Anyone who wants to take a single bar with them
An individually wrapped bar is handy for a coffee break at work or on the go if you want to keep the rest of the pack sealed. Check whether ‘bars’ on the pack also means individually wrapped.
Who are breakfast cake bars handy for?
Anyone who checks ingredients carefully
If you keep an eye on sugars, sweeteners or allergens, you’ll get more useful information from the ingredients list and nutritional information for your chosen variety than from the wording on the front alone.
Anyone looking for a different flavour or texture
Nuts, grains, seeds or chocolate can set a bar apart from plain breakfast cake. For these varieties, check the allergens for that exact flavour too.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start by checking whether you can open one bar without breaking into the rest. Then compare the nutritional information and ingredients of the varieties that suit your coffee break.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Taking a portion with you | Check whether the bars are individually wrapped and how much one bar weighs. | If I take one bar to work, I want to be able to leave the rest sealed. For around 36% of consumers, portion convenience comes first. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per bar; for varieties with sweeteners, check the relevant information too. | If you’re watching your sugar intake or certain ingredients, you’ll want to know what’s in your chosen bar before taking it with you. Around 29% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Stocking up for coffee breaks | Check how many bars are in the pack and whether they remain individually wrapped. | For several coffee breaks, I want to know how many portions a pack contains. For around 21% of consumers, planning their stock matters most. |
| Flavour and texture | Compare plain varieties with the flavour listed on the pack and check the corresponding ingredients. | If I like a bit of variety with my coffee, a bar with nuts or chocolate, for example, may be more appealing than a plain one. For around 14% of consumers, flavour is the deciding factor. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’
The two claims don’t mean the same thing. Peijnenburg lists sweeteners or polyols in its nut and chocolate varieties and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ‘sugars’ line in the nutritional information, the ingredients and any warnings on the pack for the exact variety.
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Assuming allergens based on the brand name
Ingredients vary by flavour. PLUS lists rye in its plain bars; nuts or other allergens may also be relevant in filled varieties.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information on your chosen pack, even if you’ve bought a different variety from the same brand before.
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Assuming iodised baker’s salt is used
The product type alone won’t tell you which salt was used in a specific breakfast cake bar.
If this ingredient matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on that exact pack.
Brands to consider
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers several breakfast cake bars in multipacks, including portions that Jumbo or Peijnenburg say are individually wrapped.
- Jumbo lists a plain pack with ten individually wrapped bars of 28 g; Peijnenburg also describes nut and chocolate varieties in packs of four bars.
- Weight, ingredients and allergens vary by variety. Check the information for the flavour you choose.
Jumbo
Alongside branded products, Jumbo also offers its own-brand breakfast cake, including a plain variety with six pieces.
- The number of pieces gives you a useful starting point if you’re looking for breakfast cake for several coffee breaks.
- Check whether the pieces are individually wrapped and read the ingredients for your chosen variety.
PLUS
PLUS offers plain breakfast cake bars in a pack of six.
- PLUS’s product information lists the ingredients and allergens for this variety, including rye.
- PLUS also mentions the possible presence of other gluten-containing cereals, milk, almonds and hazelnuts; check the current packaging if allergens matter to you.
Lidl
Lidl describes cake bars in packs of six, including spiced raisin cake and a breakfast cake variety.
- A pack of six could suit you if you’re looking for bars for several coffee breaks.
- Lidl says these cake bars are ‘in store only’; check the packaging and availability at your local shop.
Koek & Bakker (ALDI)
ALDI offers sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a sliced zero variety under this brand, both as larger 485 g cakes.
- Pre-sliced pieces could suit a coffee break at home.
- Pre-sliced doesn’t mean individually wrapped. Check the product format if you want to take a sealed portion with you.
Breakfast cake bars at Joybuy
This breakfast cake bar is worth considering if you want to take a portion with you for a coffee break. Check how the bars are wrapped on the pack you choose and read the nutritional information per bar.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g
A breakfast cake bar to take with you as a portion to enjoy with your coffee. The pack contains 250 g. For sugar content and allergens, refer to the nutritional information and ingredients on the exact pack, not just the variety name.
Frequently asked questions
Is a multipack the same as a single breakfast cake bar?
No. A multipack contains several bars; some are individually wrapped, so you can open one for each coffee break. Check both the number of bars and whether the pack says they are ‘individually wrapped’.
Does ‘no added sugars’ mean a bar contains no sugars?
No, this claim doesn’t mean the same as ‘sugar-free’. Read the nutritional information per bar and the ingredients list; Peijnenburg also lists sweeteners in its nut and chocolate varieties.
Should I check for allergens in plain breakfast cake bars?
Yes. PLUS lists rye as an ingredient in its plain bars and also mentions the possible presence of other gluten-containing cereals, milk, almonds and hazelnuts, among other things. Always check the current packaging for the bar you choose.
Does every breakfast cake bar contain iodised baker’s salt?
You can’t tell from the product type alone. If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the specific pack.
How should I store bars for a later coffee break?
Follow the storage advice on the pack for your variety. PLUS says to store its plain bars in a cool, dry, dark place; keep an individually wrapped bar sealed until you’re ready to eat it.