Sliced breakfast cake is a practical choice for a quick breakfast on the go when you want something you can take with you without any preparation. A box of chocolates is better suited to a gift or treat than breakfast on its own. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends including foods from the Dutch Wheel of Five in your breakfast too. If you choose something sweet, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and check the allergens and packaging for the exact product variant.
If you want something ready to take with you, look for sliced breakfast cake or small packs of biscuits. Albert Heijn describes a sliced breakfast cake, while Lotus Biscoff offers options including Pocket Packs and packs of two biscuits.
A name like ‘zero’ doesn’t tell you everything about the nutritional value. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g; you should also check the portion you’ll actually eat.
Check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product variant. Even gluten-free breakfast cake can contain other allergens: for the gluten-free variant it has reviewed, Jumbo lists milk and lupin.
First decide whether you’re looking for something to have as part of breakfast, a biscuit for a snack or a treat. Then compare the portion size, nutritional information and allergens of products that suit your needs.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast or treat | Decide what role the biscuit or chocolate will play in your breakfast, and whether you’ll take anything else with you. | When I have breakfast on the go, I don’t want a treat to become my entire breakfast. This is the main consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Taking it with you and portioning | Check whether the product is sliced or individually portioned, and how much each portion weighs. | I want to leave without having to slice anything and be able to grab a single portion easily; this is the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Sugars and fibre | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion. For a ‘zero’ variant, check the ingredients and any usage warnings too. | When I’m choosing between breakfast cake varieties, I want to know how much sugar and fibre I’ll actually be eating. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
| Allergens and gluten | Read the ingredients and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ statement, on the exact pack. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, the product I choose must suit that restriction; this check matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
A box of chocolates may be suitable for sharing or giving as a gift, but the box format says nothing about how well it works as part of breakfast. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre doesn’t include biscuits and sweets among its recommended Dutch Wheel of Five breakfast choices.
If you’re buying something for the journey, decide what role the sweet product will play and, if needed, take another breakfast item too, such as fruit, yoghurt or wholemeal bread.
The zero breakfast cake described by Jumbo still contains 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g and includes sweeteners. The product information also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Read the nutritional table and ingredients list for the exact variant, including any usage warnings.
For the gluten-free breakfast cake it has reviewed, Jumbo lists milk and lupin as allergens, alongside warnings about the possible presence of other ingredients.
If you have an allergy, check the full allergen information and the ‘may contain’ statement on the pack you’re buying.
Albert Heijn points out that product ingredients and nutritional values can change. A description of the same product range may therefore not apply to every pack.
Before buying, check the details for the exact variant on the current packaging.
Classic speculoos biscuits, also available in smaller Pocket Pack and two-biscuit packs.
The AH Ontbijtkoek naturel variant reviewed is pre-sliced, so you can portion it without cutting it yourself.
The product ranges reviewed include a sliced zero breakfast cake and a separate gluten-free breakfast cake.
Under this own-brand label, ALDI describes sliced zero and wholemeal breakfast cake, each in a 485 g pack.
Lidl describes Sondey Mini star as biscuits in a pack of 6 × 6, available in milk chocolate and white chocolate varieties.
These breakfast cake options are for anyone who wants something quick to take with them. Compare the portion and the label before choosing; this selection doesn’t include boxes of chocolates or regular biscuits.
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A handy option if you want to take a biscuit-style breakfast item with you without having to prepare it on the spot. For this Less Sugar-Free variant, compare the sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion; don’t judge the amount by the variant name. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging too.
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A sliced option for mornings when you don’t want to cut it yourself. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion on the pack. If you need to avoid an allergen, check the current ingredients and allergen list; ‘wholemeal’ alone doesn’t tell you anything about this.
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Sliced breakfast cake for anyone who wants to grab a portion without any preparation. Compare the sugars, fibre and portion size on the label. If it matters to your choice, check which cereals are listed as ingredients or under ‘may contain’ too.
A box of chocolates is better suited to a gift or treat than breakfast on its own. For breakfast, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Dutch Wheel of Five. If you’re putting together a breakfast, take something like fruit, yoghurt or wholemeal bread as well as a sweet option.
First compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then check what’s in your portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the same basis for comparison; also read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact products you’re considering.
No. For the zero breakfast cake it has reviewed, Jumbo lists 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g. For this type of product, check the ingredients, sweeteners used and any usage warnings too.
Read the allergen information on the exact pack and check for any ‘may contain’ warnings. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be listed clearly and accurately on the label; a gluten-free claim doesn’t rule out other allergens.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of your chosen breakfast cake. The product information reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo recommends storing it in a cool, dark and dry place. Check the best-before date too, and make sure the packaging is intact.
