If you want to eat breakfast cake on the train without any preparation, choose a variety with individually wrapped portions. A sliced loaf is a better choice if you can wrap the slices at home; a premium, unsliced variety also needs preparing in advance. Whichever you choose, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging.
Want to pop a single portion in your bag before you leave and eat it without a knife? Individually wrapped bars or slices are more practical than an unsliced loaf. Peijnenburg says its individually wrapped portions come in separate packs.
If sugar, fibre or portion size will influence your choice, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 11.2 g of sugars for an average 30 g slice of breakfast cake; check the packaging for the values of a specific variety.
If you’re in the mood for pearl sugar or ginger, you can portion an unsliced variety at home. ALDI describes its Koek & Bakker pearl sugar variety as unsliced, while PLUS offers an unsliced ginger variety.
First decide whether you want to eat the breakfast cake straight away or can pack it at home. Then compare the nutritional information, and only after that choose between a plain variety and a flavoured one.
| What to consider | Check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Taking it with you and eating it | Whether the portions are individually wrapped or you need to wrap the slices yourself. | If I want to grab something just before leaving, I don’t want to have to slice the cake or carry an open pack. Around 42% of consumers say being able to eat it straight away is their top priority. |
| Nutritional information | Sugars, fibre and portion size per portion and per 100 g; check the ingredients list too. | If I want to take a specific portion with me, I want to know what the nutritional information means for that exact amount. For around 33% of consumers, nutritional profile matters most. |
| Flavour | The flavouring and whether the cake is sliced or unsliced. | I’d rather choose pearl sugar or ginger, and don’t mind cutting off a piece at home. For around 25% of consumers, that flavour preference is the deciding factor. |
A flavouring or a term on the front of the pack won’t tell you how much sugar, fibre or salt a portion contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 11.2 g of sugars for an average 30 g slice of breakfast cake; that figure doesn’t apply to every variety.
Check the nutrition table per 100 g and per portion. Consider any Nutri-Score alongside the nutritional information, not instead of it.
Koek & Bakker’s pearl sugar variety and PLUS’s ginger variety are sold unsliced. That makes them less convenient if you want to grab a portion on the platform.
Cut off the amount you want at home and wrap it separately, or choose a variety with individually wrapped portions.
Peijnenburg lists rye in its individually wrapped variety and warns that it may contain, among other things, milk and nuts. A name or flavour alone won’t tell you enough about the ingredients in a specific pack.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re actually taking with you.
You can’t tell which salt a product contains just from knowing it’s breakfast cake.
If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients list for the breakfast cake in question or ask the manufacturer about that product.
Formats vary within and between ranges, so choose based on the specific pack rather than the brand name alone.
Peijnenburg offers plain varieties, as well as individually wrapped bars and slices for anyone who wants to take a portion with them.
PLUS offers breakfast cake bars in a 6-pack, as well as a larger, unsliced Korenlanders Bakkers breakfast cake.
ALDI’s range includes a sliced Zero breakfast cake and unsliced varieties flavoured with pearl sugar or ginger.
The range includes AH breakfast cake and varieties from Peijnenburg.
Lidl lists plain breakfast cake and spiced cake in 330 g and 420 g sizes for this product range.
These breakfast cakes offer a few different formats to consider for a train journey: a 250 g pack, a sliced cake and a pack of six. Check whether you can take the portion you want with you without needing extra packaging.
No image available
Consider this breakfast cake if you’re looking for a 250 g pack to take with you. Before you set off, check how the portions are packaged and read the current ingredients and nutritional information. Don’t assume the sugar content from the product name.
No image available
The sliced variety is a good choice if you want to get slices ready for your train journey at home. The pack contains 485 g; check the packaging for the weight per slice, nutritional information and allergen information.
No image available
A pack of six is one option if you want to get portions ready for your journey. Check whether the pieces are individually wrapped, and refer to the packaging for portion sizes and nutritional values.
Breakfast cake with individually wrapped portions doesn’t need slicing or an extra container. Peijnenburg lists individually wrapped portions in its 5-pack; for other products, check that each piece really does have its own wrapper.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label of pre-packed foods. Peijnenburg lists rye and possible traces of, among other things, milk and nuts for its individually wrapped variety.
You can’t tell from the product category alone. Check the ingredients list for the variety you’ve chosen, or ask the manufacturer which salt is used in that product.
Follow the storage instructions for the specific product and reseal an opened pack as directed. PLUS recommends storing its breakfast cake bars in a cool, dry, dark place. For its Korenlanders Bakkers breakfast cake, PLUS advises storing it in a cool, dry place and sealing it well after opening.
Put the packaging in a bin. This follows NS’s rules, which ask passengers to put their rubbish in the bins provided.
