For a coffee break with guests who have different preferences, you could serve a plain breakfast cake alongside a clearly labelled alternative, such as a wholemeal or no added sugar version. Compare the ingredients, sugars and fibre per 100 g and per slice on each pack: wholemeal does not automatically mean low in sugar, and no added sugar does not mean sugar-free.
Want to serve something familiar with coffee while giving guests another option? A plain version alongside, for example, a wholemeal one gives you two clearly different choices. Check both packs to see exactly what you’re serving.
Compare the sugars per slice and per 100 g. Less sugar, no added sugar and sugar-free do not mean the same thing; check which sweeteners a version contains, too.
Check the stated wholemeal content and fibre, but also read the sugar information, ingredients and allergen details. A wholemeal label doesn’t answer those other questions.
When you’re having coffee with friends, taste, wholemeal ingredients, sugar content or ease of serving may be the deciding factor. Decide which matters most to your guests, then compare the labels of the options that meet their needs.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Familiar taste | Check that it’s a plain breakfast cake and look at the sugars per slice. | If guests don’t have a particular preference for wholemeal or sweeteners, I want to serve a familiar option. Around 40% of consumers are said to prioritise a familiar taste when buying. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Compare the wholemeal content, fibre and sugars per 100 g. | If a guest is looking for wholemeal rye, I want to know what’s in the cake without assuming that it’s also low in sugar. Wholemeal and fibre are said to be top priorities for around 30% of consumers. |
| Less sugar | Check the sugars per 100 g and per slice; for a no added sugar version, read the ingredients too. | I want to offer a lower-sugar option, but I need to be able to see whether a product contains less sugar or has no added sugar. This is said to be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Allergens and serving | Read the allergen information and possible traces, the number of servings and any warnings about sweeteners. | When serving several guests, I want to ask about dietary requirements in advance and keep the pack to hand. These practical checks are said to be the main buying consideration for around 10% of consumers. |
Wholemeal content and sugars describe different things. PLUS lists its wholemeal breakfast cake as containing 41% wholemeal rye flour and 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g.
Compare the ingredients, fibre and sugars per 100 g; before serving, check the size of each slice too.
According to the product information at Jumbo, Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugar still contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g and uses xylitol as a sweetener.
Read the total sugar content and ingredients, including any warnings about sweeteners.
For Peijnenburg Breakfast Cake Less Sugar, Albert Heijn lists rye, wheat and cereals containing gluten, as well as the possible presence of nuts.
Ask guests about dietary requirements in advance and keep the pack available so you can check the information for the product you’re serving.
The product information for Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugar warns that xylitol is not suitable for animals.
Keep this breakfast cake out of their reach. If a pet may have eaten some, follow the instructions on the pack and contact a vet.
Its breakfast cake range includes options with less sugar and wholemeal varieties with no added sugar.
Its sliced breakfast cake range includes both AH options and products from other brands.
Its own range includes sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
ALDI lists a sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a zero version under this brand.
Lists a 485 g sliced wholemeal breakfast cake as a store product.
These products offer two different options for a coffee break: a sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a Snelle Jelle version whose sugar information is worth checking. If your guests have allergies, always check the pack.
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A sliced option if you’d like to offer your guests wholemeal breakfast cake. Joybuy’s product information lists 43% wholemeal rye flour, 5.9 g of fibre and 34 g of sugars per 100 g. If anyone has allergies, check the pack: the ingredients list rye, but the allergen information doesn’t match.
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A breakfast cake to consider if a guest is particularly mindful of sugar. The words ‘Less Sugar-Free’ in the product name don’t prove that the cake is sugar-free; check the sugars per serving and per 100 g, and read the explanation of the claim on the pack. If anyone has allergies, also check for rye and gluten, and the possible presence of nuts and milk.
No. Assess the wholemeal ingredients and sugars separately. PLUS lists its wholemeal breakfast cake as containing 41% wholemeal rye flour, 5.7 g of fibre and 34.1 g of sugars per 100 g; compare the figures on the pack you’re thinking of buying.
No. According to the product information at Jumbo, Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugar still contains 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. Read the nutritional information and ingredients if you also want to check which sweeteners are used.
Read the label for each specific version and ask guests which ingredients they need to avoid. For Peijnenburg Breakfast Cake Less Sugar, Albert Heijn lists rye, wheat and cereals containing gluten, with the possible presence of nuts; PLUS also notes that its wholemeal breakfast cake may contain wheat, barley and oats.
Keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of your dog’s reach. The product information for Peijnenburg Wholemeal with no added sugar warns that xylitol is not suitable for animals and advises contacting a vet if it’s eaten.
No, don’t assume that a particular breakfast cake contains it without checking the label. The Dutch Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foods defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt for bread and other baked goods; that definition doesn’t tell you which salt was used in the breakfast cake on your table. Check the ingredients list to find out.
