If you’re looking for a cocoa-flavoured breakfast cake to enjoy with your afternoon coffee, don’t judge by its dark colour or a spiced-sounding name. Check the ingredients of the exact product, and look for a stated quantity of cocoa if you want a high cocoa content. Also consider the portion size, sugars, fibre, salt and any dietary requirements. A chocolate bar may offer a different flavour, but it isn’t the same product as a slice of breakfast cake.
A spiced breakfast cake and a cocoa-flavoured product don’t satisfy the same taste preference. If you’re expecting a chocolate flavour, check the ingredients of the variety you choose; a dark colour alone tells you nothing about its cocoa content.
Sugars, fibre, salt and portion size can all be factors. The Nutrition Centre points out that older people with an illness or disability, or a reduced appetite, may need additional dietary advice.
A pre-sliced piece or individually wrapped bar makes it easy to see how much you’re having with your coffee. Peijnenburg says that a slice of its Volkoren Gesneden breakfast cake weighs 28 g, while its individually wrapped Tussendoor+ Choco bar weighs 36.7 g.
First decide whether you’re looking for cocoa or a spiced breakfast cake. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, so you can account for differences in slice or bar size.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa or spiced flavour | Check the ingredients of the exact variety for cocoa and, if you’re looking for a high cocoa content, the stated quantity. Anise and other spices point to a different flavour profile. | I want a chocolate flavour with my coffee, not just a dark-looking, spiced cake. For around 46% of consumers, this flavour preference comes first. |
| Sugars, fibre and salt | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion; don’t consider a wholegrain claim separately from the sugars and salt. | If I want the cake to fit into my usual diet, I need to know what one portion contributes. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this nutritional consideration. |
| Portion size and ease of eating | Check the weight of one slice or bar and the packaging; consider whether the texture is suitable for the person eating it. | A measured portion that doesn’t need slicing makes my coffee break easier, as long as the cake is comfortable to eat. This practical consideration comes first for around 18% of consumers. |
A dark, spiced breakfast cake doesn’t necessarily have a cocoa flavour. Jumbo lists anise and other spices among the ingredients of its Oude Wijven Ontbijtkoek; this doesn’t indicate a high cocoa content.
If you’re choosing a product for its cocoa, read the ingredients list. Look for cocoa ingredients and check whether the cocoa content is stated before considering the product high in cocoa.
Peijnenburg says its Volkoren Gesneden breakfast cake contains 39 g of sugars per 100 g. Its Tussendoor+ Choco without added sugars is also a bar with a different composition; the manufacturer states that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect because of the polyols it contains.
Compare the nutritional information and ingredients of the products you’re actually considering, both per 100 g and per portion.
A pre-sliced piece or individually wrapped bar makes portion sizes clear, but it doesn’t tell you whether the texture or composition suits someone’s chewing, swallowing or dietary needs. The Nutrition Centre says that older people with an illness or disability, or a reduced appetite, may need additional dietary advice.
Consider the portion size and texture for the person who’ll be eating the cake. For medical dietary or swallowing questions, seek personalised advice from an appropriate healthcare professional.
Offers products including sliced wholegrain breakfast cake and an individually wrapped Tussendoor+ Choco bar. These are different types of product to consider if you’re choosing between a slice and a bar.
Oude Wijven Ontbijtkoek is an example of a product for anyone looking for a flavour with anise and other spices to enjoy with their coffee.
Offers plain, wholegrain and zero varieties of breakfast cake. The variety name doesn’t tell you everything about its flavour or nutritional value.
Tastino is a name under which Lidl has sold breakfast cake. Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the specific pack you’re considering.
No, a dark colour doesn’t prove that the cocoa content is high. Check the ingredients of the exact product for cocoa, and look for a stated quantity if a high cocoa content is what you’re after. Anise and other spices indicate a different flavour profile.
Compare the portion size, sugars, fibre, salt and ingredients of the cake you’re planning to serve. The Nutrition Centre says that older people with an illness or disability, or a reduced appetite, may need additional dietary advice. In that situation, make your choice based on personalised advice.
No, Peijnenburg Tussendoor+ Choco is a bar containing grains and seeds, not a traditional slice of breakfast cake. Peijnenburg lists cocoa ingredients and also mentions polyols, which the manufacturer says may have a laxative effect if consumed in excess. So compare the full ingredients and nutritional information, not just the claim on the front of the pack.
No, don’t assume that every breakfast cake contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the presence of iodine compounds in bakery products in connection with the addition of bakers’ salt; this doesn’t confirm the composition of every individual cake. Check the label or ask the manufacturer which salt is used if this matters to your choice.
