Choose a large sliced breakfast cake if you want to portion it out at home, a wholemeal option if the stated fibre content matters to you, or individually wrapped slices for a day out. Check the nutritional information for each option: ‘zero’ does not automatically mean zero grams of sugars, and for the options described, xylitol and rye are also worth checking.
If you’re buying breakfast cake as an autumn half-term snack, you could choose an option with no added sugar. Also compare the sugar content in the nutritional information: ‘zero’ doesn’t necessarily mean there are none.
For a day out, it makes a difference whether you take slices from a large pre-sliced cake or bring individually wrapped portions.
With a wholemeal option, you can check the stated fibre content. Also check the ingredients and warnings if rye, gluten or xylitol are relevant to your choice.
First decide what matters most for this autumn half-term snack: the sugar information, convenient portions or a pack that gives you several snacks. Then compare the relevant product labels on a like-for-like basis.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and sweeteners | As well as ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugar’, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per portion, and look at the ingredients list. | If I want less added sugar, I still need to know how much sugar is in a slice. For around 45% of consumers, this distinction is the priority. |
| Portions for the journey | Compare individually wrapped slices with a large pre-sliced cake, and check the stated portion size. | For a day out, I want to portion out the snacks in advance without taking a whole cake. Convenient portions matter most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Stocking up | Check the pack size, the number of slices and the current label on the pack you choose. | If we have several snack breaks planned at home, I want to know how many slices are in the pack. For around 22% of consumers, stocking up is the priority. |
According to their product information, AH Ontbijtkoek zero and the Peijnenburg wholemeal option described each contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. So the wording on the front doesn’t tell you the full nutritional story.
Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, then use the stated portion size to work out what that means for one slice.
The zero options described contain xylitol. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large amounts of polyols can cause intestinal discomfort; the products described carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Before planning a day with several snack breaks, check the ingredients and warnings on the pack. Keep products containing xylitol out of the reach of pets.
The AH and Peijnenburg options described list rye or cereals containing gluten. So the information on the pack you buy is important if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
Before eating, check the current ingredients and allergen information on that pack.
Peijnenburg’s range described here includes sliced breakfast cake with no added sugar, a wholemeal option and individually wrapped zero slices.
AH Ontbijtkoek zero is a 485 g pack of sliced breakfast cake with no added sugar.
ALDI Nederland describes Koek & Bakker Gesneden Ontbijtkoek Zero as a 485 g pack of pre-sliced breakfast cake with no added sugar.
No, ‘zero’ doesn’t automatically mean zero grams of sugars. The AH and Peijnenburg options with no added sugar described here state that they contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g, so also check ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information.
The options described contain xylitol, a polyol. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, large amounts of polyols can cause intestinal discomfort; read the warning on the pack if you’re planning to take several portions with you.
No, ‘zero’ says nothing about gluten. The AH and Peijnenburg options described list rye or cereals containing gluten; if you’re following a gluten-free diet, check the current allergen information for the specific product.
Individually wrapped slices are handy if you want to hand out portions straight away; with a large pre-sliced cake, you can portion out the slices you need in advance. Albert Heijn describes a 485 g sliced zero cake, while the Peijnenburg box described contains individually wrapped 28 g slices.
