For an older person with coeliac disease, the first thing to check is a current ‘gluten-free’ statement on the packaging. Then choose between a whole cake for several occasions at home and an individual bar if slicing or carrying a whole cake would be inconvenient. Check the allergen and nutritional information with every purchase too: gluten-free does not tell you anything about other allergens or the amount of sugar.
If the Dutch breakfast cake is for someone with coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free statement on the current label. Extra care is needed when storing and serving it in a kitchen where gluten-containing products are also used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists the ‘gluten-free’ statement and the Crossed Grain trademark as things to look out for. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises keeping gluten-free foods well wrapped and stored separately.
An unsliced Dutch breakfast cake is suitable for several occasions at home, provided slicing and storing portions separately are practical. Albert Heijn lists the gluten-free Peijnenburg breakfast cake as a 285 g pack containing nine portions. In a shared kitchen, it is still important to keep it separate after opening, according to the Dutch Coeliac Society.
An individual bar can be more practical if someone would rather not slice a whole cake or wants something to take with them. The Dutch Coeliac Society notes that reduced appetite and dental problems can affect mealtimes in later life; this does not automatically mean that a particular bar will meet someone’s dietary needs.
First, check that the Dutch breakfast cake is labelled gluten-free. Then compare the size and number of portions, and read the nutritional information and details of any other allergens on the packaging.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and separate handling | Look for a ‘gluten-free’ statement on the current label. At home, keep the cake separate from gluten-containing products and use clean utensils. | If I have coeliac disease, I also want to make sure my breakfast cake does not come into contact with gluten after opening. Around 56% of consumers prioritise checking for gluten-free labelling and separate handling. |
| Size and portions | Compare the pack weight and stated portion size. Consider whether slicing and storing a whole cake will be convenient, or whether an individual bar would work better for the occasion. | If slicing is inconvenient or I want something to take with me, I mainly look for a suitable individual portion. Around 22% of consumers put this practical consideration first. |
| Nutritional information and other allergens | Check the sugar and fibre content per 100 g and per portion. If you have additional allergies, check the ingredients and any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. | As well as gluten, I need to take another food allergy into account, or I want to compare the nutritional value of different portions. This is the main consideration for around 22% of consumers. |
A statement about sugar says nothing about whether a product is gluten-free. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food for the final consumer may be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
For someone with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free statement on the packaging itself, even if the product name or packaging looks familiar.
Gluten-free does not mean free from milk, lupin or other allergens. The product information for Peijnenburg, Jumbo Lekker Vrij and AH Glutenvrij lists other allergens or warnings about their possible presence, as well as gluten.
If you have additional allergies, check the current label every time, including any ‘may contain’ information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products.
The ‘gluten-free’ label does not tell you how much sugar or fibre a Dutch breakfast cake contains. A smaller pack does not automatically mean different nutritional values per 100 g either.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, so you can see how much is in the amount you actually want to eat.
You cannot tell from the words ‘Dutch breakfast cake’ whether a particular product was made with iodised baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that baker’s salt is not even compulsory in bread.
Check the ingredients of the specific product rather than automatically counting Dutch breakfast cake as a source of iodine.
Peijnenburg offers a 285 g gluten-free, unsliced Dutch breakfast cake. Albert Heijn lists nine portions in this pack; PLUS also features the same product in its product information.
Jumbo describes its Lekker Vrij van Gluten breakfast cake as an unsliced 300 g cake and displays the Crossed Grain trademark on the product page.
Albert Heijn offers an individual 65 g breakfast cake bar in its AH Glutenvrij range. According to the product page, it is made in a completely gluten-free environment.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, food for the final consumer may carry this statement if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. When buying Dutch breakfast cake for someone with coeliac disease, check the statement on the current label; the Crossed Grain trademark can be an additional thing to look out for.
No, those words do not tell you whether the product contains gluten. For someone with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free statement and the ingredients and allergen information separately.
Keep the cake well wrapped and separate from gluten-containing products. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises storing it separately. When slicing and serving, make sure the work surface and utensils are clean too.
Yes. If there is an additional allergy to consider, check the label for that as well. The product information for the Peijnenburg, Jumbo Lekker Vrij and AH Glutenvrij options discussed here lists milk and lupin; some products also carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
No, do not assume that iodised baker’s salt has been used just because of the product category. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that baker’s salt is not compulsory in bread, so check the ingredients of the Dutch breakfast cake itself.
