Which choice is right for you?

TV snackers who put flavour first

If the cake is a treat for your TV night, you could look at varieties with ginger or pearl sugar. Compare the nutritional information for the variety you choose, too.

Shoppers comparing nutritional values

If sugar, fibre and portion size shape your choice, compare the values for the exact products rather than relying on words such as wholemeal or zero alone.

Shoppers who need to avoid certain allergens

If you need to avoid certain ingredients, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose. A gluten-free variety may still contain other allergens.

What should you look for when choosing?

For a TV night, decide what matters most to you: a distinctive flavour, nutritional value, a set portion or the ingredients. Then compare the packs on that basis.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important to?
Flavour and treating yourself Look at the flavourings and compare sugar per 100 g and per slice you plan to eat. If I want my TV snack to be a treat, ginger or pearl sugar appeals to me more than a plain variety. Around 31% of shoppers would put flavour first.
Sugar and fibre Compare sugar and fibre per 100 g and per portion; assess wholemeal and no added sugar varieties separately. When I’m choosing between a premium and a wholemeal variety, I want to know what’s actually in my slice. Around 31% of shoppers would put nutritional value first.
Portion size and convenience Check the weight of each slice, whether the cake is pre-sliced and how to store it after opening. For a snack while I’m watching TV, I’d rather have a slice ready in advance than cut one each time. For around 23% of shoppers, portion convenience would be the main consideration.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety. If I need to avoid an ingredient, the pack I choose must suit my needs, even if it says gluten-free. For around 15% of shoppers, ingredients or allergens would determine their choice.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a premium name means better nutritional value

    A distinctive flavour doesn’t tell you how much sugar or fibre the cake contains. Jumbo listed 40.7 g of sugar per 100 g for a Peijnenburg variety with honey and caramel. That figure applies to that variety, not to all premium breakfast cakes.

    First choose a flavour you like, then compare its nutritional information with a plain or wholemeal variety.

  • Relying on ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugar’ alone

    Those words on their own don’t tell you how much total sugar, fibre or energy is in your portion.

    Read the full nutrition table per 100 g and use the pack information to work out what’s in your own slice or bar.

  • Confusing gluten-free with allergen-free

    A gluten-free Peijnenburg variety listed by Albert Heijn also contains lupin and milk. So a gluten-free label doesn’t rule out other allergens.

    Check the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the pack for the exact variety.

  • Treating an online product description as the definitive label

    The pack is the definitive source of information about the cake you’ve chosen, particularly if the ingredients or allergens matter to you.

    Check the label again before eating the cake, even if you’ve looked at the product online before.

Brands and own-label options to compare

Peijnenburg

Peijnenburg offers plain and wholemeal varieties, as well as breakfast cake with pearl sugar and individually wrapped slices.

  • A plain pack listed by Jumbo contains ten individually wrapped slices, each weighing 28 g.
  • Compare the nutritional values for the exact variety; the brand name doesn’t tell you what’s in every cake.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn has its own sliced plain breakfast cake and also sells breakfast cake from other brands.

  • For its own plain variety, Albert Heijn lists a nutritional value for added sugars: 36 g per 100 g.
  • Use that figure for this variety only, and check the pack for any other cake.

Jumbo

Jumbo’s range includes breakfast cake with ginger and pearl sugar.

  • These flavours offer an alternative to plain cake when you’re after a treat for your TV night.
  • Check the ingredients and nutritional value for each flavour; you can’t compare them based on their names alone.

Lidl

Lidl lists both a zero breakfast cake and a premium breakfast cake.

  • You can compare these two types of product if you want to weigh up flavour and nutritional information.
  • Check the pack to find out what zero means for this cake and what nutritional values it has.

Aldi

Under its Cakes & Bakery range, Aldi lists a sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and an unsliced premium variety with pieces of ginger.

  • The difference between sliced wholemeal cake and unsliced ginger cake matters when it comes to serving and choosing a flavour.
  • Compare the nutritional information on the exact packs before basing your choice on nutritional values.

Plus

Plus’s breakfast cake range includes sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a sliced zero variety.

  • Both varieties are worth considering if you’re looking for sliced cake but want to compare different labels.
  • Wholemeal and zero describe different characteristics; assess the ingredients and nutritional values of each product.

Sliced wholemeal breakfast cake at Joybuy

This sliced wholemeal breakfast cake is a good fit for a TV night when you want to have a slice ready. Compare the pack with flavoured varieties if you’re choosing mainly for a treat or a specific nutritional value.

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

An option if you’d like a slice of sliced wholemeal breakfast cake for your TV night.

485 g pack. Check the pack for nutritional values per 100 g, the weight of your portion, and the ingredients and allergens if they matter to your choice.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘premium’ tell you anything about the nutritional value of breakfast cake?

No. ‘Premium’ may describe a flavour or style, but it doesn’t tell you how much sugar or fibre a portion contains. Compare the nutrition tables for the varieties you’re considering.

What should I look for in breakfast cake with no added sugar?

As well as that claim, check the total sugar and other nutritional values on the pack. You can then compare the variety per 100 g and per portion with a plain or wholemeal cake.

How do I check for gluten and other allergens?

Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the exact pack. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the 14 specified allergens must be clearly listed on the label. For example, a gluten-free Peijnenburg variety listed by Albert Heijn contains lupin and milk.

Does every breakfast cake contain iodine-enriched baker’s salt?

Don’t assume so. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be added to bakery products through baker’s salt; that doesn’t mean every breakfast cake is made with it. Check the ingredients list on the specific pack if this matters to your choice.

How should I store breakfast cake after opening?

Follow the storage advice and use-by information on the pack you buy. The product information from Albert Heijn and Peijnenburg recommends storing the varieties described in a cool, dark and dry place.