Choose breakfast cake if the children will add toppings, cut it or decorate it; choose chocolate separately for decoration or as a gift, as a box of chocolates does not automatically serve the same purpose. Sliced or individually wrapped portions are practical for a quick decorating activity, while an unsliced cake gives you more scope to cut out your own shapes. Check the current ingredients and allergen information for every product you choose, especially if a child needs to avoid something.
If each child is going to add toppings to their own slice, sliced or individually wrapped portions mean less cutting. Peijnenburg and Albert Heijn describe these types of packaging for specific breakfast cakes. If you want to cut out shapes, first check whether an unsliced cake is better suited to your plans.
The name of the breakfast cake does not tell you enough about its ingredients. The Jumbo wholemeal breakfast cake reviewed here lists rye, wheat and gluten; one Jumbo gluten-free variant reviewed here contains milk and lupin. So check the packaging of the specific variant you plan to use.
If you want to compare wholemeal flour, fibre, sugars or sweeteners, the nutritional information and ingredients list for specific variants are more useful than a label such as ‘zero’ on the front. Check the stated serving size and any warnings too.
First decide whether you need a base to decorate, chocolate for decoration or a gift. If you’re planning a breakfast cake activity, choose a format that suits the activity and check the packaging for ingredients that are relevant to the children.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statements. If you need a gluten-free option, check for other allergens too. | If a child needs to avoid an ingredient, I want to know whether this particular variant is suitable before we start decorating. This would be the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Shape and portions | Check whether the cake is sliced, individually wrapped or unsliced. Match the number of slices to the activity. | If each child is decorating their own slice, I want to avoid too much cutting; if I’m cutting shapes from a whole cake, I need an unsliced variant. Around 31% of consumers would make the activity format their main consideration. |
| Ingredients | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and per serving, and check which sweeteners and warnings are listed on the packaging. | I want to be able to see what’s in a slice across different variants, rather than relying on labels such as ‘wholemeal’ or ‘zero’. This would be the biggest consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
| Storage | Check the number of servings, the use-by date and storage instructions, including what to do after opening. | If there are slices left after decorating, I want to know how to store them according to the packaging. This would be the main purchasing concern for around 15% of consumers. |
Wholemeal describes the ingredients, not the absence of gluten. For its wholemeal breakfast cake reviewed here, Jumbo lists rye, wheat and gluten, among other ingredients.
If you need to eat gluten-free, choose a variant clearly labelled as gluten-free and check the packaging for other allergens too.
These labels don’t tell you which sweeteners or allergens a breakfast cake contains. The variants reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific variant, and read the warnings before choosing portions for the activity.
Albert Heijn says product information can change. So the packaging from a previous purchase may not show the same information as the cake you have now.
Before using it, read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, even if you’ve bought that variant before.
Breakfast cake can be a base to cut or add toppings to; a box of chocolates might be intended as a gift or provide chocolate for decoration. They serve different purposes.
First decide what role the product will play during the baking activity. Then check the ingredients and allergens for the breakfast cake and any chocolate separately.
The Peijnenburg product ranges reviewed include both individually wrapped slices and a sliced wholemeal variant. Packaging and ingredients vary by product.
The allergens to consider vary considerably between the Jumbo variants reviewed, depending on which breakfast cake you choose.
The AH Ontbijtkoek zero reviewed is sliced. This makes it a relevant option for an activity where children decorate individual slices.
No. Sliced or individually wrapped portions work well if each child is adding toppings to their own portion. If you want to cut shapes from a whole cake, look for an unsliced variant and allow extra time for preparation.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging for the variant you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be clearly stated on the label. Even with gluten-free breakfast cake, check for other ingredients a child needs to avoid, such as milk or lupin in the Jumbo variant reviewed here.
No. On its own, that label says nothing about allergens or whether the product contains sweeteners. The zero variants reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain sweeteners and carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. So read the ingredients and warnings for the variant you choose.
No, don’t assume this without checking the product information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even the use of baker’s salt in bread is not compulsory; this does not tell you which salt is used in a specific breakfast cake. Check the product’s ingredients list.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the breakfast cake you’ve used, especially if it has already been opened. The Jumbo and Albert Heijn product pages reviewed recommend storing the products in a cool, dry place; also check the use-by date and any additional instructions for after opening.
