Don’t make gingerbread cake a regular snack for your toddler: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables or, for example, wholemeal bread as snacks for young children. If you’d like to offer a small portion of gingerbread cake now and then, compare the label of the specific product for ingredients, sugars, fibre, portion size and allergens. Wholemeal gingerbread cake and varieties with no added sugar need the same checks.
It’s not just a question of which gingerbread cake to choose, but also whether you’re looking for an everyday snack or an occasional treat.
For regular snacks, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread. So first consider whether gingerbread cake is right for the occasion you have in mind.
If you’d like to offer gingerbread cake now and then because your child will eat it, portion size still matters. Also check the ingredients and nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen, rather than relying on the name on the front of the pack.
For a snack on the go, remember to check the latest allergen information and the rules at your child’s school or childcare setting. Check the pack before putting gingerbread cake in their bag, especially if you need to take account of cereals containing gluten.
First decide how often you plan to offer the snack. If gingerbread cake is an occasional choice, you can then compare its ingredients and portion size.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Use as a snack | Decide whether you’re looking for something for every day or a treat to offer now and then. For everyday snacks for toddlers, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five, including fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread. | If I need something for every day, I want to know whether gingerbread cake is the right choice. For around 36% of consumers, suitability for regular use is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and nutritional value | Compare the ingredients and the amounts of sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion. For a variety with no added sugar, also check whether it contains sweeteners. | If I’m offering a slice now and then, I want to know what’s in this particular variety, not just what the front of the pack claims. Around 29% of consumers give ingredients and composition the highest priority. |
| Whether your child will eat it and portion size | Check the weight of each slice or bar and how many portions the pack contains. A pre-cut piece isn’t necessarily the amount you want to serve. | For my fussy toddler, I’m looking for something they’ll eat while keeping the portion small. For around 21% of consumers, this combination matters most. |
| Packaging and availability | Consider which size and type of packaging suit occasional use. Check the information on the pack again when you buy it. | If I need to take the snack with me or don’t offer it often, I want packaging that suits the occasion. For around 14% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
Wholemeal gingerbread cake is still gingerbread cake. For everyday snacks for young children, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five, including fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.
First decide how often you want to offer it. If you do serve gingerbread cake, keep it as a small, occasional snack.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘no added sugar’ doesn’t mean a product contains no sugars. The Peijnenburg wholemeal variety with no added sugar that was reviewed also lists xylitol as an ingredient.
Read the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion. Assess the full composition of the specific pack.
The word ‘wholemeal’ on its own doesn’t tell you how much sugar or fibre a slice contains, or what other ingredients have been used.
Compare the ingredients lists, nutritional values and portion sizes of the varieties you’re actually considering.
Rye and other cereals containing gluten may be relevant to your choice. Rules on bringing food from home can also vary between schools and childcare settings.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging and, if necessary, ask the school or childcare setting about its policy in advance.
Use brand and retailer listings to find specific products, then compare the information for those products rather than the brand name alone.
Peijnenburg offers a wholemeal gingerbread cake and a wholemeal variety with no added sugar, among other products. Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for these varieties.
An online listing for Peijnenburg wholemeal gingerbread cake gives you information about a specific variety.
Jumbo lists its own-brand wholemeal gingerbread cake alongside other varieties.
PLUS lists an own-brand wholemeal gingerbread cake whose product information names rye and cereals containing gluten.
ALDI lists a sliced wholemeal gingerbread cake from Koek & Bakker in a 485 g pack.
Lidl lists a 485 g sliced wholemeal gingerbread cake.
You can consider this gingerbread cake variety if you’re thinking of offering your toddler a portion now and then. Before choosing it, check the portion size, nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
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If you’d like to offer gingerbread cake now and then, use the packaging to decide what portion you want to serve. The pack contains 250 g; also check this product’s ingredients, nutritional information and allergens.
Not as a regular snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five between meals for young children, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread. It’s better to treat gingerbread cake as a small, occasional choice.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products with no added sugar may still contain sugars. Check the ingredients too: the Peijnenburg wholemeal variety with no added sugar mentioned above contains xylitol.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging and the rules at the school or childcare setting in question. This is especially important if you need to take rye or other cereals containing gluten into account. Don’t assume you know what’s in the product from the name ‘gingerbread cake’ alone.
No, don’t assume this for a specific pack. Check whether the particular product was made with baker’s salt containing iodine; the product type alone won’t tell you.
