Looking for a small snack to curb your hunger shortly before exercise? Choose a breakfast cake bar whose portion size and ingredients you can check. Individually wrapped bars are handy to take with you. A protein or lower-sugar version may not be more comfortable to eat just before exercise: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against having a large snack, or something high in fat, protein or fibre, immediately beforehand.
If you want a small bite before heading out, consider the portion size and what you find comfortable to eat just before exercise. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercising.
An individually wrapped bar fits in your bag without you having to open a whole cake. The Peijnenburg Tussendoor Nuts and Snelle Jelle Protein Banana versions reviewed here are individually wrapped, according to product information from PLUS and Albert Heijn.
If you’re comparing a standard breakfast cake bar with a protein or lower-sugar version, look beyond the name. Fibre, sugars, fat and protein per portion may be more relevant to your choice before training than the claims on the front of the pack.
If you’re considering an individually wrapped breakfast cake bar before exercise, start by deciding what matters most to you: when you’ll eat it, the packaging or the ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Timing and stomach comfort | Check the weight of each bar and the amount of fibre, fat and protein per portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercising. | If I eat shortly before training, I want something small that sits comfortably; timing and stomach comfort come first for around 42% of these consumers. |
| Individual wrapping | Check whether each bar is wrapped individually and how many bars are in the pack. | When I’m out and about, I want to take one bar without opening the rest of the pack. For around 33% of these consumers, having a ready-to-go portion is the top priority. |
| Nutritional information and ingredients | Compare sugars, protein and fibre per 100 g and per portion; also check the current allergen information. | If I choose a protein or lower-sugar version, I want to know what I’m actually eating in each bar. Ingredients come first for around 25% of these consumers. |
Those claims don’t tell you how a bar will feel when you’re about to exercise. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against eating products high in fat, protein or fibre immediately before exercise.
Compare the nutritional information per bar. If you want to try an unfamiliar version, it’s better to do so during a regular training session than before an important sporting event.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Snelle Jelle Protein Banana contains four individually wrapped bars weighing 50 g each. So the pack size is different from the amount in each bar.
Check both the number of bars and the weight of each one before comparing nutritional values per portion.
Ingredients can vary between flavours and versions. The product name alone isn’t enough to tell you whether a bar contains ingredients you need to avoid.
When you buy a bar, check the current ingredients list and allergen information for the version you’ve chosen.
The Baker’s Salt Use Agreement published on Overheid.nl describes iodised baker’s salt, but that doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to be an ingredient in every breakfast cake bar. NBC states that its use isn’t required by law.
Check the ingredients list for the specific bar if added iodine is relevant to your choice.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for an individually wrapped breakfast cake bar. According to PLUS product information, Peijnenburg Tussendoor Nuts contains five individually wrapped bars.
A brand to compare if you want to consider a protein-labelled version as well as portion size. Albert Heijn lists Snelle Jelle Protein Banana as four individually wrapped bars weighing 50 g each.
A supermarket own brand whose plain and lower-sugar breakfast cake bars you can compare with other versions as individually portioned snacks. PLUS’s range overview lists packs of six bars for both.
This Joybuy pick is a Snelle Jelle breakfast cake version with ‘Less Sugar-Free’ in the product name. Before eating it ahead of exercise, check the portion size and the latest nutritional information on the packaging.
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A breakfast cake version to compare if you’re looking for a bar to take with you and want to check the ingredients before exercise. Check the packaging to see whether the bars are individually wrapped, and read the nutritional information and allergen details for each bar.
Pack weight according to the product name: 250 g.
No. A breakfast cake bar isn’t automatically a comfortable choice for every occasion or every person. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends having a proper meal around 2 to 3 hours before exercising. If you want a small snack just beforehand, pay attention to the portion size and avoid products high in fat, protein or fibre.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sports bars and gels aren’t necessary for exercise lasting less than an hour. At most, a breakfast cake bar can be a small snack if you’re hungry before you set off; it isn’t a requirement for your training session.
No, don’t assume that every breakfast cake bar contains it. The Baker’s Salt Use Agreement published on Overheid.nl describes the use of iodised baker’s salt, while NBC states that its use isn’t required by law. Check the ingredients list for the bar you’ve chosen.
Check the ingredients list for the name of the salt used. According to NBC, this may include terms such as ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised table salt’; don’t assume that iodine has been added just because of the product category.
