Parents looking for something to take on the go
You want to pack an individually wrapped portion for an occasional snack away from home, without making cake a regular part of breakfast or lunch.
Who is this choice for?
Parents comparing portion sizes and ingredients
You want to know how much a single bar weighs and check the nutrition information per portion, the ingredients and any sweeteners, rather than relying on the front of the pack.
Parents checking allergens and packing rules
You check the allergen information for the product you’ve chosen and ask your child’s school or childcare setting about its rules before packing a bar.
What should you look for in an individually wrapped portion?
First decide whether you’re putting together an everyday breakfast or looking for something to take along occasionally. Then consider which portion size and ingredients are right for the occasion.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday breakfast | Decide whether you’re buying something for a regular breakfast or a cake for an occasional snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread and wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt as breakfast choices for toddlers. | When I’m planning breakfast for every day, I don’t want convenience to dictate the usual breakfast choice; for around 42% of consumers, that comes first. |
| Portion size and ingredients | Compare the weight of one bar and the nutrition information per portion. Also check the ingredients behind any claim about sugars. | When we’re out and about, I want to know what’s in one individually wrapped portion, not just what it says on the front; around 33% of consumers prioritise this consideration. |
| Allergens and packing | Read the up-to-date allergen information for the product and ask your child’s school or childcare setting about its rules. | If my child needs to avoid certain ingredients or I want to pack them something, I need to know whether that particular cake is suitable first; for around 25% of consumers, this is the first requirement. |
Common mistakes
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Taking ‘no added sugars’ to mean ‘no sweeteners’
A claim about added sugars doesn’t tell you what other ingredients or warnings appear on the label.
Read the full ingredients list, nutrition information per portion and any warnings before choosing this product.
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Assuming every individually wrapped bar is a small portion
Portion packs vary in size. Jumbo lists the Peijnenburg Dubbel Lekker bar as 49 g per piece, with 161 kcal and 19 g of sugars per portion.
Check the weight of the bar itself; an individual wrapper doesn’t tell you whether the portion size is right for your toddler.
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Overlooking other allergens in a gluten-free product
The uncut, gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake listed by PLUS contains milk and lupin. Gluten-free doesn’t mean the product is free from other allergens.
Check the full allergen information on the pack you’ve chosen and ask about your child’s school or childcare setting’s rules before packing anything.
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Assuming breakfast cake contains iodine because it uses bakers’ salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. So general information mentioning bakers’ salt doesn’t tell you how much iodine a particular breakfast cake contains.
For that product detail, rely only on information that applies to the specific cake you’ve chosen.
Brands to compare
Peijnenburg
The range includes individually wrapped breakfast cakes and an uncut gluten-free option that may be relevant to this choice.
- You can compare the packaging and portion size of each product.
- The gluten-free option listed by PLUS isn’t individually wrapped and contains milk and lupin. Always check the label for the specific product you’re considering.
Snelle Jelle
Breakfast cake bars from this brand are an option if you’re considering an individually wrapped bar.
- The packaging makes it possible to compare bars individually.
- Check the weight, nutrition information and allergens for each product; the brand name alone won’t tell you how they differ.
PLUS huismerk
PLUS lists breakfast cake bars from its own brand, among other products.
- This gives you another product to compare in the bar category.
- Check the individual pack for the portion size, nutrition information and allergens of the product you choose.
Breakfast cake-style bars at Joybuy
This individually wrapped spiced cake could suit you if you’re looking for something to take along for an occasional snack. Check the size and ingredients of one bar before choosing it for a toddler.
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Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free (250 g)
An option if you’re looking for an individually wrapped cake to take along for an occasional snack.
Pack size: 250 g. Check the current pack for the weight and nutrition information per bar, as well as the ingredients and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Is an individually wrapped breakfast cake a suitable everyday breakfast for a toddler?
Not as a regular breakfast. For children aged 1 to 3, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread and, for variety, wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt. It’s better to think of an individually wrapped breakfast cake as an occasional convenient option.
Is breakfast cake with no added sugars automatically the best choice?
No. That claim doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients or portion size. Compare the nutrition information per bar and check the pack for sweeteners, allergens or warnings.
Does bakers’ salt mean that breakfast cake provides iodine?
You can’t assume that of a particular breakfast cake. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt, so don’t infer the ingredients of the cake you’ve chosen from general information about bakers’ salt.
How should I store opened breakfast cake?
Follow the storage advice on the pack of the product you’ve chosen. For Peijnenburg’s uncut gluten-free breakfast cake, the advice is to store it somewhere dry and dark, such as in a sealed tin or container.