Choose a breakfast cake of around 280 g if you want to serve a small, unsliced loaf with split pea soup. Individually wrapped portions are a better fit if you want to spread the cake over several occasions. For both formats, check the allergens and nutritional information for the variant you choose; a smaller size doesn’t tell you anything about either.
For a split pea soup day in a small household, it makes a difference whether you’re serving breakfast cake just once or want to keep some for later, too.
If a large loaf is still hanging around after soup day, start by comparing the net weight. Jumbo lists an unsliced breakfast cake weighing 280 g; according to PLUS, the Peijnenburg portion pack also has a total weight of 280 g.
If you want to take sugars, fibre or salt into account, read the values per 100 g and consider how much you’ll actually serve. A name such as Zero doesn’t tell you the pack size.
Check the allergen declaration for the exact variant. For example, the gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake listed by PLUS contains milk and lupin; gluten-free doesn’t mean free from all allergens.
First decide whether you want a small loaf to slice or would rather share out individual portions. Then check the label for nutritional information and any allergens that matter to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller quantity | Compare the net weight and number of portions. Jumbo lists its plain breakfast cake as weighing 280 g and containing around 11 portions. | If I’m only serving breakfast cake with split pea soup, I don’t want to be left with a large, opened loaf. For around 36% of consumers, cutting down on leftovers is the top priority. |
| Sharing out portions | Check the weight of each piece and whether the portions are individually wrapped. PLUS lists the Peijnenburg portion pack as containing 10 portions of 28 g. | Not everyone in our household eats breakfast cake at the same time; I want to be able to take a portion without opening the rest. Around 29% of consumers say portioning is their main priority. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g, and check which sweeteners are used and the portion size. | I want to know what’s in my slice, even if the product name highlights sugar. Nutritional information is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen declaration on the exact pack, including any warnings about traces. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, a suitable label matters more than the shape of the cake. This is the first thing around 14% of consumers consider. |
The name doesn’t tell you how much breakfast cake you’ll get. The compact products listed by Jumbo and PLUS range from 280 g to 285 g and also differ in how the portions are presented.
Compare the net weight and decide whether you want an unsliced cake or individual portions.
According to the product information on PLUS, the 285 g Peijnenburg Glutenvrij Ongesneden contains milk and lupin. A standard variant may contain different allergens.
Before buying, read the full allergen declaration for the variant you’ve chosen.
Albert Heijn lists AH Ontbijtkoek Zero Gesneden in a 485 g pack. The product information also mentions xylitol and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Assess the nutritional information and pack size separately to make sure both suit your needs.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt. This doesn’t mean that every pack of breakfast cake contains this ingredient.
For a specific product, check the ingredients or ask the manufacturer for more information.
These examples show how pack format, weight and ingredients vary between products; a brand name alone isn’t a good basis for choosing.
PLUS lists both a plain portion pack weighing 280 g in total and a 285 g gluten-free, unsliced breakfast cake.
Jumbo lists an unsliced Naturel Ontbijtkoek weighing 280 g, with around 11 portions.
AH Ontbijtkoek Zero Gesneden is another option if nutritional information matters more to you than a smaller size.
Albert Heijn lists Bolletje Ontbijtkoek Naturel Gesneden as a 500 g loaf.
This option is suited to anyone who’d prefer a smaller, bar-shaped portion with their split pea soup. If you’re looking for a small, unsliced loaf instead, check the difference in format before choosing.
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This is an option if a bar-shaped portion works for you when serving split pea soup; it isn’t an unsliced loaf of breakfast cake. The pack weighs 250 g. If you’re choosing based on sugars or allergens, check the nutritional information and ingredients on the exact pack.
No. The 285 g Peijnenburg Glutenvrij Ongesneden listed by PLUS contains milk and lupin. So even when choosing a gluten-free variant, check the full allergen declaration on the exact pack.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack of the breakfast cake you’ve chosen. Jumbo recommends storing its 280 g Naturel Ontbijtkoek in a cool, dry place. For Peijnenburg Glutenvrij Ongesneden, the advice is to store it somewhere dry and dark, preferably in a sealed tin or container.
No. Dutch regulations don’t require every breakfast cake to contain iodine-enriched baker’s salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt. To find out what was used in a specific product, check the ingredients or ask the manufacturer.
The research doesn’t give a result for the specific pack you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority reported that, in a 2023 study of artisanally made products, 22 of the 42 breakfast cakes tested were above the reference value of 800 µg/kg. The authority says this reference value isn’t a legal limit; the result shouldn’t be applied to every brand or supermarket product.
