Who is this choice for?

If you’re looking for strictly sugar-free

You want to know how much sugar the breakfast cake contains per 100 g. Terms such as ‘zero’ and ‘no added sugars’ don’t answer that question on their own.

Families buying in bulk

You compare the net weight and number of slices with what your family will actually use, so a large pack is practical even after it’s been opened.

Families checking portions and ingredients

You share breakfast cake between school, work and snacks, and check the serving size, sweeteners, ingredients and allergens for each variant.

What should you look for?

First decide whether sugar-free is an absolute requirement. Then compare the pack size and the ingredients that matter to your family.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters most to
Sugar claim Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g in the nutritional information. The EU ‘sugar-free’ claim requires no more than 0,5 g of sugars per 100 g, according to EUR-Lex. If you’re looking for genuinely sugar-free cake, check whether the sugar value falls within that limit; around 40% of consumers make this strict requirement their top priority.
Pack size Compare the net weight and, for sliced breakfast cake, the number of slices. Also check the storage instructions for after opening. When there are several people eating at home, I want enough slices without opening more cake than we’ll use. Around 30% of consumers prioritise pack size.
Portions and ingredients Check the serving size and read the current ingredients and allergens for each variant, including sweeteners such as xylitol. When sharing it between school and work, I want suitable portions and clear information about the ingredients. Around 30% of consumers make these points their top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘zero’ means sugar-free

    Peijnenburg states that its Naturel cake with no added sugars contains 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g. That’s above the EU limit of 0,5 g per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim, as published on EUR-Lex.

    If sugar-free is a strict requirement, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, whatever the front of the pack says.

  • Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’

    Jumbo states that its Minder Suiker breakfast cake bars contain 22,7 g of sugars per 100 g. The claim compares the bars with Jumbo’s plain breakfast cake bar; it doesn’t mean the bars are sugar-free.

    Compare the sugar values per 100 g for the specific products you’re considering.

  • Looking only at the pack weight

    A larger cake gives you more, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a better fit for the number of slices your family will use once it’s opened.

    Compare the number of slices and read the storage instructions before choosing a larger pack.

  • Overlooking sweeteners and allergens

    The Peijnenburg Naturel variant reviewed contains xylitol. The product information warns that it’s unsuitable for animals and that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Ingredients and allergens also vary between breakfast cake varieties.

    Read the current label for the variant you choose, and keep products containing xylitol out of reach of pets.

Brands to consider

Peijnenburg

The sliced Naturel and Volkoren varieties with no added sugars come in different pack sizes for you to compare.

  • Peijnenburg states that Naturel weighs 455 g and contains 16 slices; the Volkoren pack reviewed weighs 345 g and contains 12 slices.
  • Both variants reviewed are listed as containing 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the ingredients for xylitol too.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI Netherlands’ sliced Zero breakfast cake comes in a 485 g pack and is labelled ‘no added sugars’.

  • The cake is pre-sliced, making it easy to share between several family members.
  • If you’re looking for strictly sugar-free cake, check the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g on the pack you choose; ‘zero’ alone isn’t conclusive.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers Minder Suiker breakfast cake bars: six individually wrapped portions, weighing 300 g in total.

  • The individually wrapped bars are easy to spread across different snack times.
  • Jumbo states that they contain 22,7 g of sugars per 100 g. Here, ‘less sugar’ doesn’t mean sugar-free.

Snelle Jelle

PLUS lists individually wrapped Minder Suiker and Zero spiced cake bars. Don’t compare these varieties based on the product name alone.

  • The bars can be shared individually when family members eat at different times.
  • For one Minder Suiker variant reviewed, Joybuy lists 24 g of sugars per 100 g; don’t use this as the nutritional value for the Zero variant.

Related Joybuy products

Related products will be available here soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is breakfast cake labelled ‘zero’ always sugar-free?

No. The word ‘zero’ on its own doesn’t tell you whether a breakfast cake meets the EU threshold for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. According to EUR-Lex, this claim is only permitted for a solid food if it contains no more than 0,5 g of sugars per 100 g. So check the ‘of which sugars’ value on the pack you choose.

Why does breakfast cake with no added sugars still contain sugars?

‘No added sugars’ doesn’t mean that the product contains no sugars. Peijnenburg states that its Naturel variant contains 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g and says these sugars are naturally present.

What should I look out for if breakfast cake contains xylitol?

Read the warnings on the pack and keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of reach of pets. The product information for Peijnenburg Naturel with no added sugars states that xylitol is unsuitable for animals and that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Does all breakfast cake contain iodine from baker’s salt?

You can’t tell from the product name. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may only be present in bakery products through baker’s salt, within the applicable limit. If iodine content matters to your choice, check the pack for the specific breakfast cake or ask the manufacturer.