If you want to hand out portions during a work meeting without having to cut anything, individually wrapped portions are a good choice. If you have somewhere to serve them and can arrange slices, a large pre-sliced pack may be more practical. Count the portions you’ll need in advance and, if anyone has dietary requirements, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the variant you choose.
If attendees can help themselves during a short break, individually wrapped portions are a convenient option to compare. Jumbo, PLUS, Albert Heijn and ALDI offer examples with different numbers of pieces per pack. Count the portions before you order.
If you know how many people to expect and can arrange slices on a plate, a pre-sliced pack is an alternative to individually wrapped bars. Jumbo lists a 550 g pre-sliced pack of Peijnenburg; ALDI lists a 485 g pre-sliced pack of Koek & Bakker. The weight doesn’t tell you how many slices are in a pack.
If attendees need to avoid certain ingredients or have preferences around sugar, the information for the exact variant matters. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority advises checking the ingredients and allergen information on the label of pre-packed food. Keep the packaging available when serving the breakfast cake.
First decide whether people should be able to pick up an individually wrapped portion themselves or whether you can serve slices. Then choose the quantity and variant to suit your attendees.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Individual portions | Count the individually wrapped pieces and, if needed, check the weight per piece. | I want attendees to be able to help themselves to a portion during a short break, without anyone having to cut the breakfast cake. For around 36% of consumers, ease of serving comes first. |
| Pack size | Compare the net weight with the number of expected attendees; for a pre-sliced pack, check the number of slices too. | For a planned meeting, I want to be able to put out enough slices without opening several small packs. Around 29% of consumers give quantity the highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current label for the variant you’ve chosen, including the ingredients and any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. | If someone needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know which variant is suitable before putting out the meeting snack. For around 21% of consumers, this is their main concern. |
| Flavour and presentation | Choose the variant you want and, if offering a selection, keep the packaging information for each type available. | I might want to offer a flavour other than plain, but I also want to be able to tell the varieties apart. For around 14% of consumers, variety matters most. |
The Peijnenburg individually wrapped portions listed by PLUS contain rye; the product information also mentions the possible presence of milk and nuts, among other things. This doesn’t automatically apply to a different variant.
Read the label on the exact pack you’ll be serving and discuss any necessary dietary restrictions with the person concerned in advance.
A pre-sliced pack gives you slices to share, but not the individually wrapped, grab-and-go portions you get in a multipack.
Choose this format if you can open the pack and arrange the slices. If it’s more important for people to help themselves without being served, compare individually wrapped portions instead.
If you open a pack to share, you’ll also need a plan for any slices left over after the meeting.
Ingredients and allergens are crucial when choosing a variant for a particular attendee. An earlier online listing is no substitute for checking the packaging you receive.
Before serving, check the best-before date and the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
The brands listed offer a range of packaging formats. Always compare the specific variant you’re considering: a brand name alone tells you nothing about the number of portions or the ingredients.
Examples at Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS include both pre-sliced breakfast cake and individually wrapped portions.
Albert Heijn’s own label is another option to compare when choosing breakfast cake for a meeting.
PLUS lists own-label breakfast cake bars in packs of 6, including plain and ‘less sugar’ variants.
ALDI lists a 485 g pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake from Koek & Bakker.
ALDI lists Koekhappers in a pack of 6 individually wrapped pieces, with spiced cake or breakfast cake variants.
PLUS lists multipacks of Snelle Jelle spiced cake and breakfast cake bars in several variants.
This selection focuses on individually wrapped breakfast cake bars that you can hand out at a work meeting without cutting.
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An option if you want to hand out individually wrapped portions without cutting. Count the bars in the pack you choose and, if anyone has dietary or allergy concerns, check the current label. Don’t assume the product’s suitability or nutritional value from the variant name alone.
First count the attendees and decide how many portions you want to offer each person. A pack of 10 individually wrapped pieces is enough for 10 people to have one each. For a pre-sliced pack, check the number of slices, as the net weight doesn’t tell you how many there are.
No. A claim like that doesn’t answer every question about a meeting snack. Also check the size, ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the specific breakfast cake you want to serve.
Read the ingredients list and any warnings on the current label for the variant you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels for pre-packed food. Ask the people concerned in advance what information they need to make their choice.
Check the best-before date and the storage or serving instructions on the packaging. If you’re offering different variants, make sure the relevant ingredients and allergen information for each one is clearly available.
