If you’re heading out on your own on King’s Day, a small pack or an egg cake that’s clearly individually wrapped is better suited to a single snack break than a large pack. Do check that it’s available when you buy, though: Jumbo listed the individually wrapped Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel as no longer available online. If you need to avoid gluten, choose an egg cake explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the other allergen information too.
If you want to take one egg cake with you without opening a large pack, check both the number of cakes and whether it says ‘individually wrapped’. Jumbo described the Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel this way, but also noted that it was no longer available online.
A standard wholemeal or spelt egg cake isn’t automatically gluten-free. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking the label if you follow a gluten-free diet; also look for any other allergens that may be relevant to you.
If you’re buying for several people or snack breaks, the number of egg cakes in a pack matters more than individual wrapping. If you’re selling unpackaged cakes at a King’s Day market, also bear in mind the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s guidance on allergen information and protecting food from contamination.
For a solo snack or a day out on King’s Day, first decide how many egg cakes you need. Then check the packaging and any dietary requirements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Small quantity | Check how many cakes are in the pack and whether it explicitly says ‘individually wrapped’. A 2-pack could also mean a bundle of two products. | If you’re heading out alone, you may want to take one cake without opening a large pack; a small quantity is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | If you need a gluten-free option, look for an explicit gluten-free label and read the ingredients, allergen information and warnings on the packaging. | If you need to avoid gluten, you’ll want to choose a suitable egg cake and check for any other relevant allergens too; this is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and sugars on a like-for-like basis, such as per 100 g, and check the serving size too. | If you want to weigh up the nutritional values, you’ll want to know what’s in a serving rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone; these details are the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Enough to share | Compare the number of cakes and the storage instructions before choosing a larger pack. | If you’re sharing egg cakes with others, you’ll want enough to go round without too many left over; pack size is the top priority for sharing for around 20% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn describes the AH Spelt eierkoeken 2-pack as a bundle supplied as two separate products. So ‘2-pack’ doesn’t confirm that each egg cake is individually wrapped.
Check what’s inside each product in the bundle. Only assume the cakes are individually wrapped if this is stated explicitly.
The wholemeal egg cakes from AH and Jumbo included in this review contain gluten-containing grains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority classifies spelt as wheat for allergen labelling.
If you need to avoid gluten, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the full allergen information on the packaging.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that anyone selling food at a market or event must be able to give customers information about allergens in unpackaged food and protect the food from contamination.
Keep the product information to hand, protect the egg cakes from dirt and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. Also check the rules for the market in question.
The Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel is a crisp, rectangular version that Jumbo described as individually wrapped.
AH offers wholemeal egg cakes in a 360 g pack, among other products, as well as an online bundle of spelt egg cakes.
The own-label range includes standard, mini and wholemeal egg cakes; the wholemeal version reviewed comes in a 300 g pack.
Jumbo describes this brand’s egg cakes, in the two-piece pack reviewed, as gluten-free.
ALDI describes its free-range egg cakes as a 12-piece pack, weighing 360 g in total.
No. The wholemeal egg cakes from AH and Jumbo included in this review contain gluten-containing grains. If you need to avoid gluten, only choose an egg cake explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the label; spelt is also a type of wheat.
Read the allergen information on the packaging of the egg cake you’re buying. The products reviewed include egg, milk, wheat and soya; the version from Gluten Free Bakery Holland described as gluten-free still contains egg, milk and soya, and may contain nuts and sesame.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack you’ve chosen. For the wholemeal egg cakes reviewed, AH advises storing them in a cool, dry place away from light and closing the pack securely; instructions may vary by product.
Make sure you can give customers information about allergens in unpackaged egg cakes and protect the cakes from contamination. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights these points for selling food at markets and events; also check the requirements set by the local council or organiser.
