Parents considering breakfast cake for a quick breakfast
If a slice of breakfast cake might replace a regular breakfast, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice can help you choose a suitable breakfast staple for children aged 1 to 3 first.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Parents comparing zero and cocoa varieties
If you’re looking for a particular flavour or recipe, compare the sugars, sweeteners, fibre and cocoa content on the label.
Parents who need to consider allergies or childcare arrangements
If you’re packing breakfast cake to take along, the current allergen information and any arrangements at school or childcare will help determine your choice.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether the breakfast cake would replace breakfast or simply be an addition. Then check the packaging for allergens and ingredients, particularly if your child will take it to school or childcare.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| The breakfast staple | Decide whether the breakfast cake would replace bread or another breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread as a staple, with options such as porridge or wholegrain breakfast cereals without added sugar or salt as alternatives. | If breakfast cake might replace a regular breakfast, I’d first want to choose a staple that’s suitable for a toddler. For around 42% of consumers, choosing a breakfast comes first. |
| Allergens and taking food along | Read the current allergen information, even if the packaging is new, and ask about arrangements at school or childcare. | When I pack something for my child, I want to know that it suits their allergies and meets the arrangements at the setting. Around 33% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Sugars, sweeteners and cocoa | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g, check the portion size and see which sweeteners or how much cocoa are listed in the ingredients. | When choosing a cocoa or zero variety, I want to find the flavour or recipe I’m looking for without relying on the product name alone. An estimated 25% of consumers put this comparison first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a dark-sounding name means it contains lots of cocoa
Albert Heijn states that Peijnenburg Zero Cacao contains 1% cocoa powder. The name alone doesn’t tell you how much cocoa the breakfast cake contains.
Check the ingredients list for the cocoa percentage in the variety you’re buying.
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Assuming zero means sugar-free
A zero variety may still contain sugars and sweeteners. Jumbo lists maltitols in its zero breakfast cake and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read both the ingredients list and the nutritional information. Compare sugars per 100 g and check the size of a slice.
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Assuming wholegrain means you don’t need to check the rest of the label
Jumbo states that its wholegrain breakfast cake contains 35.9% wholegrain rye, but also glucose-fructose syrup and 35.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Wholegrain rye doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients.
As well as the type of grain, compare sugars, fibre, salt and allergens.
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Only checking allergens in products labelled for special diets
The cocoa, zero and wholegrain varieties discussed here list cereals containing gluten, rye or wheat. Even with a familiar product name, it’s important to check the packaging.
Check the current allergen information and make sure taking it along is in line with the arrangements at school or childcare.
Brands to compare
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers a range of varieties, including original, wholegrain, zero and cocoa. Compare the ingredients of each variety rather than relying on the flavour name.
- For Peijnenburg Zero Cacao, Albert Heijn lists 40% rye flour and 1% cocoa powder.
- This variety contains xylitol and cereals containing gluten. Check the current packaging before choosing it.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists several breakfast cake varieties, including zero and wholegrain. Their ingredients differ in ways that matter when making this choice.
- The wholegrain variety described by Jumbo contains 35.9% wholegrain rye.
- Jumbo also lists 35.5 g of sugars per 100 g for this wholegrain variety. Its zero variety contains maltitols; check the allergen information for both.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists both AH Zero breakfast cake and Peijnenburg Zero Cacao, making it possible to compare the individual product labels.
- The product information for Peijnenburg Zero Cacao lists its ingredients and allergens, including rye and cereals containing gluten.
- Check the packaging of the variety you choose, as product information can change.
Lidl
Lidl lists a 485 g zero breakfast cake as an in-store product.
- The stated pack size can help you identify the right variety in store.
- Check the packaging in store to assess the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens.
Products to consider
These products include two types of breakfast cake and a granola as a separate breakfast cereal option. Granola isn’t cocoa breakfast cake, so assess each product based on its own ingredients and the role it plays at breakfast.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free 250 g
A breakfast cake variety to compare if you want to give your child a slice occasionally and are keeping an eye on sugars and sweeteners. Check the latest nutritional information for values per 100 g and per portion. If your child has allergies, also check for rye, gluten and possible traces of nuts and milk.
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g'woon sliced wholegrain breakfast cake 485 g
A sliced wholegrain variety to compare with other breakfast cakes, not something to assume is sugar-free because it says wholegrain. Check the packaging for sugars and glucose-fructose syrup, and if your child has allergies, read the current information about rye and gluten.
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Holie's Granola Glutenfree Peanut Chocolate 330 g
This is granola to consider as a breakfast cereal option, not breakfast cake or a complete ready-to-eat breakfast for a toddler. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information, particularly for peanuts, oats and possible traces of nuts or soya. Don’t assume it’s suitable for a gluten-free diet based on the product name alone.
Frequently asked questions
Can breakfast cake replace a toddler’s breakfast?
Don’t make breakfast cake a regular replacement for a suitable breakfast for your toddler. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread as a staple, with options such as porridge or wholegrain breakfast cereals without added sugar or salt as alternatives. It also says that breakfast cake contains an average of 11.2 g of sugar per 30 g slice. The amount may differ in a particular product.
Does dark or cocoa breakfast cake contain lots of cocoa?
You can’t tell from the name. Albert Heijn lists 1% cocoa powder in Peijnenburg Zero Cacao. If you’re considering another variety, check its own label if the amount of cocoa will influence your choice.
Does zero mean breakfast cake contains no sugars or sweeteners?
No, don’t assume that from the word zero. The zero breakfast cake described by Jumbo contains maltitols and sugars, so compare the ingredients list with the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion.
Can breakfast cake containing gluten be taken to school or childcare?
That depends on the child’s dietary needs and the setting’s arrangements. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be clearly listed on the label of prepacked foods. Check the current packaging and ask the school or childcare setting what arrangements apply.
Does breakfast cake automatically contain iodine because it uses baker’s salt?
No, don’t assume that every breakfast cake contains baker’s salt with iodine. 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 tell you which type of salt was used in a particular breakfast cake, so check the product information.