If you want a filled cake
If you fancy a cake filled with almond paste late in the evening, look for kano cakes rather than digestives. Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn describe the kano cakes they list as filled cakes.
Which type of biscuit is right for you?
If you want a biscuit you can have on its own
A digestive is a good choice if you prefer a wheat biscuit on its own. For McVitie's Digestives Original, Jumbo lists a serving as one 14.7 g biscuit; how much you eat ultimately depends on the number of biscuits.
If you need to check for allergens
Check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging before buying. The kano cakes reviewed here list allergens including wheat, soya, milk and almond or other nuts. Don’t rely on the product name alone when checking digestives either.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want a filled kano cake or a wheat biscuit. Then compare the amount you actually want to eat and check the ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Check whether the description refers to a filled cake with almond paste or a wheat biscuit. | If I fancy almond paste, I don’t want to get home with a biscuit; equally, if I want a crunchy biscuit, I’m not looking for a kano cake. Product type is the top priority for around 38% of consumers. |
| Serving size and nutritional value | Compare the serving size and the values per 100 g, including sugars, saturated fat and fibre. | I want to know what the amount of biscuit I choose contributes, not just what the packaging says per 100 g. Around 37% of consumers put serving size and nutritional value first. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the current ingredients list and any warnings about possible traces. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the label determines whether this biscuit is suitable for me. For around 25% of consumers, checking this is the top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Looking for a kano cake as if it were a digestive
The kano cakes described by Jumbo and Albert Heijn are filled cakes with almond paste; the digestives they describe are wheat biscuits. Searching for both names together could therefore bring up a different type of product from the one you want.
Check the product description before choosing a variety.
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Comparing only the values per 100 g
According to Jumbo’s product information, a serving of kano cake is 55 g, while one McVitie's Digestive Original weighs 14.7 g. Values per 100 g therefore don’t tell you what’s in the snack portion you’ve chosen.
Check the serving size first, then compare the nutritional value of the amount you plan to eat.
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Assuming allergens from the name of the biscuit
The kano cakes reviewed here list various allergens, including wheat, milk, soya and almond. Ingredients and warnings vary between products.
Check the current label every time you buy, even if you’ve bought the same biscuit before.
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Treating Nutri-Score as the whole story
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, Nutri-Score is designed to compare products within similar product groups. The logo alone doesn’t tell you about the ingredients or your serving size.
Use it to compare similar products alongside the nutritional information and ingredients list.
Brands to consider
Aviateur
PLUS describes Aviateur Kano's as five individually wrapped cakes filled with almond paste, weighing 230 g in total.
- The product information lists a 46% almond-paste filling.
- Check the label for wheat, soya, milk and almond; the product information also mentions the possible presence of egg.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn describes AH Roomboter kano's, 270 g, as filled cakes with a serving size of 45 g.
- The listed ingredients include 41% almond paste and 1% almond.
- The product lists wheat, soya, milk, egg and almond, among other ingredients. The separate AH BASIC Kano's page marks that variety as discontinued.
Jumbo
Jumbo describes its Kano's met Roomboter, 275 g, as five servings, with 38% almond paste.
- The nutritional information per 55 g serving lists 222 kcal, 20.2 g sugars and 4.8 g saturated fat.
- The allergen information includes almond, egg, milk, soya and wheat.
PLUS
PLUS sells its own 275 g Roomboter kano's; these are a different product from the Aviateur kano cakes.
- PLUS product information lists a 39% almond-paste filling and nutritional values per 100 g.
- PLUS gives the product a Nutri-Score E. Also read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging.
McVitie's
McVitie's Digestives Original is a wheat biscuit, not a kano cake. Jumbo lists this variety in a 400 g pack.
- Jumbo lists one 14.7 g biscuit as a serving.
- The product information lists wheat and the possible presence of milk. Check the current packaging if this is relevant to your choice.
Verkade
Albert Heijn describes Verkade Digestive Original as a wheat biscuit, not a kano cake.
- The listed ingredients include 16% wholemeal wheat flour; the nutritional information lists 3.6 g fibre per 100 g.
- The product information lists wheat and the possible presence of milk. The word ‘digestive’ alone doesn’t tell you about its nutritional value.
Digestives on Joybuy
These products are on the biscuit side of the choice between kano cakes and digestives. The chocolate varieties offer a different flavour from a plain digestive; compare their labels and serving sizes separately.
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McVities Digestive Original, 400 g
For anyone who prefers a plain wheat biscuit to a filled kano cake. Jumbo lists one 14.7 g biscuit as a serving of McVitie's Digestives Original; compare that with the amount you plan to have.
If you have relevant allergies, check the current packaging, particularly the information about wheat and the possible presence of milk.
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McVitie's Digestives with dark chocolate, 266 g
For anyone who wants a digestive with dark chocolate rather than a filled kano cake. Check the pack for the serving size per biscuit if you want to compare the amount in your late-night snack.
If you have relevant allergies, check the current information about wheat, milk and soya.
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McVitie's Digestives with milk chocolate, 266 g
For anyone looking for a digestive with milk chocolate rather than a cake filled with almond paste. Check the pack for the serving size per biscuit before comparing the nutritional values of each snack.
If you have relevant allergies, check the current information about milk, soya and wheat.
Frequently asked questions
Is a kano cake the same as a digestive?
No. Jumbo and Albert Heijn describe the kano cakes reviewed here as filled cakes with almond paste, and the digestives as wheat biscuits. If you’re looking for one of these two types, choose by the product description.
Which biscuit is easier to have one at a time?
A single digestive has a smaller listed serving size than the Jumbo kano cake compared here: Jumbo lists 14.7 g for one McVitie's Digestive Original and 55 g for one serving of kano cake. Also think about how many biscuits you actually plan to eat.
Can I rely on the name ‘kano’ if I have an allergy?
No, check the current packaging for the specific kano cake. The products reviewed here list wheat, soya, milk and almond or other nuts, among other ingredients; ingredients and warnings vary between varieties.
How should I store kano cakes and digestives?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you choose. The product pages reviewed here recommend storing them in a cool, dry place; Albert Heijn advises keeping its kano cakes in a sealed tin after opening.
What does Nutri-Score E mean for a kano cake?
Nutri-Score E is not a judgement on the safety of the kano cake. PLUS lists this score for its Roomboter kano's; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, Nutri-Score helps you compare products within similar product groups. Also read the nutritional information, ingredients and serving size.