If you want to cut down on added sugar, check the nutrition information first: ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean the breakfast cake is completely sugar-free. For coffee on the go, individually wrapped bars save you the hassle of slicing and packing a portion. If you eat it at home or at work, a pre-sliced loaf could also be an option. For each variety, check the sugars per 100 g, the ingredients and any sweetener warnings.
You take breakfast cake with you to have with your coffee and want to know what ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugars’ means for the variety you’ve chosen. According to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, products with no added sugars can still contain sugar.
You don’t want to slice and wrap a portion every morning. Peijnenburg offers a 5-pack of individually wrapped bars, while Snelle Jelle has a 4-pack of zero spiced cake. If you’re buying a multipack, check whether the portions are individually wrapped.
You look beyond the front of the pack and compare sugars, fibre and sweeteners per 100 g. The ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety are just as important as the ‘zero’ claim.
First decide whether added sugars, a handy portion to take with you or the ingredients matter most. Then compare the nutrition information on a like-for-like basis and check that the packaging suits when you plan to eat the breakfast cake.
| What to look for | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugars | Read the claim alongside the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and the ingredients list. AH Zero and PLUS Zero each state 0 g of added sugars, but also 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I want less added sugar with my coffee, I don’t want to mistake ‘zero’ for completely sugar-free. This is the top priority for around 42% of shoppers. |
| Portion to take with you | Check the weight per piece and whether each portion is individually wrapped. The Peijnenburg Naturel 5-pack contains five individually wrapped bars of 27 g each. | I want to pop one portion in my bag without slicing and wrapping it first. This convenience is the top priority for around 33% of shoppers. |
| Ingredients | Compare fibre and sugars per 100 g, and check the ingredients, allergens and sweetener warnings on the pack you’ve chosen. | A zero claim on its own doesn’t help me choose if I also need to check ingredients or allergens. Around 25% of shoppers give these checks top priority. |
Breakfast cake with no added sugars can still contain sugar. For example, AH Zero and PLUS Zero both state that they contain 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
Check both the claim and the ‘of which sugars’ figure on the pack you’ve chosen. Compare the nutrition information for different products per 100 g.
Product information for AH Zero and Snelle Jelle Zero warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. This warning is worth noting alongside the sugar content.
Check the ingredients and usage warning for the exact variety you’re buying.
Pre-sliced breakfast cake saves you the effort of cutting it, but you’ll still need to put a slice from a large wrapper into suitable packaging to take it with you. An individually wrapped bar doesn’t require this extra step.
Before buying, check the number of portions, the weight per portion and whether the pieces are genuinely individually wrapped.
The AH Zero and PLUS Zero varieties we looked at contain rye and cereals containing gluten. That doesn’t tell you what’s in every other breakfast cake.
Always check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack, even if you’ve bought a different variety from the same brand before.
Compare the specific variety and packaging from these brands: a pre-sliced loaf, a wholemeal variety and a multipack of bars won’t all meet the same needs when you’re taking breakfast cake with you.
Offers breakfast cake with no added sugars, both pre-sliced and as a 5-pack of individually wrapped bars.
AH Ontbijtkoek Zero gesneden comes in a 485 g wrapper.
PLUS Ontbijtkoek Zero gesneden is sold in a 485 g wrapper.
ALDI describes Koek & Bakker Ontbijtkoek Zero as a 485 g pack of pre-sliced breakfast cake with no added sugars.
Snelle Jelle offers a zero spiced cake in a 4-pack.
No. According to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean the product contains no sugars at all. To see how much it contains, check the nutrition information for the breakfast cake you’ve chosen, under ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g.
It means the product is being compared with another one; it doesn’t mean the breakfast cake is sugar-free. For example, Albert Heijn compares AH Zero with AH Ontbijtkoek naturel gesneden met zoetstof. Check which product it’s being compared with, and also read the sugars per 100 g.
No. The AH Zero and PLUS Zero varieties contain rye and cereals containing gluten. Check the ingredients and allergen information for every other variety separately; the name ‘zero’ doesn’t tell you whether it’s gluten-free.
Yes. Check the ingredients and any warnings on the pack. AH Zero and PLUS Zero list xylitol or E967; product information for AH Zero and Snelle Jelle Zero warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Don’t assume that all breakfast cake has the same ingredients. Check the ingredients list on the specific pack if the presence of baker’s salt matters to you; don’t draw conclusions about the cake you’re buying from the label on a different variety.
