First, compare similar breakfast cereals per 100 g for carbohydrates, sugars, fibre and salt. Then check the ingredients, allergens and the amount you usually eat. The Diabetes Fund lists wholegrain breakfast cereals, porridge oats and muesli as options to consider if you have type 2 diabetes, and recommends limiting low-fibre cornflakes as much as possible. Only choose a larger pack if its nutritional profile suits your breakfast and you can use it before its best-before date. Any personal guidance on carbohydrates and medication should always take priority.
You’re comparing a wholegrain base with low-fibre flakes and want to know how much fibre and how many carbohydrates the product contains per 100 g. The Diabetes Fund lists wholegrain breakfast cereals, porridge oats and muesli as options to consider if you have type 2 diabetes.
You don’t want to rely solely on a claim about no added sugars. You also check total carbohydrates, fibre, salt, ingredients and any sweeteners before choosing a larger pack.
You’re considering a larger pack for regular use, but first check that its ingredients, size and best-before date suit your household. Only compare the price per kilo between products you actually want to eat.
Start by comparing the nutritional information per 100 g for similar products. Then work out your usual portion and consider whether a larger pack is practical. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, so differences in the portion sizes shown on packs don’t distort the picture.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain base and fibre | Compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g, alongside the total carbohydrates. | I want a wholegrain cereal as a regular breakfast staple, but I also want to know how many carbohydrates my choice contains. For around 36% of consumers, a fibre-focused base comes first. |
| Sugars and carbohydrates | Check both carbohydrates and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Also check the ingredients, sweeteners and salt. | A claim about no added sugars isn’t enough for me to compare different packs. That’s why around 29% of consumers pay the most attention to the full nutritional information. |
| Portion and breakfast combination | First compare per 100 g, then work out how much cereal and any additions you actually eat. | My bowl may be different from the portion shown on the box, so I want to take my whole breakfast into account. Around 21% of consumers prioritise keeping track of their portions. |
| Larger pack and how you’ll use it | Check the pack size, best-before date, storage advice and allergens. Only compare the price per kilo between similar products. | I’d rather not buy more than my household can use in time, even if a larger pack looks appealing. For around 14% of consumers, choosing a practical amount to keep in stock is the main concern. |
That claim doesn’t tell you how much total carbohydrate, fibre or salt a product contains. For example, Jumbo lists 76 g of carbohydrates, 7.2 g of fibre and 1.15 g of salt per 100 g for its Special Flakes.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, then read the ingredients list—even if the front of the pack focuses on sugar.
The portion on one box may not be the same size as the one on another. As a result, you could misjudge the differences between products if you compare the figures per portion alone.
Compare per 100 g first, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends. Then consider how much you serve yourself and what else you eat for breakfast.
A larger pack doesn’t change the ingredients or nutritional values. If you decide to switch products later, an unused pack could go to waste.
If needed, try one pack first. Then compare the pack size, best-before date and price per kilo of similar products that suit the way you use them.
Some of the breakfast cereals in this comparison contain wheat or wheat-based ingredients. The product category or a picture on the pack doesn’t give you enough information about the allergens in a specific variety.
Before buying, check the current ingredients and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ warnings, if you need to avoid particular ingredients.
Product types and nutritional values vary both within and between brands. So compare a specific variety with a similar product, rather than comparing one brand name with another.
Brinta Volkoren Graanontbijt is a warm wheat breakfast for anyone who’d also like to consider an alternative to crunchy flakes.
Corn Flakes and All-Bran Fibre Plus show why different product types from the same brand need to be assessed separately.
Its range includes a variety of own-brand flakes alongside branded products, making it easy to compare different options in one shop.
At Jumbo, you can explore options including Special Flakes and wholegrain breakfast porridge as different breakfast choices.
This ALDI own-brand range includes different breakfast cereals for anyone who wants to compare pack sizes and product types.
These products include cruesli in different pack sizes and a warm wholegrain cereal breakfast. Cruesli isn’t the same as plain cereal flakes, and the warm breakfast isn’t a crunchy alternative. First decide which type of product you want to eat, then compare the nutritional information and pack size.
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If you’re considering a larger pack of cruesli with nuts and seeds, compare the nutritional information per 100 g, allergens and best-before date with those of a smaller or similar pack before stocking up.
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If you’d like to compare a chocolate-flavoured cruesli, consider the Zero Sugar claim alongside the current figures for total carbohydrates, sugars and fibre per 100 g.
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If you’re looking for a fruit-flavoured cruesli, check the ingredients as well as the product name, and compare the total carbohydrates and sugars per 100 g. Also check the current allergen information.
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If you’re considering cruesli with nuts, check the allergens on the current pack. Compare carbohydrates, sugars and fibre per 100 g too, rather than relying on the Zero Sugar claim alone.
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For anyone who prefers a warm wholegrain cereal breakfast to crunchy flakes. Albert Heijn lists Brinta Volkoren Graanontbijt as 100% wholegrain wheat, with 10 g of fibre and 64 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. The product contains wheat and gluten. Remember to include your own portion in your comparison.
No. Sugar content alone isn’t enough to make that decision. Also compare total carbohydrates, fibre and your usual portion. The Diabetes Fund recommends that people with type 2 diabetes limit low-fibre cereals such as cornflakes as much as possible. It lists wholegrain breakfast cereals, porridge oats and muesli as options to consider.
First compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then consider your own portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, so different serving sizes on packs don’t determine which values you’re comparing.
No. A claim on a pack doesn’t determine whether a breakfast suits your personal plan. Check the nutritional information and talk to your healthcare professional about questions on your carbohydrate intake and medication, as the Diabetes Fund advises.
Before buying, check the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific variety, including any ‘may contain’ warnings. Also check the best-before date and storage advice to decide whether a larger pack is practical for your household.
