TV viewers who want to share quickly
If everyone needs to be able to grab a slice straight away, a large, pre-sliced breakfast cake saves you having to cut it. Check how many slices are in the pack, too.
Which pack is best for you?
Groups keeping an eye on portions
When you’re serving several people, it’s not just the size of the cake that matters, but also how many portions you can get from it. So compare the net weight and stated portion size.
Label readers
If you check ingredients, sugars, fibre, salt or allergens, compare the exact variants. A wholemeal label doesn’t tell you the same thing as the nutritional information per 100 g.
What should you look for when choosing?
Large pre-sliced cake
Best when: several people want to grab a slice without having to cut it.
Trade-off: the slices are already cut to a set thickness.
Unsliced cake
Best when: you want to cut thick or thin slices yourself.
Trade-off: you’ll need a knife and space to cut it when serving.
Individually wrapped portions
Best when: everyone should be able to grab their own portion.
Trade-off: there are more individual packs than with one large cake.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to share | Sliced or unsliced; number of slices. | If everyone wants to grab something as soon as the film starts, a pre-sliced cake is the obvious choice. For around 31% of consumers, serving convenience comes first. |
| Quantity | Net weight and stated portion size. | When you’re serving several people, you’ll want to know whether there are enough slices. Around 31% of consumers put having enough for the group first. |
| Ingredients and nutrition | Ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g; check the allergens on the pack. | If you want to compare variants by their ingredients and nutrition, the words wholemeal or Zero on their own don’t tell you enough. For around 23% of consumers, what’s in the product matters most. |
| Individual portions and storage | Individual packs or one cake; storage instructions after opening. | If you won’t finish it all in one evening, you’ll want to know how to store the rest, or you may prefer individual portions. Around 15% of consumers prioritise this. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a large cake means lots of portions
The weight in grams doesn’t tell you how many slices you can actually serve, especially if the cake is unsliced.
Check the number of slices or the portion size if it’s important to divide it up for your group.
-
Treating a nutritional claim as the whole picture
Wholemeal and no added sugar describe different things. Neither replaces the ingredients list or nutritional information.
Compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g, and also consider the portion you want to serve.
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Guessing allergens from the product name
Breakfast cake variants can differ in the grains they contain and in the warnings they give about potential allergens.
Before serving, check the allergen information on the current packaging, particularly if someone needs to avoid an ingredient.
Brands compared
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers, among other products, a 550 g sliced plain breakfast cake, as well as other variants.
- The 550 g sliced pack is an option if several people want to grab a slice straight away.
- Compare variants individually: the size and ingredients aren’t the same for every Peijnenburg cake.
AH
According to Albert Heijn, its sliced plain AH breakfast cake weighs 485 g.
- Albert Heijn lists 16 portions of 30 g, which can help you plan how to serve it.
- Check the packaging for the latest ingredients and nutritional information.
Jumbo
Jumbo sells both large breakfast cakes and packs of individual portions.
- You can compare different portion formats there.
- Check the exact weight and whether the cake is already sliced; these details vary by product.
Koek & Bakker
ALDI lists 485 g sliced Koek & Bakker variants, including wholemeal and Zero.
- Both of these variants come pre-sliced.
- Wholemeal and no added sugar are different product features; read the label for each variant.
PLUS Korenlanders Bakkers
PLUS lists a 500 g Korenlanders Bakkers plain breakfast cake.
- It’s a good alternative if you want to put one cake out for a group to share.
- The product information lists rye, wheat and gluten, and mentions possible nuts; check the current packaging for allergen information.
Breakfast cake for your TV night
These g'woon breakfast cakes offer two ways to share a large cake: buy it pre-sliced or cut it to your preferred thickness. Choose the format that suits how you’ll serve it, and check the packaging for the exact variant’s nutritional information and allergens.
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g'woon sliced breakfast cake 485 g
For a group who want to grab a slice without having to cut the cake. It comes pre-sliced and weighs 485 g; check the number of slices if you want to divide it into portions in advance.
Read the nutritional and allergen information on the current packaging.
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g'woon sliced wholemeal breakfast cake 485 g
For anyone looking to serve a sliced wholemeal variant. This pack weighs 485 g; compare the nutritional information for this exact variant with other cakes.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging before serving. The product information lists wholemeal rye flour, but the allergen claim is unclear.
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g'woon unsliced breakfast cake 550 g
For anyone who wants to choose how thick to cut the slices when serving. The unsliced cake weighs 550 g and needs to be cut before serving.
Check the current allergen information on the packaging: the product information lists rye, but the allergen claim is unclear.
Frequently asked questions
Is a sharing bag a specific type of breakfast cake?
No, sharing bag isn’t a standard format for breakfast cake. For a TV night, it’s better to look at the weight and portion format: a large sliced cake, an unsliced cake or individual portions.
How should I store breakfast cake after opening?
Seal the opened pack tightly and follow the storage instructions on the product. For Peijnenburg breakfast cake, a cool, dark place is recommended; you can also keep it in a sealed container or tin.
Is breakfast cake with no added sugar automatically the better choice?
No, that claim alone doesn’t tell you how the overall nutritional value of one breakfast cake compares with another. Compare the ingredients and the amounts of sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g. According to the Dutch government, Nutri-Score is a tool for comparing products within the same category, not a replacement for the Wheel of Five.
Which allergens should I check in breakfast cake?
Check the allergen information for the exact breakfast cake on the current packaging. Rye and other gluten-containing cereals feature in the products mentioned; the PLUS Korenlanders Bakkers variant also lists wheat and possible nuts.
Does all breakfast cake contain iodine because it uses baker’s salt?
You can’t assume that this is true of every breakfast cake. Information from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about iodine compounds in baker’s salt used in bakery products doesn’t confirm which salt was used in a particular cake. Check the ingredients information or ask the manufacturer.