Choose individually wrapped breakfast cake if you want to hand out portions over New Year’s Eve or take any leftovers with you later. If you’re mainly serving it at home to a group, you could also cut a larger cake into portions yourself. Either way, check how many portions you need and what the current packaging says.
It mainly depends on what you want to do with the cake: hand it out straight away, take it with you later or serve it sliced at home.
If you want to put out or give away breakfast cake over New Year’s Eve without having to cut it, look for individually wrapped portions. Jumbo lists Peijnenburg packs with ten individual portions, while ALDI describes Goud Gebakken Koekhappers as six individually wrapped pieces.
A pack of individually wrapped slices is also handy for lunchboxes for school or work after the festive period. Peijnenburg describes its plain 8-pack with no added sugars as eight individually wrapped slices of 28 g.
If you’re serving slices at the table, they don’t all need to be individually wrapped. For example, Jumbo lists a 550 g sliced Peijnenburg cake. Before you buy, think about how much you’ll serve and how you’ll store an opened pack.
First decide whether you want to hand out the cake as it is or portion it yourself. Then check the ingredients and the information on the pack.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portions | Check the number of pieces, the weight of each one and whether they’re individually wrapped. | If I want to hand out cake over New Year’s Eve without cutting it, individual packs are handy. Around 31% of consumers put this convenience first. |
| A larger pack to share | Compare the net weight and check whether the cake is already sliced. | When several people are eating at home, I’d rather portion a larger cake myself than lay out individual packs. Having enough to share is the main concern for around 31% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients, nutritional information and allergen statement for the variety you choose. | If I need to consider certain ingredients or want a variety with no added sugars, I want to know what’s actually in it. Around 23% of consumers put the ingredients first. |
| Buying in advance | Check the best-before date and any storage instructions on the packaging. | If I’m shopping well ahead of New Year’s Eve, I want to know whether the cake will keep properly until it’s served. This is the main thing to consider for around 15% of consumers. |
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it. So the product category alone won’t tell you whether a particular breakfast cake contains iodine.
If iodine is important to your purchase, check the label or ask the manufacturer about the variety you’ve chosen.
This claim doesn’t tell you what other ingredients or nutritional values a product has. The Peijnenburg 8-pack with no added sugars, for example, contains rye and may contain traces of milk, hazelnuts and almonds, among other things.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g and, if provided, per portion. If you have allergies, also read the warnings on the current pack.
If you’re buying the cake to eat later, check the best-before date and storage instructions on the pack you receive. Check the ingredients and allergens too before serving it to others.
Check the pack when it arrives and again before serving, especially if you’ve bought it well in advance.
These brands offer different portion and pack sizes. Check the details of the specific variety you choose.
For anyone choosing between individual slices and a larger, pre-sliced breakfast cake.
For anyone comparing spiced cake bars or a larger pack.
An ALDI own brand to consider if six individual Koekhappers suit your plans for handing out portions.
An ALDI own brand with a pre-sliced larger pack for anyone who doesn’t need individually wrapped portions.
If you want to hand out individual breakfast cake bars or take them with you later, this five-bar pack contains individually wrapped bars.
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The five individually wrapped bars are made for handing out or taking with you.
The product description lists 5 bars of 50 g each, making 250 g in total.
The name ‘Less Sugar-Free’ doesn’t confirm that this variety has no added sugars. To check, read the ingredients and compare the nutritional values on the same basis on the current pack.
No, you can’t assume that all breakfast cake does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt, but the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use it. Check the label or ask the manufacturer about a particular cake.
Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the specific pack before buying or serving breakfast cake. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens must be listed on labels. For example, the Peijnenburg 8-pack with no added sugars contains rye and may contain traces of milk, hazelnuts, almonds and other cereals containing gluten. Don’t assume the same applies to other varieties.
Check the best-before date, net weight and any storage instructions on the pack to make sure the quantity and date work for your plans. Before serving, also read the current ingredients and allergen information.
Follow the storage instructions for the cake you’ve bought and close the pack as directed. Joybuy says that G'woon breakfast cake should be stored in a cool, dry place and sealed properly after opening. Don’t assume the same advice applies to a different variety.
