Regular Dutch breakfast cake eaters
If you regularly eat Dutch breakfast cake at home, work or school, consider how much is in a pack and whether that amount suits your needs. A larger pack is less practical if some of it is left uneaten.
Who are the different pack sizes suitable for?
Those comparing ingredients and nutritional information
If you’re choosing between standard Dutch breakfast cake, wholemeal options and no-added-sugar varieties, the ingredients list and nutritional information are more useful than the front of the pack alone.
Those planning snacks to take with them
If you want to keep a snack in your bag, desk or schoolbag, you can choose between taking slices with you or opting for individually wrapped portions. The main things to consider are how much preparation is involved and how much you’ll have at each snack break.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with how you’ll use it: do you usually eat Dutch breakfast cake from one pack, take portions with you, or choose a variety based on its ingredients? Then compare packs of the same type of product.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Check the net weight and whether you’ll finish the pack once it’s open. | If I often have a slice, I want a pack that suits how much I eat, so none is left over. Pack size is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Sugars, fibre and ingredients | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and read the ingredients list too. | For my morning snack, I want to know what’s in a slice of the variety I’ve chosen, not just what the front of the pack says. Around 29% of consumers give ingredients the highest priority. |
| Convenience for taking with you | Check the number of portions, the weight per portion and whether they’re individually wrapped. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take a set portion without wrapping slices myself. This is the most important consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and suitability | Check the current packaging for grains, allergens and possible traces. | If an ingredient or allergen matters to me, I need to check the specific pack before eating the cake. This is the most important consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Common misconceptions
-
Taking ‘no added sugars’ to mean ‘sugar-free’
This label doesn’t mean the product contains no sugars. Jumbo lists 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g for its sliced zero Dutch breakfast cake and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Compare the sugars per 100 g and per portion. For this variety, also check which sweeteners are listed in the ingredients.
-
Assuming a product is suitable based on its name alone
Rye, wheat and gluten are among the ingredients listed for Dutch breakfast cakes reviewed; some packs also mention possible traces of nuts. A variety’s name doesn’t give you the full picture.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack every time you buy, especially if an allergen is relevant to you.
Brands and product ranges compared
Albert Heijn
AH Dutch Breakfast Cake is a standard variety in a 600 g pack.
- The larger pack suits regular use if you finish it.
- Albert Heijn says product information may change when products are updated. Check the pack for the latest ingredients and nutritional information.
Koek & Bakker
ALDI’s range includes sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake and a sliced zero variety, both in 485 g packs.
- The two varieties offer a choice between a wholemeal option and one labelled as having no added sugars.
- Use the nutritional information and ingredients list on the pack to compare sugars, fibre and allergens in your chosen variety.
Jumbo
Jumbo Sliced Dutch Breakfast Cake, 475 g, is a variety labelled zero% added sugar.
- Jumbo lists 5.8 g of sugars and 17.4 g of fibre per 100 g, so you can compare these figures with other packs on the same basis.
- The ingredients include maltitols. The pack warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers standard sliced Dutch breakfast cake, a no-added-sugar variety and individually wrapped portions, among other options.
- For its standard sliced plain variety, Jumbo lists 38 g of sugars and 3.1 g of fibre per 100 g. Peijnenburg lists 4.9 g of sugars and 17 g of fibre per 100 g for its sliced no-added-sugar variety.
- These are different varieties. According to Peijnenburg, the no-added-sugar variety contains xylitol; check the ingredients on the pack you choose.
PLUS Korenlanders
PLUS Korenlanders Bakers’ Plain Dutch Breakfast Cake is a standard variety in a 500 g pack.
- PLUS gives this specific variety a Nutri-Score of D. Check the nutritional information too if you want to compare individual values between products.
- The product information lists wheat, rye and cereals containing gluten, as well as possible traces of nuts. Check the current packaging if this is important to you.
Joybuy products for your morning break
This selection includes sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake for eating from one pack and Dutch breakfast cake bars that are handy to take with you. For both, check the pack weight, nutritional information and current ingredients list.
Image unavailable
g'woon sliced wholemeal Dutch breakfast cake, 485 g
A sliced variety for anyone who has slices from one pack at home or at work.
If you have an allergy, it’s especially important to check the current packaging: the online information about rye and allergens is inconsistent.
Image unavailable
Snelle Jelle Less Sugar-Free Dutch breakfast cake bars, 250 g
Dutch breakfast cake bars for anyone who wants to take a portion to work or school.
Don’t assume the sugar content from the variety name: compare the nutritional information per 100 g on the pack. Also check the allergen information, including rye and possible traces of nuts and milk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dutch breakfast cake with no added sugars also sugar-free?
No, that label doesn’t mean it contains no sugars. Jumbo lists 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g for its sliced zero Dutch breakfast cake. For the variety you choose, check the ingredients and any warnings on the pack too.
How should I store Dutch breakfast cake once opened?
Seal the pack well after opening and follow the storage instructions for the specific product. For Peijnenburg plain sliced Dutch breakfast cake, Jumbo recommends storing it in a cool, dry, dark place.
Does the Dutch rule on bakers’ salt mean that all Dutch breakfast cake contains iodine?
No, the rule doesn’t mean that all Dutch breakfast cake contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that, for bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products, iodine compounds may only be present through added bakers’ salt, with a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Check the label if you want to know what’s in a specific Dutch breakfast cake.