If you have coeliac disease, only choose Dutch breakfast cake whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or bears the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the allergen information too. If you want something to eat shortly before exercising, start with a small portion you already know suits you. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that large portions and foods high in fat, protein or dietary fibre are less suitable just before exercise. The uncut Dutch breakfast cakes described here contain milk and lupin, which is worth bearing in mind if you have other allergies.
Ordinary Dutch breakfast cake isn’t automatically suitable. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends following a gluten-free diet for life if you have coeliac disease. So check the current gluten-free label and the ingredients, rather than relying on words such as ‘wholegrain’ or ‘zero’.
If a large portion just before exercise doesn’t feel comfortable, timing and portion size matter. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against choosing a large portion or food high in fat, protein or dietary fibre at that point.
An uncut Dutch breakfast cake needs to be portioned yourself, while a breakfast cake bar comes in a different type of packaging. Compare what you’ll actually take with you and eat, not just the nutritional values per 100 g.
If you have coeliac disease, a gluten-free label is essential, whatever other features influence your purchase. Then compare when you’ll eat it, the portion size and the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and allergens | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Also read the ingredients and allergen warnings. | If I have coeliac disease, I first need to establish whether the Dutch breakfast cake is suitable for my gluten-free diet. If I have other allergies, I also read the full allergen information. For around 50% of consumers, this check is the most important factor when buying. |
| Digestive comfort and timing | Adjust the portion to the time until your training session and check whether the product is high in fat, protein or dietary fibre. | If I’m eating shortly before exercise, I don’t want a large or unfamiliar portion that might make me feel uncomfortable. For around 30% of consumers, digestive comfort is the deciding factor. |
| Portion size and packaging | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion; check whether you need to slice the cake yourself or can take a bar with you. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take a portion without having to eat a whole uncut cake. Easy portioning is the priority for around 20% of consumers. |
These words don’t confirm that a Dutch breakfast cake is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
First, look for the current ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, then read the ingredients.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that large portions and foods high in fat, protein or dietary fibre are less suitable just before exercise.
Choose a small portion at a time that works for you, and try a new snack during a regular training session first.
The gluten-free Dutch breakfast cakes described here from Jumbo Lekker Vrij and Peijnenburg also contain milk and lupin. The Jumbo version also warns that other allergens may be present.
If you have other allergies, always check the full information on the current packaging.
The fact that baking salt is iodised doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular Dutch breakfast cake or how much iodine a portion contains.
If you need this product-specific information, ask the manufacturer about the product in question.
Albert Heijn and PLUS describe a 285 g gluten-free, uncut Peijnenburg Dutch breakfast cake for anyone who wants to cut their own slice.
The 300 g gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake described here is uncut. Jumbo displays the Crossed Grain symbol for this version and lists a 25 g portion.
Albert Heijn lists gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake bars in a pack of two, a different format from uncut Dutch breakfast cake.
Don’t assume that ordinary Dutch breakfast cake is gluten-free. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a gluten-free diet for people with coeliac disease: choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or bears the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the allergen information.
A small portion may be suitable if you tolerate it well, but timing and ingredients matter. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against eating a large portion or foods high in fat, protein or dietary fibre just before exercise. So don’t try a new snack for the first time on an important training day.
According to product information from Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS, the gluten-free versions described here from Jumbo Lekker Vrij and Peijnenburg contain milk and lupin. Jumbo also warns that other allergens may be present in its version; check the current packaging when you buy it.
Don’t assume that Lidl has a regular gluten-free Dutch breakfast cake option. Check the current range and, if you find a product, check the gluten-free label and allergen information on the packaging.
