Choose an individually wrapped portion if you want to serve one bar after dinner without having to cut anything; choose a flavoured variety if taste is your priority. Then compare portion size, sugars and fibre on the packaging. If you have dietary requirements or allergies, always check the exact variety: less sugar does not mean sugar-free or gluten-free.
An individually wrapped portion saves you cutting anything when you want to serve a little something after dinner. Sizes vary: Jumbo lists Peijnenburg slices weighing 28 g each, while Albert Heijn lists 55 g portions for its plain bar.
If the nutritional content will determine your choice, check the nutritional information for the exact variety, both per 100 g and per portion. A claim such as ‘less sugar’ does not tell you on its own how much sugar a bar contains.
Before serving, check the current ingredients and allergen information for the bar you’ve chosen. According to their product information, Peijnenburg and Albert Heijn plain bars contain rye; an explicitly labelled gluten-free variety may contain other allergens.
First decide whether the bar needs to be easy to serve, meet particular nutritional requirements or add something to the flavour of the occasion. Any requirement relating to gluten or other allergens should take priority over those preferences when you make your final choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and packaging | Check the weight of each bar, the number of bars and whether each portion is individually wrapped. | If I want to serve one bar after dinner, I don’t want to have to cut a large cake first. Around 31% of consumers prioritise portion size and ease of serving. |
| Sugars and fibre | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion; distinguish ‘less sugar’ from ‘no added sugars’. | When choosing between a plain variety and one with less sugar, I want to know what’s actually in my portion. Sugars and fibre are the most important factors for around 31% of consumers. |
| Flavour | Choose between plain and a variety with ingredients such as raisins, nuts or chocolate; if there are added ingredients, check the allergen information too. | If the bar is a little sweet treat to finish the meal, I’m more likely to look for a flavour that suits the occasion. Flavour is the first consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
| Dietary requirements and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact variety. | If I need to avoid gluten or another allergen, the bar I choose must meet that requirement, whatever the flavour. This is the top priority for around 15% of consumers. |
Individual wrappers don’t mean the outer pack contains just one portion. For example, Jumbo sells Peijnenburg slices weighing 28 g each in packs of ten.
Check both the number of items in the pack and the weight and packaging of each portion.
‘Less sugar’ is a comparison; it doesn’t mean a bar is sugar-free. ‘No added sugars’ also doesn’t tell you on its own how much total sugar or fibre the product contains.
Read the ingredients and compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion in the nutritional information.
According to their product information, Peijnenburg and Albert Heijn plain bars contain rye flour. A gluten-free bar may also contain other relevant allergens.
If needed, look for a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging for other allergens too.
A bar containing raisins, nuts, chocolate or fruit may have different ingredients and allergen information from the plain variety made by the same brand.
Choose your preferred flavour, then check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for that exact variety.
Peijnenburg offers plain portions and breakfast cake bars in a range of flavours.
The own-brand range includes plain bars, a less-sugar variety and a gluten-free breakfast cake bar.
The own-brand range includes breakfast cake with raisins in a pack of six.
Lidl lists cake bars in varieties including raisin spiced cake and less-sugar breakfast cake.
ALDI lists a pre-sliced breakfast cake called Koek & Bakker Gesneden Ontbijtkoek Zero.
PLUS offers plain breakfast cake bars in a pack of six.
This type of bar is a good fit if you want to serve one pre-portioned serving after dinner. The pack shown contains several individually wrapped bars. If the variety name refers to sugar, always check the ingredients and nutritional information.
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An individually wrapped bar is easy to serve without having to cut a whole cake.
According to the product description, the pack contains five individually wrapped bars weighing 50 g each, so you’re not buying just one bar. The ingredients include rye and glucose-fructose syrup: don’t take the variety name as proof that the bar is sugar-free.
Check the current allergen information, including possible traces of nuts and milk. Only compare sugars and fibre once you’ve checked the nutritional information on a clear per-100 g and per-bar basis.
No. A bar can be individually wrapped inside a multipack. For example, Jumbo lists ten individually wrapped Peijnenburg slices in one pack. Check the number of items on the outer packaging.
No. Albert Heijn lists 18 g of sugars per 100 g for its less-sugar breakfast cake bar; the claim compares this variety with the same brand’s plain bar. Check the nutritional information per bar too, so you know what’s in your portion.
You shouldn’t assume so: according to their product information, Peijnenburg and Albert Heijn plain bars contain rye flour. If you need a gluten-free option, choose a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the current packaging.
Check the full allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen, not just the flavour in the product name. As well as cereals containing gluten, milk, lupin and nuts may be relevant; check the packaging for any ‘may contain’ warnings too.
You can’t tell from the product category alone. Check the ingredients for the exact bar if the type of salt used matters to your choice.
