compare larger mixed packs or several boxes by weight. Check the allergens, any alcohol content and storage advice for each product. Chocolate biscuits are a separate serving option, not chocolates; if by ‘canoes’ you mean a specific other type of product, check exactly what you’re looking for first.
You’re looking for a box of assorted chocolates to suit the buffet table. Don’t just look at the packaging: check the ingredients, allergens, any alcohol content and storage instructions for the box you choose. PLUS features praline boxes with different assortments.
You want to choose an amount of chocolate that suits your guests. Compare the net weight and, if stated, the number of pieces per pack. Albert Heijn features larger catering-size mixed boxes, while Jumbo offers chocolates and pralines in different sizes.
At a buffet, you’ll want to know which ingredients are in each dish. Keep the packaging for every product and have the allergen information to hand. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) sets requirements for allergen information for businesses offering food to consumers; this does not automatically mean that the same business obligations apply to a fully private wedding.
First decide whether you want a praline box that’s ready to present, or simply enough individual chocolates to serve. Then check the information on the exact packs you plan to put out.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and variety | Check whether it’s a praline or gift box, and what fillings and quantities are listed. | If I’m putting chocolate on display, I want a box whose contents and packaging suit the presentation. An estimated 40% of consumers prioritise presentation. |
| How much you’ll need for your guests | Compare the net weight and, if stated, the number of pieces with the expected number of guests. | For a large gathering, I want to work out in advance how many packs I’ll need. Around 30% of consumers give the quantity available their highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label for each chosen variety and keep the product information available when serving them unpackaged. | When guests help themselves to chocolates from a platter, I want to be able to tell them what each product contains. For around 30% of consumers, this information comes first. |
Praline boxes can have different contents. The examples featured by PLUS show why it’s important to check each product’s ingredients, allergens and any alcohol content.
Read the label on the exact box you’ve chosen. If a business or caterer is serving products unpackaged, make sure information about any allergens present is available where the food is offered, as required by the NVWA.
ALDI warns that special-buy items can sell out quickly. Lidl says that the pralines mentioned are only available in store and that its range changes in part.
Check well ahead of the buffet which variety is available at your chosen branch, and have a suitable alternative in mind.
Finding a replacement product may mean extra trips to the shops.
A small praline box and a larger mixed box don’t contain the same amount of chocolate. Albert Heijn and Jumbo feature packs in a range of sizes.
Make a note of the net weight and the number of pieces, if stated. Only then decide how many packs you’ll need based on your guest list and how you plan to serve them.
Verkade describes Tops Milk Chocolate as biscuits with a cream filling and a milk chocolate topping. This is a different product from a box of pralines.
Choose biscuits only if you’re deliberately looking for a separate option to serve; if you want a box of chocolates, look for chocolates or pralines.
Worth considering if you’re thinking of serving chocolate biscuits individually as well as chocolates.
A shop where you can compare chocolates, pralines and larger mixed chocolate boxes.
A shop where you can compare different sizes of chocolate and praline packs.
Worth exploring if you want to check the contents and product information for each praline box.
Worth considering if you’re looking at larger boxes of chocolates or pralines.
A shop to explore for praline varieties if you can check the range in store.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), businesses offering food to consumers must provide information about allergens present. For unpackaged products, that information must be available where the food is offered; additional conditions apply if the information is given verbally. This does not automatically mean that these business obligations also apply to a fully private wedding. Even so, keep the labels so you can answer guests’ questions about the products you’ve chosen.
Check the allergens for each specific box, not just the brand name or type of chocolate. The product information for the praline examples described by PLUS includes milk, soya and nuts; the declaration may vary between varieties. So check the current label before putting the pralines out on the buffet.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the pralines you’ve chosen. For the Bel'Chic cream pralines mentioned, PLUS recommends storing them in a cool, dry place at 14–18 °C. Check that your storage space and buffet location meet the instructions for your product.
Yes, it depends on the box you choose. PLUS lists 0,3% alcohol for the Bel'Chic cream pralines mentioned and describes the Hamlet Praline Collection as alcohol-free. Check the packaging for the exact variety if this matters to your guests.
