Choose breakfast cake for marathon training according to when you plan to eat it. A wholemeal or seeded variety may suit you outside the period immediately before a training session, while a small, familiar portion without much fat or fibre may be a better choice just before an intensive run. Compare the carbohydrate, fibre and fat content, as well as the portion size, on the current label, and try a new variety during a regular training session first.
You’re looking for a small, familiar portion shortly before your run. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against eating a large portion just before exercise, and recommends avoiding foods high in fat, protein or fibre.
You’d rather eat breakfast cake as a snack or with a meal, outside the period immediately before training. In that case, you’ll want to compare things like carbohydrates, fibre and sugars on the label.
You’re looking for pre-sliced portions or individually wrapped bars that you can plan ahead and try during a regular training session.
First decide when you want to eat the breakfast cake. Then compare the portion size and the nutritional information that matters for that moment.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| How well you tolerate it before running | Compare the fibre and fat content per portion. Just before an intensive run, choose only a small portion you’ve tried before. | If I’m going running soon after eating, I don’t want a large or unfamiliar portion that could cause discomfort. For around 40% of consumers, how well they tolerate a product comes first. |
| Carbohydrates and fibre | Compare carbohydrates, sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion. For wholemeal varieties, check the ingredients too. | Outside the period immediately before training, I want to fit a snack into my usual diet. Carbohydrates and fibre are the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Portion and packaging | Check the weight of each slice or bar, and whether the product is pre-sliced or individually wrapped. | On a day when I’m taking food with me, I want to know in advance how much to pack. Around 20% of consumers prioritise a portable portion that’s easy to measure out. |
| Seeds and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. If it contains added seeds, compare the fat and fibre content too. | If I choose seeds for their texture, I also want to know which ingredients are relevant to me. For around 10% of consumers, this combination is the main reason for comparing products. |
Seeds add fat and fibre. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a large portion and foods high in fat or fibre can stay in your stomach for longer and cause discomfort if eaten shortly before exercise.
Try the variety and portion size during a regular training session first, not for the first time on race day.
Wholemeal breakfast cakes vary in composition. Albert Heijn states that Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugars contains 17 g of fibre and 24 g of polyols per 100 g. The label warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Compare the figures per 100 g and per portion, and consider when you plan to eat the product.
A reference to seeds doesn’t tell you which allergens are in the variety you’ve chosen. For example, Jumbo lists gluten, rye and wheat in its Wholemeal Breakfast Cake.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information, as well as any warnings about possible cross-contamination, for every variety.
Ingredients, nutritional values and allergens can change. This means a product page you viewed earlier may not match the packaging you buy.
Check the packaging again when you buy, especially if you switch flavour, brand or variety.
Offers pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, as well as bar-style varieties with grains, seeds and fruit.
Worth considering if you want to compare individually wrapped spiced cake bars for taking on the go.
A retailer offering its own-brand breakfast cake and a range of branded varieties to compare.
A retailer offering its own-brand wholemeal breakfast cake, which you can compare by checking the label.
A retailer offering wholemeal breakfast cake and breakfast cake bars, giving you a choice of formats and ingredients to compare.
The order shows a high-fibre wholemeal variety, an own-brand wholemeal variety and an individually wrapped bar as examples of different shopping scenarios. It isn’t an independent ranking of product quality.
| Rank | Product | Features | Why compare it? | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peijnenburg Wholemeal Breakfast Cake, pre-sliced | Albert Heijn lists 17 g of fibre and 51 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. | An example for anyone looking at a wholemeal variety with a higher stated fibre content, to eat outside the period immediately before a run. Compare the polyols and the warning on the label too. | Albert Heijn |
| 2 | Jumbo Wholemeal Breakfast Cake 280 g | Jumbo lists 61.3 g of carbohydrates, 8.2 g of fibre and 0.62 g of salt per 100 g. | An own-brand variety to compare for carbohydrates, fibre, salt and allergens. Its position here says nothing about whether it’s suitable just before training. | Jumbo |
| 3 | Snelle Jelle Kruidkoek Naturel 325 g | According to Joybuy, five individually wrapped bars of 65 g each; 70 g of carbohydrates, 40 g of sugars and 3 g of fibre per 100 g. | An example for when portability and pre-measured portions matter. Check that the portion and ingredients suit when you plan to eat it. | Joybuy |
These pre-sliced breakfast cakes and spiced cake bars are options to compare by format and portion size for your training days. If you’re specifically looking for seeds, check the ingredients on the packaging of your chosen product.
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The pre-sliced format is handy if you want to choose a portion in advance for a time when you’re not about to go running.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and the weight of each slice on the packaging before comparing portions.
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This pre-sliced wholemeal variety is worth considering when comparing snacks to eat outside the period immediately before training.
Check the fibre and carbohydrate content per 100 g, as well as the weight of each slice. Don’t try a high-fibre portion for the first time just before an intensive run.
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This spiced cake variety is another option to compare with other portable portions.
Check the latest nutritional information and ingredients on the packaging. The variety name alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar or fibre a bar contains.
Not necessarily. Seeds add fat and fibre, while the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against a large portion and foods high in fat or fibre shortly before exercise. Try a new combination during a regular training session first, and stick to a portion you already know just before an intensive run.
Wholemeal breakfast cake may work as a snack or with a meal, provided you tolerate the variety well and eat it outside the period immediately before a run. Compare the fibre per portion: Albert Heijn lists 17 g of fibre per 100 g for Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugars, while Jumbo lists 8.2 g per 100 g for its Wholemeal Breakfast Cake.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying, including any warnings about possible cross-contamination. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that the main allergens must be listed. With breakfast cake, gluten-containing grains may be relevant; for seeded varieties, check the specific added ingredients too.
The packaging may make it easier to take with you and plan portions, but it doesn’t determine whether the bar suits the time you plan to eat it. Joybuy lists five individually wrapped 65 g bars for Snelle Jelle Kruidkoek Naturel. Compare the nutritional information too, and try the portion during a regular training session.
