Who is this for?

Shoppers with coeliac disease

You’re looking for a breakfast cake explicitly labelled gluten-free, and ruling out regular breakfast cake made with rye, even if it says ‘zero’ or ‘wholegrain’.

Shoppers comparing pack sizes

You’re looking for a gluten-free breakfast cake to enjoy regularly and want to see whether a whole cake or an individually wrapped bar better suits your portions.

Shoppers checking for other allergens too

You need to avoid other allergens as well as gluten, such as milk or lupin. In that case, check the allergen information for the exact variant, not just its gluten-free label.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check whether the breakfast cake is labelled gluten-free. Only then is it worth comparing pack sizes and any other allergens across different variants.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free label Check for the words ‘gluten-free’ or an appropriate gluten-free certification mark on the exact pack. If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on ‘zero’ or ‘wholegrain’ when choosing breakfast cake; around 46% of consumers put a clear gluten-free label first.
Pack size Check the net weight and choose between a whole cake and an individually wrapped bar to suit how you plan to use it. If I eat breakfast cake regularly, I want a pack size that suits my portions; for around 36% of consumers, this is the next most important question.
Other allergens Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant, especially if you need to avoid milk or lupin. If I need to avoid milk or lupin as well as gluten, I want to know what’s in this variant; this extra check is a priority for around 18% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking ‘zero’ or ‘wholegrain’ for gluten-free

    These words don’t mean that a breakfast cake is gluten-free. For example, Peijnenburg says its regular breakfast cake contains rye flour.

    If you have coeliac disease, look for a clear gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark on the exact pack.

  • Treating a bar and a whole cake as the same pack size

    The gluten-free breakfast cake bar shown by Albert Heijn comes in a different format from the unsliced gluten-free cakes from Jumbo and Peijnenburg.

    Check the net weight and consider whether a single bar or a whole cake better suits the portions you usually have.

  • Assuming gluten-free also means allergen-free

    According to the product information, the 285 g gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake shown by PLUS contains milk and lupin.

    Check the current ingredients and allergen information for every variant, especially if you need to avoid anything else as well as gluten.

  • Relying on out-of-date product information

    Ingredients and allergen information can change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information.

    So check the details on the pack you actually buy before eating it.

Brands and supermarket own-label options

Jumbo Lekker Vrij

Jumbo offers a 300 g unsliced gluten-free breakfast cake in this range. According to Jumbo, this product carries the Crossed Grain certification mark.

  • The pack combines a gluten-free label with a recognised certification mark.
  • Also check the current ingredients and allergen information if you need to avoid anything else.

Peijnenburg

Peijnenburg makes both regular breakfast cake containing rye flour and variants specifically labelled gluten-free. So it’s important to check the exact variant name.

  • PLUS lists a 285 g unsliced gluten-free variant.
  • According to PLUS, this variant contains milk and lupin; regular Peijnenburg breakfast cake made with rye flour is not a gluten-free alternative.

Albert Heijn Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn lists a 65 g gluten-free breakfast cake bar.

  • The individually wrapped bar may suit you if you want to take a single portion with you.
  • Albert Heijn notes that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change; check the pack.

PLUS

PLUS provides product information for Peijnenburg Ontbijtkoek Glutenvrij Ongesneden (unsliced gluten-free breakfast cake), 285 g.

  • Ingredients and allergens are listed for this variant.
  • The listed variant contains milk and lupin; check the pack you buy.

Lidl en ALDI

For breakfast cake from these retailers, the label on the individual product is what matters. The term ‘zero’ used by ALDI is not a gluten-free label.

  • Check the product name and packaging information for each item.
  • Don’t treat regular breakfast cake or a ‘zero’ variant as gluten-free unless it has a clear gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark.

Related Joybuy products

Related products will appear here soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is regular breakfast cake suitable for coeliac disease if it says ‘zero’ or ‘wholegrain’?

No. Those labels don’t mean the breakfast cake is gluten-free. According to Peijnenburg, its regular breakfast cake contains rye flour. If you have coeliac disease, check for a gluten-free label or an appropriate certification mark on the exact variant.

Can gluten-free breakfast cake also contain milk or lupin?

Yes. According to the product information, the 285 g gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake shown by PLUS contains milk and lupin. If you need to avoid these ingredients, read the allergen information on the pack.

When might a gluten-free breakfast cake bar suit you better than a whole cake?

An individually wrapped bar may suit you if you want to take a single portion with you; a whole cake is better for different occasions and pack sizes. Albert Heijn lists a 65 g gluten-free bar, while Jumbo and PLUS list unsliced gluten-free cakes. Whichever you choose, check the allergens for the exact variant too.