When choosing a gingerbread bar to enjoy with your coffee, start with the amount you want to eat in one go: the plain bars reviewed range from 32.5 g to 55 g per portion. If you also want to compare sugars and fibre, check the nutritional information per bar and per 100 g. For a no-added-sugar option, it’s also worth checking the ingredients and any warnings.
A pre-portioned bar doesn’t need cutting. Peijnenburg says its Naturel 5-pack contains five individually wrapped bars weighing 32.5 g each. The plain bars reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo are larger, at 55 g per portion.
If sugars and fibre are important to your choice, compare the same figures per portion and per 100 g. Peijnenburg lists 1.8 g of sugars and 5.9 g of fibre per 36.7 g bar for its Tussendoor+ Choco. Check the ingredients too, as well as the warning about polyols.
A pack of pre-portioned bars can be handy for work or when you’re out and about. Check how many bars it contains and how much each one weighs: the packs reviewed from Peijnenburg, Albert Heijn and Jumbo differ in both respects.
First, decide what portion size suits your coffee break. Then compare the nutritional information and ingredients of the options you’re considering.
| What to consider | Check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Number of bars, weight per bar and nutritional value per portion. | If I have one bar with my coffee, I want to know how much cake I’m getting. An estimated 40% of consumers put finding a suitable individual portion first. |
| Sugars and fibre | Sugars and fibre per bar and per 100 g; for options containing polyols, check the warning too. | When comparing the nutritional value of different options, I want to look beyond the wording on the front of the pack. An estimated 40% of consumers say this comparison is their top priority. |
| Plain or with added ingredients | Ingredients and allergens on the pack you’re buying. | With my coffee, I want to know whether I’m choosing a plain bar or one with ingredients such as chocolate or nuts. This is estimated to be the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
A 32.5 g bar is not the same amount as a 55 g bar. So the number of bars in a pack doesn’t tell you much on its own about how much cake you’ll have with your coffee.
Compare the weight and nutritional value per bar before choosing between packs.
Peijnenburg’s Tussendoor+ Choco has no added sugars, but still contains 1.8 g of sugars per portion. The bar contains polyols; Peijnenburg’s warning says that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure, the ingredients list and the warning on the pack.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t assume that a gingerbread bar contains iodine from baker’s salt just because of the product category.
Check the current label or ask the manufacturer about the specific bar if this matters to your choice.
Peijnenburg’s range reviewed includes both small plain bars and Tussendoor+ Choco, which has no added sugars.
The plain gingerbread bar from Albert Heijn reviewed here comes in six 55 g portions.
Jumbo lists six 55 g portions in its Naturel 6 Stuks pack reviewed here.
Lidl lists a lower-sugar gingerbread option among its cake bars and says there are six bars per pack.
This spiced cake bar may suit you if you’re looking for an individual bar. For a coffee break, focus on the portion size and the current nutritional information on the pack.
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A spiced cake option to consider if you’re looking for a bar for one occasion. The pack is labelled 250 g; check the weight and nutritional information per bar on the current label.
The option name ‘Less Sugar-Free’ doesn’t confirm that the bar is sugar-free. Check the ingredients list and the amount of sugars before making your choice.
No. Peijnenburg’s Tussendoor+ Choco has no added sugars, but contains 1.8 g of sugars per portion. The bar also contains polyols, so check the warning about excessive consumption.
Check the allergens for each option on the label. The Jumbo plain bar reviewed contains rye and wheat, and may contain barley and oats; the Peijnenburg nut bar reviewed contains almonds and hazelnuts, and may contain milk.
You can’t assume that: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. For a specific bar, check the current label or ask the manufacturer.
Follow the storage instructions on the pack. For the plain bars reviewed, Jumbo recommends storing them in a cool, dry place; also check the best-before date on the pack you buy.
