Prioritise organic credentials if you’re looking for a product with verifiable organic status; choose one labelled wholegrain if using the whole grain is your main requirement. These qualities don’t automatically go hand in hand. Whichever you choose, compare the sugars and fibre per 100 g, along with the ingredients and allergens listed on the packaging.
You want to be able to identify organic credentials on the packaging, rather than judging by its colour or appearance. The organic certification logo can help you make that choice; for sugars, grains and allergens, also check the nutritional information and ingredients list.
You want to know whether a breakfast cake is genuinely wholegrain. A dark colour or a mention of rye alone won’t tell you; check the product description and compare the fibre per 100 g.
You’re comparing breakfast cakes as a snack and want to know how much sugar is in a slice. If you’re considering a version with sweeteners, the ingredients and allergens also matter.
First decide whether organic credentials, wholegrain, sugars or ingredients matter most to you. Then compare the other details on the label: none of these claims answers every question on its own.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic credentials | For pre-packed organic breakfast cake, look for the EU organic logo and an organic label. | If you want to buy organic, look for a clear label rather than relying on green packaging alone. Verifiable organic credentials are the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Check for a wholegrain label and compare fibre per 100 g; rye flour is not the same as wholemeal rye flour. | If using the whole grain is my main reason for choosing breakfast cake, I don’t want to mistake flour for wholemeal flour. This need is the deciding factor for around 27% of consumers. |
| Sugars per serving | Compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and check how much a slice weighs. For versions with no added sugars, check the ingredients too. | For a snack, I want to know the sugar content of my usual serving, even if the packaging says it’s wholegrain. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the current allergen information and ingredients list, including any mention of rye, wheat, spelt, milk, nuts or sweeteners. | If certain ingredients determine my choice, the product I choose needs to meet my own requirements. This is the first consideration for around 13% of consumers. |
An organic label relates to how a product is made, not which parts of the grain it contains or how much sugar it has. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo organic breakfast cakes in this comparison list rye or spelt flour; Albert Heijn’s product information states 41 g of sugars per 100 g, while Jumbo’s states 41.3 g.
As well as checking for an organic label, look for a wholegrain claim on the packaging and compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
Peijnenburg states that its Wholegrain with no added sugars contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. The ingredients list also includes the sweetener xylitol.
If you want to take sweeteners into account, check both the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information and the ingredients list.
Jumbo’s organic breakfast cake described here lists rye, wheat, spelt and gluten; Albert Heijn’s version lists rye and cereals containing gluten. An organic label doesn’t change this allergen information.
If you need to avoid gluten, check the current allergen information for the specific product rather than relying on the grain name or organic certification logo.
The Covenant on the Use of Baker’s Salt, published in the Dutch Government Gazette, describes efforts to encourage the use of iodised salt. It doesn’t tell you which salt is used in a specific breakfast cake.
If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients list or ask the manufacturer for information about the product.
The plain, unsliced breakfast cake is a specific example for anyone looking for an organic-labelled supermarket product.
The organic breakfast cake made with rye and spelt flour shows that an organic version can contain different types of grain.
The wholegrain versions described here are worth considering if you mainly want to compare wholegrains, fibre and sugars.
For pre-packed breakfast cake, look for the EU organic logo and an organic label. Skal Biocontrole explains that businesses need an organic certificate to sell products as organic; also compare the ingredients and nutritional information separately.
Not necessarily: organic describes how a product is made, while wholegrain refers to the grain used. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo organic versions described here list flour, so look separately for a wholegrain label if that’s a requirement for your purchase.
No, don’t assume which type of salt has been used based on the product category. The Covenant on the Use of Baker’s Salt, published in the Dutch Government Gazette, describes efforts to encourage the use of iodised salt, but doesn’t confirm the recipe of any individual breakfast cake. Check the ingredients list or ask the manufacturer.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you buy. Once opened, keep the breakfast cake sealed as directed, and check for any specific storage instructions.
