Choose pre-sliced Dutch breakfast cake if you want soft slices that are easy to serve on your Boxing Day buffet. If you’re mainly comparing sugar per portion, also consider an option with no added sugars. If visible seeds and a firmer bite are what you’re after, multiseed crackers can be served alongside or instead of breakfast cake. For every product, check the current ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging.
If guests can help themselves to something sweet, pre-sliced Dutch breakfast cake is an easy option to put out without having to cut it up. Check how many slices are in the pack when working out how much you’ll need for the buffet.
Sugar levels per slice can vary between standard breakfast cake and options with no added sugars. Check the sugar and fibre content alongside the portion weight, rather than relying on the wording on the front of the pack.
If by ‘seeded’ you mean actual seeds or kernels, look for them in the ingredients list. Multiseed crackers are a different product from soft breakfast cake, so they’ll change what you serve on the buffet too.
A good fit if: you want to put out soft slices for guests to help themselves.
Consider: ‘rye’ or ‘wholemeal’ in the name doesn’t mean the cake contains seeds or kernels.
A good fit if: you want to stick with soft breakfast cake and compare sugar per slice.
Consider: ‘No added sugars’ doesn’t mean sugar-free, and it doesn’t tell you whether the product contains seeds.
A good fit if: recognisable seeds and a crunchy bite matter more to you than soft cake.
Consider: crackers won’t give you the same texture as breakfast cake. Remember to check the allergens in your chosen product too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds and texture | Look for the seeds or kernels you want in the ingredients list, and check whether the product is breakfast cake or a cracker. | I want visible seeds and a firmer bite, not just rye or wholemeal on the packaging. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Sugars and fibre | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion; also check the weight of each slice. | If I’m serving sweet slices, I want to know how much sugar and fibre there is in each one. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
| Portions and allergens | Check whether the cake is pre-sliced, and keep the current packaging with its ingredients and allergen information by the buffet. | Guests need to be able to help themselves and see which ingredients may be relevant to them. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Rye in breakfast cake doesn’t automatically mean the product contains seeds or kernels. Peijnenburg’s ingredients for its plain version don’t list any seeds; for Bolletje Ontbijtcrackers multiseed, PLUS lists linseed, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, among other ingredients.
First decide whether you want soft cake or crunchy crackers, then check which seeds are actually listed on the packaging.
That wording doesn’t mean a product contains no sugars. Peijnenburg states that its plain version with no added sugars contains 1.4 g of sugars per 28 g slice.
Compare the nutritional information for your chosen products on the same basis, paying attention to sugars, fibre and portion size.
The plain breakfast cake checked contains rye; according to PLUS, Bolletje multiseed crackers contain sesame and cereals containing gluten, among other ingredients. Guests need to be able to check what’s in the product.
Keep the original packaging beside the products and use separate serving utensils where needed.
The RIVM describes the use of iodised salt in the Netherlands mainly in connection with bread. This doesn’t tell you which salt has been used in a specific breakfast cake or how much iodine it contains.
Don’t make claims about the iodine content of a particular breakfast cake unless this is confirmed on the packaging or by the manufacturer.
Offers sliced plain breakfast cake and a plain version with no added sugars. Compare these options by portion weight and nutritional information, rather than assuming they contain seeds.
Stocks Peijnenburg plain breakfast cake and its own wholemeal breakfast cake, among other products, so you can compare packaging and product information side by side.
Stocks Jumbo Naturel Ontbijtkoek Gesneden, 475 g, as an own-brand option if you want to serve slices on the buffet.
Stocks a 485 g sliced plain breakfast cake for anyone looking for a standard option.
Stocks Koek & Bakker breakfast cake in a sliced wholemeal version and a zero version.
Stocks plain, wholemeal and zero breakfast cake, as well as Bolletje Ontbijtcrackers multiseed as a separate cracker option.
These products show two ways to put together your buffet: multiseed crackers if you want a crunchy seeded option, and breakfast cake or breakfast cake bars if you’d prefer to serve a soft portion. Compare the packaging of each product with your guests’ needs.
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A cracker option if you’d like to serve something with a firmer bite alongside soft breakfast cake. The pack contains 200 g; this isn’t breakfast cake. Before serving the crackers to guests, check the current packaging for seeds and allergens.
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For anyone who wants to serve sliced breakfast cake rather than crackers on the buffet. The pack contains 485 g. Don’t assume ‘wholemeal’ means it contains seeds; before serving, check the current ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
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A breakfast-cake-style bar for anyone who’d rather hand out individual portions than put out sliced cake. The pack contains 250 g. Don’t assume the bars are sugar-free from the product name: check the current nutritional information per bar, as well as the ingredients and allergens.
No. Peijnenburg plain breakfast cake lists rye flour and spices in its ingredients, but no seeds or kernels. If seeds are a must, check the current packaging of the breakfast cake you choose.
No, those terms don’t mean the same thing. Peijnenburg states that its plain version with no added sugars contains 1.4 g of sugars per 28 g slice, so compare the nutritional information per portion.
Check the packaging of the specific product for its ingredients, allergens and any warnings. For Bolletje Ontbijtcrackers multiseed, PLUS lists wheat, barley, oats and sesame, among other ingredients. This information doesn’t automatically apply to other crackers or breakfast cake.
You can’t assume this for every breakfast cake. The RIVM describes Dutch iodine policy mainly in connection with iodised salt in bread. To make a claim about a specific breakfast cake, check the packaging or ask the manufacturer.
