If you have coeliac disease, only choose breakfast cake if the current packaging states ‘gluten-free’ or displays a gluten-free certification mark. An individually wrapped bar is handy when you’re out and about; with a whole cake, you can cut your own portions. The varieties discussed here provide around 4 g of protein per 100 g, so after an intense workout, consider what else you’re eating if protein is a priority for you.
Start by checking the current gluten-free labelling, and read any warnings about cross-contamination and other allergens too. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of checking the information on the label.
Choose between an individually wrapped bar and a whole cake that you can cut a portion from in advance. Albert Heijn lists a 65 g gluten-free breakfast cake bar; Jumbo lists 25 g portions for its uncut gluten-free cake.
After an intense workout, consider not just the cake but also what else you eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights the importance of getting enough protein after intense exercise; according to the product information, the breakfast cakes discussed here provide around 4 g of protein per 100 g.
If you have coeliac disease, first check the current gluten-free labelling. Then compare the portion you actually want to eat and the nutritional information that’s relevant to your meal or snack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or a gluten-free certification mark on the current packaging; also read any warnings and the allergen information. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to be able to check that the cake is gluten-free and avoid it coming into contact with gluten-containing crumbs during storage or serving. For around 36% of consumers, this suitability is the top priority. |
| Protein alongside your snack | Compare the protein content per 100 g with the portion you eat, and consider whether you’ll have a meal after exercising. | If a meal after an intense workout isn’t immediately available, I want to know how the cake fits into what else I’m eating. Protein is the most important consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Portion size and portability | Albert Heijn lists a 65 g bar; Jumbo lists 12 portions of 25 g for its 300 g uncut cake. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take a portion with me without having to cut up a whole cake first. Portion convenience is the deciding factor for around 21% of consumers. |
| Sugars and energy | Read the nutritional information per 100 g, then calculate it for the amount you’ll actually eat. | When I cut myself a piece, I want to estimate how much sugar and energy that portion contains. For around 14% of consumers, this intake is the main consideration. |
According to the product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the varieties discussed provide around 4 g of protein per 100 g. A gluten-free label tells you nothing about how much protein you’ll get from your portion.
Check the nutritional information for your portion and consider what else you’ll eat, especially if a meal after an intense workout isn’t immediately available.
The gluten-free products discussed here also list milk and lupin. Some labels also mention the possible presence of other allergens.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information every time you buy the product, even if you’ve bought it before.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the use of bakers’ salt is not compulsory. You therefore can’t infer the iodine content of a particular cake from the breakfast cake category alone.
Don’t assume that gluten-free breakfast cake contains a set amount of iodine; check whether the label provides this information.
A 65 g bar and a stated 25 g portion are both less than 100 g. So the values per 100 g don’t directly tell you what you’ll get in a portion of that size.
Compare products on the same basis, then consider the portion you’ll actually have.
Albert Heijn lists a 285 g gluten-free, uncut Peijnenburg breakfast cake.
Albert Heijn lists a 65 g gluten-free breakfast cake bar and describes it as being made in a completely gluten-free environment.
Jumbo lists a 300 g gluten-free, uncut breakfast cake with 12 stated 25 g portions and the Crossed Grain certification mark.
Not without checking the packaging. Choose breakfast cake that states ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging or displays a gluten-free certification mark, and check the allergen information and any warnings too.
No, the words ‘gluten-free’ are also relevant labelling. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, this means less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product; also check the current packaging for warnings and other allergens.
If protein is a priority for you, look beyond the breakfast cake alone. According to Albert Heijn and Jumbo, the varieties discussed provide around 4 g of protein per 100 g; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends getting enough protein after intense exercise and suggests having a regular meal after your workout as one option.
Use clean utensils when cutting and storing it, and keep it away from gluten-containing bread or cake. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that cross-contamination can also happen while handling a product.
No, you can’t tell from the product name. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the use of bakers’ salt is not compulsory; check the packaging for information about the ingredients and iodine content.
