Who is this choice relevant to?

People who prepare portions at home

You regularly take breakfast cake with you and can slice a large cake or wrap individual slices at home. Above all, you want to choose a pack whose contents you’ll use up.

Sportspeople who want to grab a portion and go

You want to put a slice in your gym bag without having to cut it first. In that case, there’s an important difference between pre-sliced cake and individually wrapped slices: sliced doesn’t automatically mean individually wrapped.

People who compare labels

You check the sugars, fibre, ingredients or allergens in a specific variety. A claim on the front of the pack doesn’t replace checking the label.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you can portion it at home or need a slice that’s ready to take with you. Then compare the pack size and nutritional information for the varieties you’re considering.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Making your money go further Compare the size of large cakes and portion packs; choose an amount you’ll be able to use up. If I often take a slice with me and can portion it at home, I don’t want to buy a large cake that I won’t finish. Around 33% of consumers put making their money go further first.
Ready to take with you Check whether the slices are simply pre-cut or individually wrapped too, and how many grams each portion contains. Just before I leave, I want to be able to grab a slice without having to cut or wrap anything first. For around 27% of consumers, convenience is the main priority.
Nutritional information Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g; also check the portion size and ingredients for the same variety. If I’m choosing between plain, wholemeal and other varieties, I want to know what I’m eating per slice rather than relying on a name. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this comparison.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the pack for the exact variety. If I need to avoid a particular ingredient or allergen, the packaging for that specific cake needs to give me the answer. For roughly 13% of consumers, this check comes first.

Common mistakes

  • Looking only at the size of the pack

    A large cake is most practical when you can prepare slices at home and use it all up. A smaller pack of individual portions meets a different need.

    First decide how you want to take your breakfast cake with you, then compare packs that suit that purpose.

  • Assuming portion packs are better nutritionally

    Individual wrapping makes a slice easy to take with you, but it doesn’t change the nutritional values of that variety. PLUS lists 11 g of sugars per 28 g slice for Peijnenburg plain in a portion pack.

    Choose the packaging for the convenience you want, and compare sugars, fibre and ingredients separately on the label.

  • Trusting the variety name without reading the label

    A claim such as wholemeal or no added sugars doesn’t answer every question about a product’s nutritional information.

    Check the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g and, where listed, per portion for the exact breakfast cake.

  • Guessing allergens from the product name

    Ingredients vary between varieties. For example, PLUS lists wheat and rye for Korenlanders Bakkers plain breakfast cake.

    If you have a relevant allergy or need to avoid an ingredient, always check the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack.

Brands and shops to consider

Peijnenburg

Offers large cakes as well as individually wrapped slices. This makes it a relevant brand if you’re choosing between portioning at home and taking a slice with you.

  • According to Peijnenburg, the plain 10-pack contains ten individually wrapped 28 g slices.
  • Compare the nutritional information for the variety you choose; convenient packaging tells you nothing about its sugar content.

Albert Heijn

The 600 g AH breakfast cake is an own-brand option if you want to prepare your own slices at home.

  • Albert Heijn lists a pack size of 600 g.
  • Albert Heijn notes that ingredients and nutritional values may change, so check the current pack.

Jumbo

Offers different Peijnenburg formats, including a large pre-sliced cake and individually wrapped portions.

  • These formats make it easy to compare pre-sliced pieces with individually wrapped portions.
  • Check which variety is available at your shop and read the label on that pack.

ALDI

Offers Goud Gebakken plain and sliced Koek & Bakker varieties, including wholemeal and zero.

  • ALDI lists a 550 g cake for Goud Gebakken plain and 485 g packs for the sliced varieties mentioned.
  • For a zero variety, check the nutritional information on the pack; the variety name alone doesn’t tell you everything about its nutritional values.

PLUS

Offers both Korenlanders Bakkers plain breakfast cake and a Peijnenburg portion pack.

  • PLUS lists a 500 g pack of Korenlanders Bakkers plain, with ingredients and nutritional information.
  • For this Korenlanders variety, PLUS lists wheat and rye; check the current pack for allergen information.

Lidl

Lists breakfast cake zero as a shop product for anyone wanting to look at that specific variety.

  • Lidl lists a pack size of 485 g.
  • Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the exact pack in store.

Breakfast cake on Joybuy for your gym bag

These two breakfast cakes suit different ways of taking them with you: a Snelle Jelle variety for a portion on the go, and a pre-sliced g’woon cake so you can wrap a slice in advance. For a budget-friendly choice, also check the latest product details.

Snelle Jelle Less Sugar-Free breakfast cake, 250 g

Snelle Jelle Less Sugar-Free breakfast cake, 250 g

An option if you want to take a portion of breakfast cake with you. The pack contains 250 g; check the label to see how much one portion weighs and what its nutritional values are. The variety name doesn’t confirm that the cake is sugar-free.

View at Joybuy
g’woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

g’woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

A pre-sliced cake for anyone who wants to take a slice in a bag or container. The pack contains 485 g. Check the pack for the weight per slice, the basis for the nutritional values, and the ingredients and allergen information.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is breakfast cake automatically a suitable snack after exercise?

No, the name breakfast cake doesn’t tell you what nutrients a specific variety contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that breakfast cake is often high in sugar and low in fibre, and suggests a banana as an alternative. Compare the nutritional information when choosing between snacks.

What’s the difference between pre-sliced and individually wrapped breakfast cake?

You don’t need to cut pre-sliced cake yourself, but that doesn’t mean each slice is individually wrapped. Peijnenburg says its plain 10-pack contains ten 28 g slices, each individually wrapped; check how the slices are packed if you’re buying a different product.

Where can I check which allergens breakfast cake contains?

Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the pack for the exact variety. For example, PLUS lists wheat and rye for Korenlanders Bakkers plain breakfast cake; don’t assume the same information applies to another cake.

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean breakfast cake contains no sugars?

No, ‘no added sugars’ isn’t the same as saying that the product contains no sugars. Check the amount of sugars in the nutrition table and the portion size for the variety you choose.