Which breakfast cake suits whom?

Fussy eaters looking for a familiar taste

Plain breakfast cake can be a good starting point if finding a flavour they’ll enjoy matters more than choosing a specific wholemeal or sweetener option. Then check whether the size you want is available sliced or unsliced.

Shoppers prioritising wholemeal and fibre

Compare the proportion of wholegrain rye and the fibre per 100 g, rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ on the front of the pack. The Peijnenburg and AH options reviewed here also show why it’s worth checking the sugar information.

Online shoppers looking for convenient portions

Sliced pieces and a suitable pack size can help you decide. Check whether that particular option is available for delivery or collection from your chosen online shop.

What should you look for when ordering online?

Start with what matters most to the person who’ll be eating it: wholemeal and fibre, the sugar profile, or a familiar taste in a practical format. Then compare the exact products using the same nutritional basis.

What to consider What to check Who is this important for?
Wholemeal and fibre Check the proportion of wholegrain rye and the fibre per 100 g for the exact product. If I’m looking for wholemeal breakfast cake for a fussy eater, I don’t want to rely on the product name alone. Around 42% of consumers prioritise wholemeal and fibre.
Sugars and sweeteners Compare sugars per 100 g and per portion. For options with no added sugars, also read the ingredients and any warnings about polyols. I want to weigh up a different sugar declaration against the sweeteners used, especially if there are pets in the home. Around 33% of consumers prioritise the sugar profile.
Taste and format Check whether the breakfast cake is plain and sliced, how much is in the pack, and whether your chosen option is available for delivery or collection. For slices to put in a lunchbox, I’m mainly looking for a familiar option in a suitable size. Taste and convenient portions are the main concern for around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Assuming wholemeal means low in sugar

    Wholemeal describes the grain, not the sugar content. Jumbo’s product page lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for Peijnenburg Wholemeal; Albert Heijn’s page lists 34 g of added sugars per 100 g for AH Wholemeal. These are different declarations, so they are not directly comparable measures of the total amount of sugars.

    For each option, read both the ingredients and the nutritional information, and compare sugars on the same basis.

  • Assuming no added sugars means no sweeteners

    Jumbo lists xylitol and 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugars. The product information warns of a possible laxative effect if consumed in excess and states that xylitol is not suitable for animals.

    Read the ingredients and warnings before choosing this option, and keep products containing xylitol out of reach of pets.

  • Assuming a shop’s range is available for delivery

    Lidl’s breakfast cake page states that the product is available in store; the ALDI product pages reviewed also direct shoppers to stores. This doesn’t confirm that these options can be added to an online delivery basket.

    Check with the supermarket you’re ordering from whether the exact breakfast cake is available for delivery or collection with your order.

Brands to consider

Peijnenburg

Jumbo lists several options under this brand, including plain, wholemeal and no-added-sugars varieties in different formats.

  • According to Jumbo’s product pages, the wholemeal option reviewed contains 5.1 g of fibre per 100 g; the wholemeal option with no added sugars lists 17 g of fibre and 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The option with no added sugars contains xylitol and polyols. These nutritional values and ingredients apply to the options mentioned, not the brand as a whole.

AH

Albert Heijn lists sliced AH Wholemeal breakfast cake in a 485 g pack.

  • The product page lists 41% wholegrain rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g for this option.
  • The same page lists 34 g of added sugars per 100 g. Check the current packaging when you buy, as recipes and nutritional information can change.

PLUS

PLUS’s online category includes sliced wholemeal and zero breakfast cake from its own brand.

  • PLUS lists a 485 g pack for both options mentioned.
  • For a nutritional comparison, open the page for the exact option and check its ingredients and nutritional information.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI lists sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a 485 g sliced zero option under this own brand.

  • The product pages describe both options as pre-sliced.
  • The ALDI pages reviewed direct shoppers to stores and don’t confirm that these products are available for grocery delivery.

Tastino

Lidl lists Tastino breakfast cake as part of its in-store range.

  • The Lidl page reviewed lists pack sizes of 465–550 g.
  • Lidl’s page states ‘In store only’. For online shopping, check whether an option you can actually order is available from your chosen online shop.

Breakfast cake at Joybuy

This sliced wholemeal breakfast cake suits shoppers looking for wholemeal ingredients and convenient portions. Consider separately whether the taste will appeal to the person who’ll be eating it, and use the current packaging to compare nutritional values.

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

An option if you’re looking for wholemeal breakfast cake in pre-sliced portions. The pack contains 485 g.

Compare sugars and fibre with other options using the nutritional information on the current packaging.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is wholemeal breakfast cake automatically low in sugar?

No. The term ‘wholemeal’ on its own doesn’t mean that a product is low in sugar. Jumbo lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for the Peijnenburg Wholemeal option reviewed; Albert Heijn lists 34 g of added sugars per 100 g for AH Wholemeal. Compare the sugar declarations for the exact products on the same basis.

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

No. Jumbo’s product page lists 4.9 g of sugars and 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugars, with xylitol as an ingredient. So be sure to read both the nutritional information and the ingredients list.

What should I look out for if I have pets and the breakfast cake contains xylitol?

Keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of reach of pets. The product information for the Peijnenburg option reviewed states that xylitol is not suitable for animals and advises contacting a vet immediately if it is ingested.

Can I get the breakfast cake shown from ALDI and Lidl delivered?

Don’t assume you can get the options mentioned delivered: the ALDI pages reviewed direct shoppers to stores, while Lidl states ‘In store only’. For delivery, check the exact option and what’s available from the online shop you’re ordering from.

Does Dutch breakfast cake have to contain iodine-enriched baker’s salt?

The information cited from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority doesn’t establish a general requirement for all breakfast cake. It states that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other baked goods. Check the ingredients list of your chosen breakfast cake to find out what salt it contains.