Who is this decision relevant to?

Anyone putting together daily nursery lunches

You want to know whether breakfast cake fits the food policy or whether bread should remain the basis of lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread for young children’s lunch.

Anyone comparing the ingredients in breakfast cakes

You’re considering breakfast cake for an occasional treat and comparing specific products for wholegrain ingredients, fibre, sugars and sweeteners.

Anyone following allergy arrangements

You’re buying or handing out food to a group of children and checking the current allergen information and the nursery’s individual arrangements in advance.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, find out what the nursery serves as its regular lunch. Only compare breakfast cakes if the policy allows an occasional portion.

What to consider What to check Who this matters most to
Place in the lunch Check the food policy: is breakfast cake allowed as an occasional extra, and what makes up the regular lunch? If I’m arranging the daily lunch, I want to avoid a wholemeal cake quietly replacing bread. For around 42% of consumers, this is the main consideration when choosing lunch.
Ingredients Compare the wholemeal content, fibre, sugars and any sweeteners per 100 g; check the portion size too. For an occasional portion, I want to know what the chosen product contains, not just what the front of the pack says. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this comparison.
Allergens and arrangements Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, and follow the arrangements for the child and the nursery. Before I pack anything for a group, I need to know whether it meets the individual arrangements. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘wholemeal’ means ‘suitable as a regular lunch’

    Having a wholegrain base doesn’t make breakfast cake a substitute for a bread-based lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread for young children’s lunch and does not include cake among foods that support a nutritious diet in its example childcare food policy.

    Start with the nursery’s food policy and consider breakfast cake only for an occasional treat, if the policy allows it.

  • Relying solely on ‘no added sugars’

    The Peijnenburg product listed by Albert Heijn contains xylitol; Joybuy’s product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check the ingredients and nutrition information too, including fibre, sugars and sweeteners, and take the portion size into account.

  • Assuming an earlier allergen check is enough

    The breakfast cakes discussed list rye and cereals containing gluten. For a child with individual arrangements, any ‘may contain’ statement is important too.

    Check the physical packaging before handing anything out and follow the plan in place for the child and the nursery.

  • Assuming a product contains iodine because of its category

    The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains when iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through baker’s salt. This does not tell you whether a particular pack of breakfast cake contains baker’s salt with iodine.

    If iodine is relevant to an individual diet plan, check the specific product information or ask the manufacturer.

Brands to consider

Peijnenburg

The 345 g sliced wholemeal breakfast cake is worth considering when comparing sugars, fibre and sweeteners.

  • Albert Heijn lists 40% wholemeal rye flour, 17 g of fibre and 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g for this product.
  • The product contains xylitol, rye and cereals containing gluten. According to Joybuy’s product information, excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Albert Heijn

AH Wholemeal Sliced Breakfast Cake is a pre-sliced 485 g product.

  • Albert Heijn lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5,7 g of fibre per 100 g for this product.
  • Albert Heijn also lists 34 g of added sugars per 100 g, rye and cereals containing gluten, with other cereals potentially present.

PLUS

PLUS Wholemeal Sliced Breakfast Cake is a pre-sliced 485 g product.

  • PLUS lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5,7 g of fibre per 100 g for this product.
  • PLUS lists 33,63 g of added sugars per 100 g, rye and cereals containing gluten; wheat, barley and oats may also be present.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI lists a pre-sliced 485 g wholemeal breakfast cake from Koek & Bakker.

  • The pre-sliced format makes it easy to pack individual slices.
  • Check the nutrition information and allergens on the packaging of the specific product before choosing it for nursery.

Breakfast cake for an occasional treat at nursery

This pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake is only an option for an occasional treat if the nursery’s food and allergy policies allow it; it is not a replacement for a bread-based lunch.

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

g'woon wholemeal breakfast cake, sliced, 485 g

The sliced format is an option for an occasional portion if the nursery allows breakfast cake.

Before handing it out, check the allergens on the physical packaging: the ingredients list rye, but the available allergen information conflicts with this. Also check the nutrition per 100 g before comparing sugars or fibre with another product.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can wholemeal breakfast cake replace the regular bread-based lunch at nursery?

Not necessarily. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread for young children’s lunch and does not include cake among foods that support a nutritious diet in its example childcare food policy. Check the nursery’s policy first; breakfast cake may be an option only if the policy allows it as an occasional treat.

Is breakfast cake with no added sugars automatically the right choice?

No. The Peijnenburg product discussed contains xylitol and, according to Joybuy’s product information, carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Compare the other ingredients, nutrition information, portion size and allergens too.

Where can I check for gluten and other allergens?

Read the ingredients and allergen information on the physical packaging of the product you intend to use. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergens to be clearly identified in the ingredients list and the type of cereal to be stated for cereals containing gluten. Also follow the nursery’s individual arrangements.

Does the Dutch rule on baker’s salt mean every breakfast cake contains iodine?

No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may be present in bakery products only through added baker’s salt; this does not confirm that every breakfast cake contains it. Check the specific product information or ask the manufacturer if this matters for an individual diet plan.