Anyone who wants to serve portions quickly
If each guest gets their own portion with coffee, you won’t have to cut anything at the table. Check that the slices are individually wrapped and that the size works with the other food you’re serving.
Who are individually wrapped bars useful for?
Anyone catering for dietary requirements
A request to avoid sugar is different from a need to eat gluten-free or an allergy. Check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for the specific bar you’re planning to serve.
Anyone serving a bar as a sweet finish
With coffee or tea, you can choose between a plain bar and one with a more distinctive flavour. Also consider whether you’ll hand out the bars unopened or serve them in pieces; the latter calls for a different size.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide how you want to serve the breakfast cake bars and whether any guests have specific dietary requirements. Then compare the portion sizes and the number of bars in each pack.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving portions | Check the number of bars, the weight of each one and whether every portion is individually wrapped. Jumbo lists Peijnenburg Naturel as ten individually wrapped slices of 28 g. | I want to give every guest their own portion after dinner without having to cut the cake first. Easy serving is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Dietary requirements and allergens | Read the ingredients, nutritional information, allergen details and any ‘may contain’ warning on the exact pack; don’t rely on the variant’s name alone. | If a guest needs to avoid something, I want to know what’s in this specific bar. For around 29% of consumers, checking this is the main priority. |
| Flavour and presentation | Choose a flavour that suits the occasion and compare sizes if you want to serve the bar in pieces. | I want to serve something with coffee that complements the rest of dinner. Flavour and presentation are the priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Pack size and leftovers | Compare the number of bars with the number of guests and check the storage advice for any leftovers. | For a small group, I want enough portions without having lots left over. Around 14% of consumers prioritise getting this balance right. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘less sugar’ means ‘sugar-free’
The claims ‘less sugar’, ‘no added sugars’ and ‘gluten-free’ answer different questions. None of them tells you on its own what other sugars or allergens a bar contains.
Compare the sugar content per 100 g and per portion in the nutritional information, and also read the full ingredients and allergen lists.
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Assuming a gluten-free bar is suitable for everyone
Gluten-free doesn’t mean allergen-free. According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep contains milk, lactose and lupin, and may contain sesame and certain nuts.
If someone has a known allergy, check the current packaging for the chosen product before offering it to them.
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Choosing a pack without counting the portions
A pack with several bars could leave you with leftovers if you’re catering for a small group; a smaller pack might not contain enough individual portions.
Count your guests, then compare the number of bars and the weight of each one. Store any leftovers according to the instructions on the pack.
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Assuming every bar contains iodised baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether a product contains iodine just from knowing it’s a breakfast cake.
If iodine is relevant to your choice, check the ingredients for the specific bar or ask the manufacturer.
Brands to consider
These examples show the portion sizes and variants you can compare; the characteristics of one bar don’t automatically apply to every bar from the same brand.
Peijnenburg
A brand to consider if you’re looking for individually wrapped plain portions.
- Jumbo lists the Naturel 10-pack as ten individually wrapped slices of 28 g.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for each variant; the portion size of this 10-pack doesn’t tell you anything about other products in the range.
AH
Albert Heijn’s own brand offers both a Naturel 6-pack and a separate gluten-free breakfast cake bar.
- Albert Heijn lists the Naturel 6-pack as six portions of 55 g.
- According to Albert Heijn, the gluten-free bar contains milk, lactose and lupin, and may contain sesame and certain nuts.
PLUS
The own-brand range lets you compare a Naturel 6-pack with a 6-pack labelled ‘less sugar’.
- The PLUS range lists 330 g packs for the plain version and 300 g for the ‘less sugar’ version.
- Compare the nutritional information and allergens for the exact product before relying on the ‘less sugar’ claim.
Lidl
Lidl lists cake bars in raisin spiced cake and less-sugar breakfast cake varieties, with six bars per pack.
- The two flavours listed offer an alternative to a plain bar.
- Check the pack in store for the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens of the variant you choose.
Breakfast cake bars on Joybuy
This breakfast cake bar is one product to compare if you’re looking for a portioned option for your guests. Check the packaging to see whether the bars are individually wrapped and how large each portion is.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free 250g
If you’re serving breakfast cake bars at dinner, the key things to check are how many portions this 250 g pack contains and whether they’re individually wrapped.
The words ‘Less Sugar-Free’ in the product name aren’t a substitute for the nutritional information. Check the sugar content per 100 g and per portion, and read the ingredients and allergens on the current pack.
Frequently asked questions
Does baker’s salt always mean breakfast cake contains iodine?
No, don’t assume this is the case for a particular breakfast cake. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t have to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients or ask the manufacturer if iodine is relevant to your choice.
Is ‘gluten-free’ enough information for a guest with an allergy?
No, a gluten-free bar can contain other allergens. Albert Heijn lists milk, lactose and lupin in its Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep, and warns that it may contain sesame and certain nuts. Check the current packaging for the bar you’ve chosen.
How should I store breakfast cake left over after dinner?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging for any leftover bars. For opened wholemeal breakfast cake, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing it in a cool, dry, dark place in a well-sealed container. Don’t automatically apply this advice to every other variant or type of packaging.
What does the best-before date on breakfast cake mean?
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, ‘best before’ is a date indicating minimum durability, unlike ‘use by’. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your chosen breakfast cake, and check the product before serving it to guests after its best-before date.