Who might find this choice relevant?

People who eat on the go

You want something you can eat without having to prepare it. Check the weight of one biscuit, how many are in the pack and whether you’ll have it alongside your breakfast.

Label-conscious snackers

You compare sugar, fibre and portion sizes before choosing a sweet biscuit for the morning. Nutrition information per 100 g helps you compare products; the portion size shows how much you’ll have at a time.

Shoppers with dietary or allergen requirements

You’re looking for a product with specific ingredients or need to avoid certain allergens. Check claims such as vegan or lactose-free against the specific variety you choose, and read the current ingredients list too.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want a filled kano cake or a digestive. Then compare the portion size, nutrition information and ingredients of the specific products you’re considering.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Portion for eating on the go Check the weight of one portion. Albert Heijn lists 45 g for an AH Roomboter kano; Jumbo lists 55 g for its kano with butter. If I want something to eat without any preparation, I want to know in advance how big one biscuit is. Around 31% of consumers prioritise portion size for eating on the go.
Nutrition information Compare sugar and fibre per 100 g and per portion. Albert Heijn lists 16 g of sugar and 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g for its standard AH Digestive, compared with 39 g of sugar and 1.5 g of fibre for the AH Roomboter kano’s. I want to know what the biscuit adds to my morning meal, rather than relying on its name alone. For around 39% of consumers, nutrition information is the most important factor.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any warning about possible traces. Albert Heijn describes its standard digestive as vegan and lactose-free, but the product contains wheat. If I avoid certain ingredients, the variety I choose needs to suit my needs. Ingredients and allergens are the main consideration for around 15% of consumers.
Pack size Check the number of biscuits as well as the net weight: Albert Heijn lists six portions for its butter kano cakes, Jumbo lists five for its butter kano cakes, and ALDI lists fourteen pieces for the HEERLIJCK BANKET Mini-kano’s reviewed here. If I’m taking biscuits with me for several mornings, I want to know how many individual pieces are in a pack. For around 15% of consumers, pack size is the deciding factor.

Pitfalls to watch out for

  • Assuming a digestive is a complete breakfast

    According to Albert Heijn, the AH Digestive reviewed here contains less sugar per 100 g than the AH Roomboter kano’s, but it also contains 485 kcal per 100 g, compared with 412 kcal per 100 g for those kano cakes. So the product name doesn’t tell you what a whole breakfast contains.

    Compare the nutrition information per 100 g with the amount you eat. Decide separately what else you’ll have for breakfast; the Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) lists wholemeal bread, among other options.

  • Taking ‘0% sugar’ to mean ‘no usage warning’

    For the AH Digestive 0% suiker reviewed here, Albert Heijn lists 14 g of polyols per 100 g. The packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    For this variety, read both the nutrition information and the warning on the packaging, and be mindful of how much you eat.

  • Judging allergens by the product name alone

    The AH and Jumbo kano cakes reviewed here contain, among other ingredients, wheat, milk, egg, soya and almond. A digestive labelled lactose-free isn’t necessarily wheat-free too.

    Read the current ingredients list and any warning about possible traces of allergens every time you buy, even if you’ve bought the product before.

Brands compared

These product ranges show which differences between kano cakes and digestives may matter; always check the information for the specific variety you choose.

Albert Heijn

The supermarket’s own-brand range includes butter kano cakes and several types of digestive, so you can compare ingredients and nutrition information within one range.

  • Albert Heijn describes the standard AH Digestive reviewed here as vegan and lactose-free; its nutrition information lists 16 g of sugar and 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The AH Roomboter kano’s reviewed here contain, among other ingredients, almond paste, butter, egg, milk, soya, wheat and almond. Check the current packaging if you need to avoid any ingredients.

Jumbo

The Jumbo Kano’s met Roomboter reviewed here are filled cakes in a 275 g pack.

  • Jumbo lists five 55 g portions and a filling containing 38% almond paste.
  • According to Jumbo, one 55 g portion contains 222 kcal and 20.2 g of sugar. The ingredients information lists, among other ingredients, almond, egg, gluten, milk, soya and wheat.

McVitie’s

The Digestives Original reviewed here are an option if you’re specifically looking for a wheat biscuit rather than a filled kano cake.

  • The product information at Albert Heijn lists 16% wholemeal wheat flour and 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety.
  • These Digestives Original contain wheat and gluten and may contain milk. Check the portion size too: the nutrition values shown are per 100 g.

PLUS

The PLUS Roomboter kano’s reviewed here are filled cakes decorated with almonds.

  • PLUS describes the filling as 39% almond paste.
  • For this variety, PLUS lists 38.5 g of added sugar per 100 g and several allergens; check the current packaging for the ingredients.

HEERLIJCK BANKET

The Mini-kano’s listed by ALDI are useful for comparing smaller biscuits and the number of pieces in a pack.

  • ALDI lists fourteen Mini-kano’s with a combined net weight of 308 g and describes them as made with butter.
  • Don’t compare net weight without also checking the number of pieces and the nutrition information on the pack you choose.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is a kano cake or a digestive a complete breakfast on its own?

Don’t assume so. The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) lists wholemeal bread, among other options, for breakfast. So, if you’re making a morning meal of it, decide what you’d like to eat alongside the biscuit.

Does a digestive always contain less sugar than a kano cake?

You can’t assume that for every variety. For the standard AH Digestive reviewed here, Albert Heijn lists 16 g of sugar per 100 g, compared with 39 g per 100 g for the AH Roomboter kano’s. For other products, compare the nutrition information and your portion size again.

What should I look for in a digestive labelled ‘0% sugar’?

As well as the claim, check the ingredients, nutrition information and usage warning. For the AH Digestive 0% suiker reviewed here, Albert Heijn lists 0 g of added sugar and 14 g of polyols per 100 g; according to the packaging, excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

How can I check allergens in kano cakes and digestives?

Read the current ingredients list and any warning about possible traces of allergens on the pack you choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that fourteen allergens must be declared on the label; ingredients vary from product to product.

How should I store these biscuits after opening?

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you buy. For the AH kano cakes and digestives reviewed here, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a cool, dry, dark place and keeping them in a sealed tin after opening.