Choose breakfast cake if you want to serve a slice or individual portion with your everyday cup of tea. A box of chocolates is a better choice if you’re bringing a small gift or want guests to choose from a range of flavours. Whichever you choose, check the portion size, nutritional information and allergens on the packaging you buy.
A sliced cake or individually wrapped portions make it easier to decide in advance what to put on the table. Compare the number of portions and nutritional information for the variety you choose. Words such as ‘wholegrain’ don’t tell you how much sugar, fibre or salt a portion contains.
A box of assorted chocolates puts the focus on presentation and a choice of flavours. Check that the size is suitable for the recipient and look at the ingredients of the different chocolates in the selection.
The specific variety matters more than the product category. Peijnenburg lists rye and warnings about ingredients including milk and nuts for its plain 10-pack; chocolate assortments may contain different ingredients. So check the label on the exact pack you plan to serve.
First decide whether you want an everyday portion to enjoy with tea or something to bring along and share. Then compare only the packs that suit your needs, paying attention to portions and ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gift and variety of flavours | Check the size of the box and the flavours it contains. See whether the packaging is suitable for giving as a gift. | I want to bring something to share, with a choice of flavours for guests. For around 40% of consumers, the gesture of giving a gift comes first. |
| Portion and nutritional information | Check the number of portions and compare the nutritional values per portion and per 100 g for the varieties you’re considering. | For an everyday cup of tea, I want to know how many slices or individual portions I can serve. For around 30% of consumers, a practical portion is the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the current packaging for the exact variety you’ve chosen. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I don’t want to rely on the product name alone. For around 30% of consumers, the suitability of the ingredients is the deciding factor. |
Portion sizes differ. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre uses a 30 g slice as a reference portion for breakfast cake; merci lists nutritional values per 12.5 g chocolate for Finest Selection. Comparing the values per piece without taking the weight into account isn’t very useful.
First decide when you’ll serve it, then check which portion the nutritional information refers to on both packs. Use the values per 100 g if you want to compare the products’ composition.
Ingredients vary between breakfast cake varieties and between chocolates in the same selection. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses that allergens must be clearly stated on the label.
Check the packaging of every product you plan to serve. If a guest has a specific food allergy, don’t rely on the front of an assorted box.
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) describes the Netherlands’ policy on iodised salt, with a particular focus on bread. This doesn’t mean that every breakfast cake contains the same ingredients.
Don’t base your choice of breakfast cake on an assumed iodine content. Check the current information for the specific product if this is relevant to your decision.
Breakfast cake available in sliced and individually wrapped formats, among others, for a relaxed coffee or tea break.
Chocolate assortments that can make a thank-you gift or a small present.
Assorted chocolates in gift packaging, ideal for sharing.
Chocolate in smaller bars that you can offer guests to try or share.
This selection includes chocolate assortments to bring along or share, breakfast cake for an everyday tea break, and chocolate biscuits as a separate alternative to enjoy with tea. Chocolate biscuits are neither breakfast cake nor a box of individual chocolates.
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A chocolate gift for anyone looking to bring something along to share. Before offering it to guests, check the packaging to see which flavours and allergens are included in this gift pack.
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An assortment of Lindor chocolates for a gift or to share with tea. The pack contains 200 g; check the current ingredients if not every guest can eat the same types of chocolate.
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Breakfast cake for anyone who’d rather serve cake than a box of chocolates with tea. The pack contains 250 g. Check the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g on the packaging; don’t assume the sugar content from the variety name.
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A 143 g chocolate assortment to share with guests. If presentation matters because it’s a gift, take a look at the packaging itself. Also check the ingredients of the different chocolate products.
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Milk chocolate biscuits for anyone who’d like to serve a biscuit with tea instead of breakfast cake or a chocolate assortment. The pack contains 150 g; read the ingredients and allergen information if you’re sharing them with guests.
Breakfast cake is a good choice when you want to serve a slice or set portion with tea; a box of chocolates is better as a gift or when you want to offer a choice of flavours. Compare nutritional values using the portions you actually plan to serve, rather than relying on the product category alone.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you’ve chosen, including for assortments with several varieties. Peijnenburg lists rye and warnings about milk and nuts for its plain 10-pack; merci lists milk, nuts and soya, among other things, for Finest Selection. Other varieties may have a different composition.
No, don’t assume that it does. The RIVM describes the use of iodised salt mainly in relation to bread. Check the information for the specific breakfast cake if its ingredients matter to your choice.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you buy. Jumbo says its 280 g Wholemeal Breakfast Cake should be stored in a cool, dry place; don’t assume the same instructions apply to another variety.
