Parents looking for a small portion to take out
A small or individually wrapped piece can be handy for an occasional snack while out and about, at school or at childcare. Compare the weight of each piece: a bar isn’t automatically a mini cake.
Who might find mini breakfast cake useful?
Parents putting together a daily breakfast
If you’re considering breakfast cake because your toddler doesn’t eat much in the morning, start by looking at the usual breakfast staples. The Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends bread as the basis for breakfast and lunch for children aged 1 to 3.
Households that need to check allergens
If your child has a relevant allergy or other dietary requirements, check the ingredients of every variant. The Mini’s described by Jumbo contain rye, wheat and gluten, and may contain nuts; this doesn’t tell you what’s in a different breakfast cake.
What should you look for when buying?
First decide whether you’re looking for something for daily breakfast or an occasional snack to take with you. Then compare the portion size and nutritional information for your chosen variant, and check the allergens before packing it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Its place in breakfast | Check sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion. Compare a regular variant with one making a sugar claim on the same basis. | If I’m looking for something for every morning, I don’t want the small size to determine what I choose as the breakfast staple. Around 46% of consumers prioritise this everyday breakfast choice. |
| Portion size and taking it with you | Check the weight of each piece and whether the pieces are individually wrapped. | When I’m out and about, I want to take one clearly defined portion with me rather than cut pieces from a large cake myself. Around 36% of consumers prioritise a portion they can take with them. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and check with the school or childcare provider about any requirements if needed. | If gluten or nuts are a concern for my child, the pack I choose needs to fit the agreed dietary requirements. For around 18% of consumers, checking this is the first priority. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming a mini size makes it a suitable daily breakfast
A smaller portion doesn’t change what the cake is made of. For snacks, the Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends options for toddlers including fruit, vegetables and some wholemeal bread.
Use the size to define an occasional portion, and choose your everyday breakfast staple separately.
-
Relying on a sugar claim alone
According to Jumbo, its Less Sugar breakfast cake bar contains at least 30% less sugar than Jumbo’s original breakfast cake bar. That comparison doesn’t tell you how much sugar is in the portion you choose.
Read the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and only compare figures calculated on the same basis.
-
Trying to work out allergens from the product name
The Mini’s described by Jumbo contain rye, wheat and gluten, and may contain nuts. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergens in prepacked foods must be listed in the ingredients.
Check the label on the exact variant every time you buy it, even if you’ve bought it before.
-
Assuming a mini variant you found before is still available
Jumbo’s product pages state that Jumbo Mini’s Breakfast Cake and Peijnenburg Breakfast Cake Nut Mini’s are no longer in its online range.
Check the range at the shop where you do your food shopping and, if needed, compare other individually wrapped sizes.
Brands and ranges to compare
Jumbo
Jumbo has offered breakfast cake bars, including a Less Sugar variant, alongside the Mini’s mentioned earlier.
- According to Jumbo, its Less Sugar bar contains at least 30% less sugar than Jumbo’s original breakfast cake bar.
- According to Jumbo, that bar contains rye, wheat and gluten. Jumbo Mini’s are no longer in its online range.
Peijnenburg
PLUS’s range overview includes Peijnenburg original breakfast cake and original breakfast cake with no added sugar.
- The variants mentioned have different ingredients, which you can compare using the nutritional information.
- According to Jumbo, the individually wrapped Peijnenburg Nut Mini’s are no longer in its online range; this variant contained almonds and hazelnuts.
Koek & Bakker
ALDI lists pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake and a pre-sliced Zero variant from Koek & Bakker.
- Pre-sliced pieces make it easy to set aside a portion yourself.
- Pre-sliced doesn’t mean every piece is individually wrapped. Check the nutritional and allergen information for your chosen variant too.
PLUS
The PLUS breakfast cake range includes original, wholemeal and Zero options in sliced form.
- You can compare different product formats within the same range.
- The variant name alone doesn’t tell you the portion size, sugar content or allergens; check the pack.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn has a range overview for gluten-free breakfast cake, including an AH Gluten-Free Breakfast Cake Bar.
- An explicitly gluten-free variant is a targeted option if avoiding gluten is essential.
- The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you anything by itself about the portion size or other nutritional information.
Breakfast cake on Joybuy
You can compare this breakfast cake with other variants for an occasional snack. Check whether the pack you choose contains a portion that’s small enough for your needs; the variant name doesn’t confirm that it’s a mini size.
No image available
Snelle Jelle Breakfast Cake Less Sugar-Free 250 g
You could consider this breakfast cake for an occasional snack if the portion size and ingredients are right for your toddler.
The stated pack size is 250 g. To compare it with other products, check the weight per portion, the sugars per 100 g and per portion, and the allergens on the current pack.
Frequently asked questions
Is mini breakfast cake suitable as a regular breakfast for toddlers?
A mini size doesn’t automatically make breakfast cake suitable as an everyday breakfast staple. The Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends bread as the basis for breakfast and lunch for children aged 1 to 3. So consider cake as a separate option for a snack, rather than relying on the word ‘mini’.
Does a mini size help you decide on a portion?
Yes, if the weight of each piece is clear or the pieces are individually wrapped. ALDI describes its Goud Gebakken Koekhappers as six individually wrapped pieces; check the weight of one piece for every variant.
Can I choose regular breakfast cake if gluten needs to be avoided?
Don’t rely on the product name alone: the Mini’s described by Jumbo contain rye, wheat and gluten. Check the ingredients and any gluten-free label on the exact pack, and follow the dietary advice that applies to your child.
Can I tell from the name breakfast cake whether it contains iodine?
No, the product name doesn’t tell you whether baker’s salt has been used in a particular breakfast cake. If baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients for the variant you’re considering.