Who is this choice important for?

If you’re looking for wholemeal breakfast cake

You want a breakfast cake for Christmas breakfast that is actually labelled as wholemeal. To check, compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g rather than judging by its colour.

If you’re keeping an eye on sugars and sweeteners

You want to serve breakfast cake with coffee or as a snack, and compare the sugars per 100 g and per slice. For a variety with no added sugars, you’ll also want to check which sweeteners it contains.

If you’re buying for a group

You’re looking for a pack that suits the number of people eating, and checking whether pre-sliced portions would be useful. Allergen information is still important when guests have different dietary needs.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the ingredients or convenience for your guests matters most. Then compare the information on the same basis, such as nutritional values per 100 g, and check the weight of a slice.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Check the wholemeal claim and the proportion of wholemeal flour in the ingredients; compare the fibre per 100 g. I want breakfast cake that is demonstrably wholemeal, not just dark in colour. Around 33% of consumers put wholemeal ingredients and fibre first.
Sugars and sweeteners Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and, for varieties with no added sugars, check which sweeteners they contain. For the coffee table, I want to know how much sugar the cake contains and what it has been sweetened with. For around 27% of consumers, this is the most important question when choosing.
Allergens and household Check the current allergen information for those eating; if a product contains xylitol, take care around pets too. If several people are eating, I want to make sure the pack I choose suits them. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers.
Pack size and convenience Compare the net weight and number of slices; check availability at your chosen shop. I want to serve enough breakfast cake without having to slice it there and then. Around 20% of consumers give most weight to pack size and convenience.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘wholemeal’ means low in sugar

    The wholemeal varieties described by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS each list around 34 to 35.5 g of sugars per 100 g. So the wholemeal label alone doesn’t mean a product is low in sugar.

    Check both fibre and ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the pack, then look at the weight of a slice.

  • Reading ‘no added sugars’ as ‘sugar-free’

    The Peijnenburg variety with no added sugars described by Jumbo lists 4.9 g of sugars and 24 g of polyols per 100 g. According to the product information, excessive consumption may have a laxative effect; the ingredients list includes xylitol.

    Read the ingredients and warnings for the variety you choose, and keep products containing xylitol out of reach of pets.

  • Treating a mix of flour and wholemeal flour as fully wholemeal

    A mix of grains can offer a different flavour for fussy eaters, but the presence of wholemeal flour doesn’t automatically make a breakfast cake fully wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products such as biscuits can only be labelled ‘wholemeal’ if all the flour used is wholemeal.

    Check the product name and ingredients list separately. Don’t assess a mixed blend as if it were the same as a product labelled wholemeal.

  • Assuming an online listing means it will be in store

    PLUS notes that product information can change. The breakfast cakes from ALDI and Lidl included in this comparison are shown on shop pages; an online listing doesn’t guarantee that your chosen shop stocks the product.

    Check availability at your shop before doing the Christmas food shop, and read the label again when you buy it.

Brands to help you choose

The differences below apply to the breakfast cake varieties mentioned, not to each brand’s full range.

Peijnenburg

The pre-sliced wholemeal variety with no added sugars is an option if that specific product description matters to you.

  • Peijnenburg lists 40% wholemeal rye flour; Jumbo lists 17 g of fibre and 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for this variety.
  • The ingredients include xylitol. Read the warning about excessive consumption and keep the cake out of reach of pets.

Albert Heijn

The 485 g pack of pre-sliced AH wholemeal breakfast cake is an option for feeding several people.

  • For this variety, Albert Heijn lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Albert Heijn also lists 34 g of sugars per 100 g and identifies rye and gluten-containing cereals in the allergen information.

Jumbo

The 280 g pack of Jumbo wholemeal breakfast cake is worth comparing if you’d prefer a smaller pack.

  • For this variety, Jumbo lists 35.9% wholemeal rye flour and 8.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The same product information lists 35.5 g of sugars per 100 g and names gluten, rye and wheat.

PLUS

The 485 g pack of pre-sliced PLUS wholemeal breakfast cake is another option for a group.

  • For this variety, PLUS lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • PLUS lists 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g and notes that product information can change; check the pack when you buy it.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI lists a pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a separate pre-sliced Zero variety from this brand.

  • ALDI lists a 485 g pack for the wholemeal variety and describes the separate Zero variety as having ‘no added sugars’.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for your chosen variety on the pack; the two varieties aren’t interchangeable.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is dark breakfast cake, or a mix of flour and wholemeal flour, automatically wholemeal?

No. Colour doesn’t prove that a product is wholemeal, and a mix of flour and wholemeal flour isn’t the same as a product made entirely with wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre makes this distinction for the ‘wholemeal’ label on products such as biscuits; for breakfast cake, check both the product name and the ingredients list.

Is breakfast cake with no added sugars completely sugar-free?

No. For the pre-sliced Peijnenburg wholemeal variety with no added sugars, Jumbo lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. Compare ‘of which sugars’ in the nutrition table and check the ingredients too: this variety contains xylitol.

Should I check for gluten and rye in wholemeal breakfast cake?

Yes, check the allergens on the specific pack. For the wholemeal breakfast cake included in this comparison, Albert Heijn lists rye and gluten-containing cereals; Jumbo also names wheat for its variety. The ‘wholemeal’ label doesn’t replace the allergen information.

Can I assume that breakfast cake contains iodine?

No, don’t assume that all breakfast cake contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s information about iodine from baker’s salt in bakery products doesn’t mean that every breakfast cake contains this salt. Check the ingredients list for the product you choose.

How should I store opened breakfast cake for Christmas breakfast?

Follow the storage instructions on the pack. For the variety included in this comparison, Albert Heijn recommends a cool, dark and dry place; Peijnenburg recommends keeping its variety in a dry, dark place, preferably in a sealed tin or container.