Who is this choice relevant to?

Hosting coffee or tea

You’re choosing a treat for Mother’s Day: a soft, light egg cake or a crunchy biscuit to serve with coffee or tea.

Comparing fibre content

You want to compare the nutritional information for a standard egg cake, a wholemeal variety and a digestive, without assuming that wholemeal also means less sugar.

Checking labels for allergens

You check the specific packaging for ingredients and allergens before serving something to others. An egg cake and a digestive aren’t automatically interchangeable.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you’d like to serve a soft egg cake or a crunchy biscuit. Then compare the nutritional information and labels of the individual products within that category.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Soft egg cake Check that it’s a classic, soft egg cake, and look at the weight per cake. I want to serve a light egg cake with coffee, not a crunchy biscuit. This soft texture would be the main reason for choosing for around 40% of consumers.
Crunchy biscuit Distinguish between a crisp egg cake and a digestive biscuit; check for any chocolate coatings and whether they’re individually wrapped. If I’d rather serve something with a crunchy bite, I’ll make a conscious choice between these two product types. This kind of crunchy treat would be the priority for around 20% of consumers.
Fibre and wholemeal Compare fibre and sugar per 100 g, and check which wholemeal ingredients are listed. I want to compare a wholemeal variety or a digestive without relying on the name alone. Comparing fibre would be the main reason for choosing for around 30% of consumers.
Allergens Check the current packaging for both the listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings. If someone with a dietary restriction is joining us, I need to know whether this particular variety is suitable. Checking the label would be the main concern for around 10% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a digestive as an egg cake

    A digestive is a biscuit and doesn’t offer the same soft, cake-like experience as a classic egg cake. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Digestive and standard AH egg cakes contain 21 g and 3.7 g of fat per 100 g respectively. So you can’t compare the products by name alone.

    First choose the type of product you want, then compare the nutritional information for the varieties that fit the bill.

  • Assuming wholemeal means less sugar

    Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugar per 100 g for both standard AH egg cakes and AH wholemeal egg cakes, although the listed fibre content differs.

    Look at fibre and sugar separately, and only compare portions once you’ve checked the weight of each cake.

  • Checking only the product name for allergens

    For the Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek Melk examined, milk and soya are among the relevant allergens; the product information also mentions possible traces of nuts or sesame. A digestive labelled gluten-free may contain other allergens too.

    For each specific variety, check the ingredients and any warnings on the current packaging.

  • Assuming a product listing is a complete label

    Lidl directs customers to the packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for its food products.

    If these details are important to your choice, check the label before you buy or serve the biscuits.

Brands compared

Albert Heijn

The range included in this comparison features standard and wholemeal egg cakes, as well as a separate digestive biscuit.

  • According to Albert Heijn, AH egg cakes contain 1.4 g of fibre per 100 g, while AH wholemeal egg cakes contain 3.5 g per 100 g.
  • AH Digestive contains wheat and isn’t in the same product category as egg cakes. Check the current packaging for all varieties.

Bolletje

The crisp egg cake with a milk coating included in this comparison is a crunchy treat, not the classic soft variety.

  • The Bolletje Brosse Eierkoek Melk examined is individually wrapped.
  • For this milk variety, check for milk and soya, as well as the warning about possible traces of nuts and sesame.

Jumbo

Standard and wholemeal egg cakes give you two varieties to compare within the same product category.

  • Jumbo lists 1.9 g of fibre per 100 g for the standard variety examined and 3.9 g per 100 g for the wholemeal variety.
  • These figures relate to different Jumbo varieties, so check which packaging you have when buying.

Verkade

Verkade Digestive Original is a biscuit for anyone specifically looking for a digestive rather than an egg cake.

  • The product information examined lists 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.6 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Wheat is listed as an allergen; milk may also be present. Check the packaging of the variety on offer.

Heerlijck Banket / ALDI

A pack of free-range egg cakes for anyone who wants to serve several biscuits with coffee.

  • ALDI describes the pack examined as containing 12 cakes, with a total weight of 360 g.
  • Check the packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information before taking these details into account.

Lidl / Sondey

Sondey egg cakes offer another pack option for serving with coffee.

  • Lidl lists 12 egg cakes in the pack examined, with a total weight of 360 g.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the physical packaging; Lidl directs customers to the label for these details.

Digestive biscuits at Joybuy

This is a good choice if you’d like to serve a digestive biscuit with coffee or tea on Mother’s Day, rather than a soft egg cake.

McVities Digestive Original pack, 400 g

McVities Digestive Original 400 g

A digestive biscuit for anyone who’d rather serve a biscuit than an egg cake with coffee or tea. The listed pack size is 400 g; if you have a dietary restriction, check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a digestive the same as an egg cake?

No. The digestives examined are biscuits, while the egg cakes examined are soft or crisp egg cakes. So first decide which texture you’d like to serve with coffee.

Does a wholemeal egg cake contain less sugar?

Not necessarily. Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugar per 100 g for both its standard and wholemeal egg cakes. However, according to the same product information, the wholemeal variety has a different fibre content: 3.5 g compared with 1.4 g per 100 g.

What should I check if a guest has a food allergy?

Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging of the exact variety, including any ‘may contain’ warnings. The products examined differ in their listed allergens, including wheat, egg, milk and soya. The name ‘egg cake’ or ‘digestive’ is no substitute for checking the label.

How should I store the biscuits until Mother’s Day?

Follow the storage advice and best-before date on the packaging you choose. For the egg cakes examined, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a cool, dry, dark place and resealing the pack after opening. For AH Digestive, it recommends a cool, dark, dry place and storing the biscuits in a sealed tin after opening.

Are ingredients and allergens always listed online for supermarket products?

No. Lidl directs customers to the packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for its food products. If this information is important to your purchase, check the current label before choosing.