Households with a regular breakfast routine
If you often eat the same flakes on weekdays, it helps to choose a pack size that suits the number of people eating and the space you have to store the cereal in a dry place.
Who is this choice for?
Label readers who eat cereal every day
If you eat breakfast cereal regularly, you can compare the nutritional information for the exact variant, paying attention to wholegrain ingredients, fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g.
People checking for allergens
If you need to avoid wheat, barley or other ingredients, the latest ingredients and allergen information is more important than the name of the grain on the front of the pack.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want cold cornflakes, granola or a cereal breakfast that needs preparing. Then compare pack sizes and nutritional information within the product type that suits your morning routine.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size | Compare the weight in grams and check whether it is one pack or several individual packs. | If we eat the same flakes on weekdays, I want a quantity we can use up. For around 31% of consumers, choosing a pack that matches how much they use comes first. |
| Nutritional information | Read the ingredients list and compare fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g for the exact variants. | When I eat the same breakfast regularly, I want to know what goes into my bowl each day. Around 31% of consumers give the ingredients and nutritional profile top priority. |
| Morning routine | Check whether the product is ready to eat or needs preparing, and whether you can store it in a dry place. | On a busy morning, I don't want to find out unexpectedly that breakfast needs preparing; the amount I keep in stock also needs to work for me. For around 23% of consumers, this practical fit matters most. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information on the current pack and, if needed, look for a clear statement that it meets your dietary requirements. | If I need to avoid certain grains or other ingredients, I want to be able to check the exact variant. For around 15% of consumers, this check takes priority over the other considerations. |
Common mistakes
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Treating a multipack as one large pack
Several individual packs can be different to use and store than one large bag. Albert Heijn lists the Kellogg's Special K Original multipack as containing five individual 335 g packs.
Check how many inner packs there are and choose a total quantity that suits how often you eat this particular product.
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Assuming all breakfast cereals are the same kind of flakes
Cornflakes, granola and porridge differ in their ingredients and how you eat them. For Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Albert Heijn lists 3 g of fibre, 8 g of sugars and 1.1 g of salt per 100 g; for Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt, Albert Heijn lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g. Brinta is not a cold cornflake cereal.
Compare the nutritional information for products you actually plan to eat in the same way.
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Calling cornflakes gluten-free without checking the label
A name that mentions maize does not rule out other ingredients. The ingredients information for Kellogg's Corn Flakes listed by Albert Heijn includes barley malt extract.
If you need to choose a gluten-free product, check the ingredients, allergen information and any gluten-free statement on the exact pack.
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Choosing more than you can store
A large pack will not necessarily suit the number of breakfasts you eat or the dry storage space you have available.
Check the pack size before buying and follow the storage and best-before information on the pack.
If an opened pack is not used up in time or is not stored properly, the quality may deteriorate or some may be left over.
Brands and places to shop for guidance
Jumbo
Jumbo sells cornflakes under its own name, among other products; the variant reviewed comes in a 500 g pack.
- A familiar option if you want to compare standard cornflakes with other standard cornflakes.
- The wider breakfast cereal category includes other product types too. Check the nutritional information for the variant you choose.
Golden Bridge
Golden Bridge is an ALDI own-label brand that sells cornflakes, among other products; the cornflakes pack reviewed contains 500 g.
- The standard cornflakes give you a specific product type to compare with other standard cornflakes.
- Other Golden Bridge breakfast cereals may have different ingredients. Read the label for each variant.
Kellogg's
The range reviewed includes Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Special K; these names do not refer to the same recipe.
- For Corn Flakes, Albert Heijn lists nutritional values per 100 g, including fibre, sugars and salt.
- A statement that vitamins or iron have been added does not, by itself, tell you how much fibre, sugars or salt a variant contains.
Brinta
Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt is an alternative if you want a bowl of cereal that needs preparing rather than cold cornflakes.
- For this variant, Albert Heijn lists wholemeal wheat as an ingredient and 10 g of fibre per 100 g.
- This variant contains wheat and is not a ready-to-eat cold cornflake cereal.
Lidl
Lidl is included here as a place to shop: the listing reviewed is for a 500 g cornflakes product sold in store.
- The stated pack size makes it possible to compare with other 500 g packs.
- Check the brand name, ingredients and nutritional information on the pack you choose in store.
Breakfast cereals and alternatives at Joybuy
These products are particularly relevant if you are considering granola or a cereal breakfast that needs preparing as well as cold cornflakes. Check the product type and pack size before comparing variants.
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Brinta Whole Wheat Cereal Breakfast 500 g
For anyone who prefers a prepared bowl of cereal to cold cornflakes.
500 g pack. If you need to avoid wheat or gluten, check the current label.
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Quaker Zs Cruesli Raisin & Hazelnut 400 g
For anyone looking for granola with raisins and hazelnuts instead of standard cornflakes.
400 g pack. If you have allergies, check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant.
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Quaker Zs Cruesli Nuts & Seeds 720 g
For anyone who wants granola with nuts and seeds and can use up a 720 g pack.
This is not standard cornflake cereal. If you have allergies, read the current label for this variant.
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Brinta Oatmeal 450 g
For anyone who wants to prepare a warm bowl of porridge instead of eating cold flakes.
450 g pack. If you need to avoid certain grains, check the current ingredients and allergen information.
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Quaker Oatmeal 600 g
For anyone who regularly makes porridge and can use up a 600 g pack.
This is not a ready-to-eat cold cornflake cereal. If you need to avoid certain grains, check the current label.
Frequently asked questions
When is a multipack useful for weekday breakfasts?
A multipack can be a good fit if you eat the same product regularly and can store the individual packs in a dry place. Check how many packs it contains and whether you will use up the total quantity.
What should I compare if I eat breakfast cereal every weekday?
Compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g for the exact variants, especially fibre, sugars and salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking wholegrain ingredients and added sugar and salt when choosing breakfast cereal.
Are cornflakes made from maize automatically gluten-free?
No, the type of grain in the product name is not enough to tell you. For example, the ingredients listed by Albert Heijn for Kellogg's Corn Flakes include barley malt extract; check the current label and any gluten-free statement for each variant.
How do I choose a pack that suits my storage space?
Choose a pack size you can store in a dry place and are likely to use up. Follow the storage and best-before information on the packaging, especially if you are opening one large pack rather than several smaller ones.