Choose regular breakfast cake if you’re looking for a familiar, sweet slice to enjoy with your tea, but compare the sugar and fibre content per 100 g of wholemeal varieties too. According to Peijnenburg, its wholemeal variety labelled ‘no added sugars’ contains 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 39 g for regular Peijnenburg Wholemeal; however, the former contains xylitol, so check the warnings as well. If you avoid rye or gluten, check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific cake.
If you often have breakfast cake with your tea, you can compare regular and wholemeal varieties with one sold as having no added sugars. Check the values per 100 g as well as the ingredients: a different recipe may also mean sweeteners.
If you’re mainly after a familiar, sweet slice to have with your tea, a regular variety may suit your tastes. The word ‘wholemeal’ alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar a slice contains; the nutritional information and slice size offer a better guide.
Rye and gluten are listed for several of the wholemeal breakfast cakes reviewed. So, check the current ingredients and allergen information for each specific variety rather than assuming it’s suitable based on the product category.
Before choosing a slice to enjoy with your tea, decide whether nutritional value, a familiar taste or serving convenience matters most to you. Then compare varieties on the same 100 g basis and check the weight of a slice as stated on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and fibre | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g. For varieties labelled ‘no added sugars’, check the ingredients and warnings too. | If I often have breakfast cake with my tea, I want to weigh up sugars and fibre without relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone; this is the biggest consideration for around 50% of consumers. |
| Familiar taste | Check which variety you’re choosing, along with its sugar content per 100 g and the weight of each slice. | If I mainly want a familiar, sweet slice with my tea, that preference can guide my choice; a familiar taste comes first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Pack size and convenience | Check the net weight and whether the breakfast cake is sliced or individually wrapped. | If I want to grab a slice to have with my tea without cutting it, I look at the packaging; for around 20% of consumers, size and convenience are the main priorities. |
According to Peijnenburg, its regular Wholemeal contains 39 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 4,9 g per 100 g for its wholemeal variety labelled ‘no added sugars’. These are two different recipes from the same brand.
Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g, then check the weight of a slice.
The Peijnenburg variety reviewed contains xylitol. Jumbo’s product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the ingredients list and warnings for the variety you’re buying, even if the wording on the packaging suits your preferences.
Rye and gluten are listed for several of the wholemeal varieties reviewed. You can’t tell from the word ‘breakfast cake’ whether a specific product contains iodine or iodised baker’s salt.
Check the product’s ingredients and allergen information. If anything is unclear, ask the manufacturer about its ingredients.
These brands offer examples of different breakfast cake varieties. The nutritional values given apply to the specific products mentioned, not the brand’s entire range.
Peijnenburg offers both regular wholemeal breakfast cake and a wholemeal variety labelled ‘no added sugars’.
AH offers sliced wholemeal breakfast cake for anyone looking to compare a supermarket own-brand option.
Jumbo offers sliced wholemeal breakfast cake; the pack reviewed contains 475 g.
PLUS offers sliced wholemeal breakfast cake as an own-brand option.
ALDI offers both sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a sliced zero variety under the Koek & Bakker brand.
This sliced wholemeal breakfast cake is an option if you’d like to serve a slice with tea. If sugar or fibre content is a deciding factor for you, compare the nutritional information on the packaging.
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A sliced wholemeal breakfast cake to enjoy with tea. The product description states that it contains 43% wholemeal rye flour. Compare the sugars and fibre per 100 g on the label, and check the allergen information if you avoid rye or gluten.
No. According to Peijnenburg, its regular Wholemeal contains 39 g of sugars per 100 g, compared with 4,9 g for its wholemeal variety labelled ‘no added sugars’. So, compare the nutritional information for the specific varieties.
As well as the sugar content, check the ingredients and warnings. The Peijnenburg variety reviewed contains xylitol; Jumbo’s product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
No. Check the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. The wholemeal breakfast cakes from Jumbo and PLUS that were reviewed list rye and gluten; Jumbo also lists wheat for its variety.
No, you can’t tell from the product name. Check the ingredients information for the specific cake, or ask the manufacturer about its ingredients if iodine is a factor in your choice.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of your breakfast cake. For the wholemeal variety reviewed, Jumbo recommends protecting it from moisture and heat; storage instructions may vary by product.
