Who is this relevant for?

Buying for several breakfasts

You eat cornflakes regularly and are looking for a pack size that suits the number of breakfasts your household has. A larger pack also needs to be used regularly and stored somewhere dry once opened.

Short on time in the morning

You want to serve cornflakes with no preparation, for example with milk, yoghurt, quark or a plant-based alternative. The serving suggestion and storage advice can help you plan; Albert Heijn gives a 40 g serving size for AH Cornflakes.

Checking labels and allergens

You compare ingredients, sugars, fibre and salt, or need to look out for specific allergens. Cornflakes made with maize aren’t automatically gluten-free: some varieties contain barley.

What should you look for when choosing?

Work out how many breakfasts you want a pack to last for. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g. If allergens are relevant to you, check the current pack before using the product.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this important for?
Pack size and how quickly you’ll use it Check the net weight and consider whether you’ll finish the pack while following the storage advice. If I buy cornflakes for several breakfasts, I want to avoid leaving an opened pack for too long. For around 33% of consumers, choosing a pack size that suits their needs comes first.
Breakfast routine and serving sizes Read the serving suggestion and storage advice on the specific pack. On busy mornings, I want to be able to serve breakfast quickly and know roughly how many breakfasts a pack will last for. For around 27% of consumers, everyday convenience takes priority.
Nutritional information and ingredients Compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients list. When choosing between varieties, I want to compare their composition on a like-for-like basis. Around 27% of consumers put this comparison first.
Allergens and gluten-free labelling Check the full allergen declaration, any cross-contamination warnings and the details on the current pack. If I need to avoid a specific allergen, I can’t rely on the product name or the fact that it contains maize alone. For around 13% of consumers, suitable allergen labelling is the first requirement.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a claim on the front as the full product story

    A claim about, for example, organic sourcing doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fibre or salt a product contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing the nutritional values of similar breakfast cereals per 100 g.

    Read the ingredients list too, and compare only the features that matter to your choice.

  • Assuming cornflakes made from maize are always gluten-free

    Standard varieties may contain barley. Albert Heijn lists barley in AH Cornflakes, while its organic variety is labelled gluten-free but lists soya.

    If you need to avoid an allergen, check the full declaration on the pack you’re buying, including any cross-contamination warnings.

  • Opening a large pack without planning how you’ll use it

    The contents of a larger pack should suit your household’s breakfast routine and the storage advice for once it’s opened.

    Choose a pack size that matches your usage and close the pack properly after each breakfast. Albert Heijn advises storing its cornflakes in a cool, dark and dry place.

    If an opened pack isn’t stored properly or is left for too long, its quality may deteriorate and some of the product could go to waste.

Brands to consider

The features listed apply to the products described, not automatically to every cornflake product from the same brand. Always check the information on the specific pack when you buy.

Golden Bridge

ALDI lists Golden Bridge Cornflakes as its own-brand product in a 500 g pack.

  • The 500 g pack may suit a household that eats cornflakes regularly.
  • Check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the current pack before comparing its composition with other varieties.

AH

Albert Heijn describes standard AH Cornflakes in a 500 g pack and AH Biologisch Cornflakes in a 300 g pack as separate varieties.

  • According to Albert Heijn, the standard variety contains 95% maize grits, as well as sugar, salt and barley malt extract.
  • Albert Heijn labels the organic variety as gluten-free, but it also lists soya. Check which variety you have and read the current label.

Jumbo

Alongside cornflakes, Jumbo also describes Special Flakes, a different type of breakfast cereal.

  • According to Jumbo, Special Flakes contains 7.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Special Flakes contains, among other ingredients, wholemeal wheat, rice, barley malt extract and maltitol. It isn’t made solely from maize and contains gluten-containing cereals.

Kellogg's

Albert Heijn lists Kellogg's Corn Flakes in a 375 g pack, with added vitamins and iron.

  • The product information lists vitamins D, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12, as well as iron, as added ingredients.
  • Albert Heijn lists 8 g of sugars and 1.1 g of salt per 100 g for this product, as well as barley or gluten-containing cereals.

Smaakt

Jumbo describes Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet (unsweetened organic cornflakes), 300 g, as maize flakes made with organic maize.

  • Jumbo lists 1.0 g of sugars and 0.01 g of salt per 100 g for this variety.
  • The product information warns that several allergens may be present due to cross-contamination. Read the full warning on the pack.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compare the nutritional information on packs of different sizes?

Compare the values per 100 g, even if the serving suggestions differ. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using this basis to compare breakfast cereals; also check the ingredients of each variety.

Are cornflakes automatically gluten-free if they’re made from maize?

No. Cornflakes may also contain barley or other ingredients containing gluten. Albert Heijn lists barley in its standard cornflakes and labels AH Biologisch Cornflakes as gluten-free, but that variety lists soya. Check the full labelling and allergen warnings on the current pack.

What label information matters if you need to avoid an allergen?

Read the ingredients and the full allergen declaration on the pack you buy, including warnings about possible cross-contamination. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods.

Is a larger pack always convenient for a quick breakfast?

No. A larger pack is most practical when it matches how much cornflakes you use and you can store it according to the advice once opened. Albert Heijn advises storing its cornflakes in a cool, dark and dry place and closing the pack securely.