Students on a tight food budget
A larger pack may appeal if you’ll actually use it all. PLUS and ALDI sell breakfast cake in a range of pack sizes, so think about how many slices you need before choosing a pack.
Who is this relevant to?
Students looking for a snack
You want something simple to enjoy alongside your usual meals, without treating breakfast cake as a complete evening meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s nutritional values per slice can help you make that distinction.
Students comparing wholemeal breakfast cakes
Check the proportion of wholemeal rye flour and the fibre content per 100 g. PLUS’s product information lists these details for its sliced wholemeal version.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re looking for a snack or ingredients for your evening meal. Then consider whether you can use up the pack, and check the nutritional information for the version you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Using up the pack | Check the weight and choose a size you can store and use up. | On a tight food budget, I don’t want to leave a large pack sitting around until its quality declines. For around 42% of consumers, making careful use of the pack is the top priority. |
| Dinner or snack | Decide which products will make up your evening meal; treat breakfast cake as a possible addition. | When putting together my evening meal, I don’t want to rely on a slice of breakfast cake alone. For around 33% of consumers, this distinction comes first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Read the ingredients and compare the fibre and sugar content per 100 g of the versions you’re considering. | I want to know what the wholemeal label actually means for breakfast cake. Around 17% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Slicing and storage | Check whether the cake is sliced and read the storage instructions on the pack. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take slices with me without cutting them myself. For around 8% of consumers, this convenience comes first. |
Common mistakes
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Treating breakfast cake as a complete dinner
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a 30 g slice contains 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre. Breakfast cake on its own is therefore not a suitable basis for an evening meal.
Put your dinner together with other foods, such as vegetables and pulses, and keep breakfast cake separate as a possible snack.
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Buying a large pack without using it up
A larger pack won’t help if some of it is left uneaten and loses its quality.
Choose a size that suits how you’ll use it, and follow the storage instructions on the pack.
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Taking the word ‘wholemeal’ as the whole story
PLUS’s wholemeal breakfast cake lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g, but also 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g. So one word on the front of the pack doesn’t tell you everything.
Compare the ingredients and the fibre and sugar values per 100 g.
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Relying on out-of-date allergy information
Ingredients and allergy information can change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information.
If you have an allergy or dietary restriction, read the label on the pack you’re actually buying.
Brands to consider
PLUS
The PLUS own brand sells both plain and sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
- The plain version is unsliced and comes in a 550 g pack; the wholemeal version is sliced and comes in a 485 g pack.
- The wholemeal version also contains 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g.
Koek & Bakker
This brand, stocked by ALDI, offers a 485 g pack of sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
- The slices are pre-cut.
- Check the current label if you want to compare ingredients or nutritional values.
Peijnenburg
Jumbo lists a range of Peijnenburg breakfast cakes, including plain and wholemeal versions in different pack sizes.
- The range includes both larger packs of sliced cake and smaller portion packs.
- Check the weight and nutritional information for the version you choose; pack sizes and contents vary.
Albert Heijn
The own brand offers, among other options, a 600 g pack of breakfast cake.
- The stated pack weight makes it possible to compare sizes.
- Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information can change.
g'woon
g'woon offers a 485 g pack of sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
- The product information for this version lists 43% wholemeal rye flour and 5.9 g of fibre per 100 g.
- The same version contains 34 g of sugars per 100 g; check the nutritional information for the product you choose.
Breakfast cake as a snack on Joybuy
These products are suitable if you’re looking for breakfast cake as a snack: a sliced wholemeal version and a Snelle Jelle pack. Neither is a complete student evening meal on its own.
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g'woon sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, 485 g
An option if you’d like breakfast cake as a snack and are looking for pre-sliced pieces. The product information lists 43% wholemeal rye flour, 5.9 g of fibre and 34 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the current label for ingredients and allergens.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free, 250 g
A breakfast cake to consider as a snack; according to the product name, the pack weighs 250 g. Check the nutritional information on the pack before comparing the sugar or fibre content per 100 g. Don’t infer nutritional qualities from the product name alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can breakfast cake replace my student dinner?
No. Don’t rely on breakfast cake as the only part of your evening meal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre in a 30 g slice. Put your evening meal together with other foods, and keep breakfast cake as a possible snack.
Does wholemeal breakfast cake make a complete meal?
No. PLUS’s wholemeal version lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g, but also 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g. Use these details to compare products in the category, not to judge breakfast cake as a complete dinner.
Does all breakfast cake contain iodine from baker’s salt?
You can’t tell from the product category alone. If baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients of the breakfast cake you’re considering.
How should I store a large pack of breakfast cake?
Store it somewhere dry and dark, and seal it well after opening, as indicated by the breakfast cake product information consulted. Follow the storage instructions and date on the pack you buy.