Choose crispbread and sugared aniseeds if you want to serve the traditional treat for a new arrival; a breakfast cake bar is a different product. If you’re looking for a portion of cake to take with you, compare whether the bars are individually wrapped, how large each portion is and what the label says about sugars, sweeteners and allergens.
The occasion determines what you need: something to hand out when a baby is born, or a portion of cake for yourself.
If you want to serve the traditional treat for a new arrival, you’re looking for crispbread and sugared aniseeds. Albert Heijn describes sugared aniseeds as part of this Dutch tradition; a breakfast cake bar doesn’t serve the same purpose.
A single-wrapped portion can be handy for work, school or when you’re out and about, especially if you don’t want to open a whole breakfast cake. Check how many bars are in each pack and whether each one has its own wrapper.
If sugars, sweeteners, rye or possible traces of milk and nuts matter to your choice, compare the exact products. A brand name alone won’t tell you what’s in a particular bar.
First decide whether you’re preparing a new-baby treat or looking for a snack for one person. If you’re choosing breakfast cake bars, compare the packaging and label of the product you have in mind.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| The new-baby treat | Buy crispbread and sugared aniseeds if you want to serve that combination. If allergens are a concern, check the label on the sugared aniseeds too. | I want to serve crispbread with sugared aniseeds when visiting a new baby, not a different kind of cake as a substitute. For around 42% of consumers, this traditional treat comes first. |
| A portion to take with you | Compare the number of bars, the weight of each bar and whether every portion is individually wrapped. | Opening a whole cake isn’t practical if I only want to take one portion. For around 33% of consumers, a portable single portion is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, the ingredients and any warnings about sweeteners. | If I’m choosing based on sugars, fibre or allergens, I want to be able to assess the exact bar. For around 25% of consumers, the ingredients matter most. |
If you want to serve a traditional treat for a new arrival, a breakfast cake bar isn’t the usual combination of crispbread and sugared aniseeds.
Choose according to the occasion: crispbread with sugared aniseeds to follow the tradition, or a breakfast cake bar as an individual snack.
A claim about no added sugar doesn’t tell you how much sugar or how many polyols a portion contains. The Snelle Jelle Zero Kruidkoek sold by Jumbo also carries a warning about excessive consumption.
Read the nutritional information and ingredients for the exact product, including the portion size and any warnings.
Ingredients and statements about possible traces can vary between products. This matters if, for example, you need to check for rye, milk or nuts.
Check the label on the pack you’ve chosen just before buying, and check the sugared aniseeds separately too if you’re serving them.
A general statement about baker’s salt doesn’t tell you whether a particular breakfast cake bar contains iodine or how much it provides.
Only make iodine a factor in your choice if you have specific information about the product.
The differences below relate to the specific products mentioned, not each brand’s full range.
For its plain 4-pack, Jumbo lists four 28 g slices of breakfast cake, each individually wrapped.
Jumbo lists a pack of Zero Kruidkoek containing four bars, weighing 168 g in total.
PLUS lists a pack of plain breakfast cake bars with six individually wrapped portions.
This breakfast cake is worth considering if you’re looking for a portion of cake for yourself, not as a substitute for crispbread with sugared aniseeds. If you’re choosing based on individually wrapped bars, check whether they’re wrapped separately inside the pack.
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A breakfast cake to consider as a snack; check whether the portions are individually wrapped if you want to take one bar with you.
250 g pack. Check the current ingredients and nutritional information on the pack to assess the sugar claim. For allergens, also check for rye and possible traces of milk and nuts.
Not if you want to serve the traditional treat for a new arrival: you’ll need to buy crispbread and sugared aniseeds. A breakfast cake bar can, however, make a handy individual snack.
Read the label of the exact product you’re buying. Check the ingredients for things such as rye, and look for statements about possible traces. If you’re serving crispbread with sugared aniseeds, check the label on each product separately.
No, that claim doesn’t mean the same as ‘sugar-free’. For the product you’ve chosen, check the sugars per 100 g and per portion, the ingredients and any warnings about sweeteners.
No, don’t assume that every breakfast cake bar provides iodine. To choose a product based on its iodine content, you’ll need specific information about that particular product.
