If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease
First, check for a gluten-free label on the packaging. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also identifies the Crossed Grain trademark as a useful indicator for gluten-free products.
Who is this choice relevant to?
If you’re making your own calendar portions
With an unsliced breakfast cake, consider the stated number of portions, how you’ll cut it and how you’ll store the pieces. A bar may be better suited to one larger advent calendar compartment.
If you’re checking for other ingredients too
As well as gluten, ingredients such as milk and lupin may matter. Compare the allergen information for each product and, if relevant to your choice, check the sugars and fibre per 100 g.
What should you look for?
Start by checking that the breakfast cake is suitable for the person who’ll receive it. Then decide whether you want to cut it into small pieces yourself or choose an individual bar for one day of the calendar.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Check that the current packaging explicitly says ‘gluten-free’; you can also look for the Crossed Grain trademark. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I want to know that the chosen cake is labelled gluten-free before filling the calendar. For around 39% of consumers, this suitability comes first. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen labelling and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the variant you’ve chosen. | If the recipient also needs to avoid certain other ingredients, a gluten-free label alone isn’t enough to guide my choice. For around 23% of consumers, these additional allergens are the top priority. |
| Portions and size | Compare the stated number and size of portions with the compartments you want to fill, and allow for cutting and storage. | For several small compartments, I want to know how many pieces I can make and how to store them separately. The calendar format is a key consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g, and consider what the chosen portion size means. | If the calendar includes breakfast cake on many days, I want to be able to compare the nutritional information for the exact variant. For around 15% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming all breakfast cake is gluten-free
Regular breakfast cake may contain rye. For example, Peijnenburg lists rye flour in its Naturel 10-pack; individual wrapping doesn’t change that ingredient.
If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, look for an explicit gluten-free label on the packaging rather than relying on the brand or packaging format.
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Checking only for a gluten-free label
The gluten-free variants described by Jumbo, Peijnenburg and AH also list milk or lupin. Some packaging also warns that other allergens may be present.
Always check the full ingredients and allergen information for the specific variant you’re buying for the recipient.
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Assuming gluten-free means low in sugar or high in fibre
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the gluten-free Peijnenburg variant contains 42 g of sugars and 1 g of fibre per 100 g. AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep lists 43 g of sugars per 100 g.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and take into account the size of the pieces you’ll put in the calendar.
Brands to consider
Jumbo Lekker Vrij
Jumbo lists twelve 25 g portions for its 300 g unsliced gluten-free breakfast cake.
- The product information carries a ‘gluten-free’ label and the Crossed Grain trademark.
- This variant contains milk and lupin, and warns that other allergens may be present. If you need more than twelve compartments, you’ll need to divide the portions differently or choose additional treats.
Peijnenburg
Albert Heijn lists an unsliced 285 g gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake, with nine stated portions of 30 g.
- The unsliced format gives you the flexibility to cut pieces to fit your calendar compartments.
- The product information lists milk and lupin, along with 42 g of sugars and 1 g of fibre per 100 g. Check the packaging when you buy it.
AH Glutenvrij
The 65 g AH Glutenvrij Ontbijtkoekreep is one portion, making it better suited to a larger compartment than to being cut into lots of small pieces.
- According to Albert Heijn, the bar is made in a completely gluten-free environment.
- The bar contains milk, lactose and lupin; the product information also warns that nuts and sesame may be present.
Products on Joybuy
Matching products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Which breakfast cake should you choose for someone with coeliac disease?
Choose breakfast cake whose current packaging explicitly says it is gluten-free. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also identifies the Crossed Grain trademark as a useful indicator; check the allergen information for the recipient too.
Is gluten-free breakfast cake also free from milk, lupin or nuts?
Not necessarily. The variants described by Jumbo, Peijnenburg and AH list milk or lupin, and some warn that other allergens may be present. So check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging you choose.
Can individually wrapped regular breakfast cake go in a gluten-free advent calendar?
Not unless it is explicitly labelled gluten-free. For example, Peijnenburg lists rye flour in its individually wrapped Naturel 10-pack. Wrapping a cake individually doesn’t make one containing gluten-containing ingredients gluten-free.
Can you assume gluten-free breakfast cake contains iodised bakers’ salt?
No, don’t assume that for a particular breakfast cake. Bakers’ salt is iodised salt used in bakery products, but that description doesn’t tell you which salt is used in the cake. Check the ingredients list and ask the manufacturer if it’s unclear.
How can you keep homemade calendar pieces gluten-free?
Use clean cutting utensils and a clean work surface, and store the pieces separately from regular bread and cake crumbs. This is particularly important if the advent calendar is for someone with coeliac disease.