Which packaging works best for you?

Managing a shared snack stash

You want to share out slices and choose a pack size that suits the number of people eating from it. Also consider how to store the pack after opening, following the instructions on the packaging.

Taking portions with you

You’re looking for individually wrapped slices or bars to take with you or hand out to each person. For example, Peijnenburg lists a pack containing ten individually wrapped 28 g slices.

Comparing product labels

You check sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion, and look at the ingredients, sweeteners and allergens on the packaging you choose. Category information from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre does not replace the label for a specific product.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the breakfast cake will be shared from one pack or taken along as individual portions. Then compare the label for the variety that suits how you’ll use it. A box of chocolates as a gift calls for a separate product choice.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Pack size and stock Check the net weight, whether the cake is sliced and how to store the pack after opening. If several people are eating from the same stash, I want a pack we can use before its quality deteriorates. This stocking-up need comes first for around 40% of consumers.
Individual portions Check the number of portions, the weight of each piece and whether they’re individually wrapped. For taking on the go or handing out to each person, I want to be able to grab a portion without opening a large pack. For around 30% of consumers, portion convenience matters most.
Nutritional information and allergens Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion; also read the ingredients, allergens and any warning about sweeteners. When choosing between a plain and a reduced-sugar variety, I want to know what’s in the specific product, especially if allergens are a concern. For around 30% of consumers, checking the label is the main priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘zero’ tells you everything about the nutritional information

    A claim on the front of the pack doesn’t tell you how all the nutritional values and ingredients compare with another variety. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives different average values for sugars and fibre per slice of reduced-sugar breakfast cake compared with regular breakfast cake; these figures don’t apply to every individual brand. Jumbo also includes a warning on one breakfast cake product containing sweeteners that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and read the ingredients and allergens for the variety you’ve chosen.

  • Confusing ‘vegan’ with ‘gluten-free’

    Albert Heijn describes the breakfast cake it reviewed as vegan and lactose-free, but also lists rye flour and gluten. The standard breakfast cake reviewed by PLUS also lists rye and cereals containing gluten.

    Always use the allergen statement on the packaging for the exact product, rather than relying on a different claim or the product category.

  • Assuming all breakfast cake contains iodine-enriched baker’s salt

    Information from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about the use of baker’s salt in baked goods does not tell you which ingredients are in an individual breakfast cake.

    If the presence of iodine-enriched baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the product-specific information or ask the manufacturer.

Brands to compare

These brands offer examples of different types and varieties of breakfast cake. Compare the packaging you’re considering and its current label; a brand name alone doesn’t determine the nutritional information or allergens.

Peijnenburg

Worth considering if you want to compare a standard breakfast cake with individually wrapped slices.

  • Peijnenburg lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its plain 10-pack.
  • The product described contains rye flour and may also contain milk, hazelnuts and almonds. If you have allergies, read the label for the variety you choose.

AH

The AH product reviewed is a 485 g sliced plain breakfast cake.

  • Albert Heijn describes this specific product as vegan and lactose-free.
  • According to Albert Heijn, the product contains rye flour and gluten. Check the current packaging, even if another dietary requirement is your main concern.

Jumbo

At Jumbo, you can compare breakfast cake in different formats and varieties.

  • Jumbo’s range includes larger packs and individual portions.
  • One Jumbo product reviewed lists sweeteners and a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Check whether this information appears on the variety you’re considering.

KOEK&BAKKER

This brand, shown at ALDI, includes sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a zero variety.

  • ALDI lists both varieties shown in 485 g packs.
  • The ‘zero’ claim isn’t enough to compare all ingredients, nutritional values and allergens; check the packaging for the variety you choose.

PLUS

PLUS offers both sliced plain breakfast cake and plain breakfast cake bars.

  • PLUS lists the reviewed sliced pack at 485 g and the reviewed bar pack as containing six bars.
  • Both products reviewed list rye or gluten in the allergen information; the bars may also contain milk and nuts.

Breakfast cake at Joybuy

These products suit two ways of choosing breakfast cake for a snack stash: a sliced pack for sharing and bars to take with you individually. For both, check the current label if ingredients or nutritional values will affect your choice.

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

A sliced pack for anyone who wants to share breakfast cake from a communal snack stash.

Check the current allergen information against the ingredients: the product description lists rye flour, but the allergen statement doesn’t match.

View on Joybuy
Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g

Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g

Bars for anyone who wants to take breakfast cake along or share it out individually.

Only compare nutritional values once you’ve checked on the packaging what they refer to. Also read the allergen information: the product description lists rye and gluten, and says it may contain nuts and milk.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is reduced-sugar breakfast cake always the best choice?

No. The ‘reduced sugar’ claim alone doesn’t determine which variety is right for you. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 7.3 g of sugars and 3.6 g of fibre per 30 g slice of average reduced-sugar breakfast cake, compared with 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre for average breakfast cake. These category averages aren’t product specifications, so also check the portion size, ingredients, sweeteners and allergens for the variety you choose.

Can I rely on ‘vegan’ if I want to avoid gluten?

No. ‘Vegan’ doesn’t mean that a product is gluten-free. Albert Heijn describes the sliced breakfast cake it reviewed as vegan, but also lists rye flour and gluten. So make sure you read the allergen statement for the exact product.

Does all breakfast cake contain iodine-enriched baker’s salt?

You can’t tell from the product category. General information from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about baker’s salt doesn’t confirm which ingredients are in an individual breakfast cake. If this is important to your choice, check the product-specific information or ask the manufacturer.

How should I store an opened pack of breakfast cake?

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve bought. The product information reviewed for Albert Heijn and PLUS specifies a dry place, but the instructions for your product determine how to store the pack after opening.