For a summer BBQ, choose breakfast cake based on its ingredients and how you plan to serve it. Don’t assume it’s made with a blend of white and wholemeal flour. With a wholemeal variety that has no added sugars, check the sweeteners and allergen warnings. A larger pack of sliced cake or individually wrapped portions is mainly a matter of serving convenience.
You want to serve breakfast cake alongside other snacks, with fibre and sugar levels that suit what your guests are looking for. If you choose a variety with no added sugars, it’s also worth checking the sweeteners and any warnings about nuts or milk.
You want to know how much breakfast cake is in a pack and whether it’s already sliced. Individually wrapped portions may be more practical for handing out or taking away than a pack for guests to serve themselves.
If any guests need to avoid gluten, nuts or milk, check the ingredients and warnings on the exact pack. Rye contains gluten, and a warning that a product may contain nuts or milk is also relevant to anyone affected.
First decide which ingredients you want to offer, then consider whether a sliced pack for guests to help themselves or individually wrapped portions would work better for serving. Wholemeal, no added sugars and the packaging format are separate features of breakfast cake.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre and sugars | Compare fibre and sugars per 100 g on the exact pack. For a variety with no added sugars, check the ingredients list too. | If I want to offer a wholemeal option while keeping an eye on sugar levels, I want to be able to compare both figures. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Quantity for the group | Check the pack weight, the number of slices and whether the breakfast cake is pre-sliced. | When I’m catering for several guests, I want to put out enough slices without having to cut everything just before serving. Having plenty of ready-to-serve portions is a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Standard wholemeal variety | As well as checking that it’s labelled wholemeal, read the ingredients and check the sugars per 100 g. | I’m looking for standard wholemeal breakfast cake, without the additional requirement that it contains no added sugars. This choice of ingredients matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Individually wrapped portions | Check whether the portions are individually wrapped and how many there are in the pack. | If guests want to take something with them, I want to be able to hand out individual portions of breakfast cake. For around 14% of consumers, this ease of serving is the top priority. |
These are separate product features. Peijnenburg’s standard Wholemeal Sliced 12 Slices contains 39 g of sugars per 100 g; its Wholemeal No Added Sugars Sliced 12 Slices contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. These figures apply to these two varieties.
Compare the sugars line and ingredients list on the pack you’re actually buying, rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone.
According to the manufacturer, Peijnenburg’s breakfast cake with no added sugars may contain nuts and milk. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be clearly identified on the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that a ‘may contain’ warning indicates possible cross-contamination.
Keep the packaging available at the buffet so guests can read the ingredients and warnings for the exact product. If someone has a relevant allergy, don’t choose a product without checking its label carefully.
Peijnenburg offers a standard wholemeal breakfast cake and a 100% wholemeal variety with no added sugars. Both come sliced in 345 g packs containing 12 slices.
PLUS offers a 485 g pack of sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, which may be worth considering when you’re serving slices to several guests.
ALDI Netherlands describes a 485 g pack of sliced wholemeal breakfast cake under this brand, as well as a separate Zero variety with no added sugars.
Jumbo’s breakfast cake range includes both larger sliced packs and individual portions from its own brands and other brands.
These products suit two ways of serving breakfast cake at a summer BBQ: sliced wholemeal cake for guests to help themselves, and individually wrapped portions to hand out. If any guests have dietary restrictions, always check the label on the pack you receive.
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A sliced pack to put out at a buffet for a group. Check the nutritional information on the packaging before comparing it with other breakfast cakes per 100 g. If you need to avoid gluten, check the label on the physical pack: the reference to rye and the allergen information in the product details contradict each other.
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Worth considering if you want to hand out individual portions of breakfast cake. The variety name doesn’t prove that the product is sugar-free, so check the ingredients and nutritional information on the pack before choosing it based on its sugar content. The product information lists rye and gluten, and warns that it may contain nuts and milk.
No. Breakfast cake is a separate type of cake, not bread made with an assumed blend of white and wholemeal flour. For your BBQ, choose based on the ingredients and nutritional information of the breakfast cake you want to serve.
Wholemeal breakfast cake made with rye isn’t suitable as a gluten-free option, as rye contains gluten. Check the ingredients and labelling of the exact product for every guest.
As the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains, this warning indicates possible cross-contamination with nuts and milk. If a guest has a relevant allergy, ask them to check the warning on the exact pack before you serve the product.
No, you can’t assume that every pack does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority notes that bakery products may contain iodine from baker’s salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients of the specific breakfast cake.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the breakfast cake you choose. PLUS says to store its sliced wholemeal variety in a cool, dry and dark place. Keep the pack closed while preparing, following the instructions on the packaging.
