Who are small portions useful for?

People handing out consistent portions

If you want to give every visitor one piece without cutting it, an individually wrapped format is practical. Albert Heijn lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its Peijnenburg Naturel pack.

Visitors who want to take a small piece with them

A piece that stays wrapped until it is ready to eat is easy to carry in a bag. Check the weight per piece: an individually wrapped slice and a bar can differ considerably in portion size.

Buyers who want to compare labels

If you’re watching your sugar intake or checking for allergens, the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g is more useful than the word ‘mini’ alone. Also check the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you choose.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide how small each piece needs to be. Then compare the packaging and labels of the varieties that suit your needs.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Serving and portion size Check the weight per piece and whether each piece is individually wrapped. The pack’s total weight doesn’t tell you how large one portion is. When handing these out to visitors, I don’t want to keep cutting or estimating portions; around 42% of consumers prioritise a consistent, sealed portion.
Sugars per portion Compare the sugars per 100 g and per portion, and if you’re choosing a smaller portion, check the weight of one piece too. I want to compare a slice with a bar without confusing portion size with ingredients; around 33% of consumers put nutritional value first.
Allergen information Read the current allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ statements. If you’re buying unwrapped cake, ask which allergens it contains before you buy. When buying or selling cake loose, I want to be able to check which allergens it contains; for around 25% of consumers, this is the most important factor when choosing.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming mini means different nutritional values

    A smaller piece doesn’t change the composition of the breakfast cake. The amount of sugar you get per piece depends on both its nutritional values and its weight.

    Compare the sugars per 100 g and per portion on the current packaging.

  • Confusing ‘less sugar’ with allergen information

    A statement about sugars doesn’t tell you whether a breakfast cake bar contains rye, gluten or other allergens.

    Read the ingredients and allergen information for the variety you choose, even if you’ve bought the product before.

  • Offering individual portions without allergen information

    According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information about allergens present must also be available to consumers for unpackaged food.

    Make sure visitors can get allergen information about the loose breakfast cake at your stall before they buy it.

  • Assuming it contains iodine from baker’s salt

    The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t infer the iodine content from the mini size or the name breakfast cake.

    Check the product information or ask the manufacturer if iodine content matters to your choice.

Brands with relevant portion sizes

Peijnenburg

According to Albert Heijn, the Naturel 10-pack contains ten individually wrapped 28 g slices. Larger bar formats are also available.

  • The weight per slice makes it easy to identify a consistent, small portion.
  • Check the current ingredients and allergens for each variety; a bar won’t necessarily be the same portion size as a slice.

Snelle Jelle

The varieties mentioned include individually wrapped spiced cake bars. Jumbo lists five 55 g bars for Snelle Jelle (Te) Krachtige.

  • The bars mentioned can be handed out individually without cutting.
  • A 55 g bar is larger than the 28 g Peijnenburg slice mentioned; also check the nutritional information for the specific variety.

PLUS

PLUS lists breakfast cake bars in packs of six, including Naturel and Minder Suiker.

  • The varieties give you a practical choice when comparing labels.
  • A ‘less sugar’ claim is no substitute for checking sugars per portion, ingredients and allergens.

Goud Gebakken

ALDI lists Koekhappers spiced or breakfast cake in a pack of six individually wrapped pieces.

  • Individual wrappers make it possible to hand out one piece at a time.
  • Check the weight per piece on the packaging if you’re looking for a specific portion size.

Breakfast cake bars to hand out via Joybuy

This selection focuses on a breakfast cake bar for anyone who wants to hand out pieces without cutting. If the smallest possible portion is your priority, compare the weight per bar with that of a mini slice.

Snelle Jelle breakfast cake bars, 250 g pack

Snelle Jelle breakfast cake bars 250 g

A bar is a good option if you want to hand out breakfast cake without cutting it. Before buying, check the weight per bar, sugars per portion and current allergen information on the packaging; don’t assume from the variety name that the product is sugar-free.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

What’s more practical at a Christmas market: a mini slice or a bar?

An individually wrapped mini slice is a good fit if you want to hand out a smaller, consistent portion; an individually wrapped bar works if you want to offer a larger piece. Albert Heijn lists 28 g per slice for Peijnenburg Naturel, while Jumbo lists 55 g per bar for Snelle Jelle (Te) Krachtige. So compare the weight per piece, not just the number of pieces in a pack.

Does ‘less sugar’ mean a breakfast cake bar contains no gluten or nuts?

No. A statement about sugars doesn’t tell you anything conclusive about allergens. Check the current ingredients list and allergen information for the variety you choose, including any ‘may contain’ statements.

Do I need to provide allergen information for loose breakfast cake at a Christmas market?

Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must also be able to get information about allergens present in unpackaged food. Make sure this information is available at your stall before purchase; for pre-packed products, it will be on the label.

Does breakfast cake automatically contain iodine from baker’s salt?

No, you can’t tell from the product category. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. Check the product information or ask the manufacturer if iodine content matters to your choice.