Buyer for everyday office breaks
You want a supply that’s easy to portion and store. With Dutch breakfast cake, it makes a difference whether you choose a pre-sliced variety or one that needs portioning.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Organiser of a treat or thank-you
You’re looking for something to share on a one-off occasion, when the number of chocolates, the variety and the presentation of a box may matter more than a regular supply of snacks.
Buyer for colleagues with allergies
Before putting anything in a shared tin, check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings about possible cross-contamination on every product you choose.
What should you consider when choosing?
First decide whether the biscuit tin is for everyday snacks or a one-off treat. Then check the details on the specific product packaging, especially if several colleagues will be eating from it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who does this matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Supply and portions | Check the number of portions or pieces, whether the breakfast cake is pre-sliced, and the storage advice once opened. | If the tin is used every day, I want to estimate how much I need and how to store it. For around 33% of consumers, planning supplies and portions comes first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the nutritional information per portion and per 100 g, including sugars, energy and saturated fat. | For a regular snack, I want to know what a portion contains, rather than judging breakfast cake or chocolates by their name alone. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients list, allergen information and any cross-contamination warning on the product you’ve chosen. | If colleagues have allergies, I want to avoid any uncertainty about what’s in a shared tin. For around 25% of consumers, checking this takes priority. |
| Treats and presentation | Compare the number of pieces and varieties in a box with the number of people you want to share it with. | For a birthday or thank-you, I want to offer something that suits the occasion. Presentation and variety matter most to around 17% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Putting out unlimited breakfast cake as a snack
Portion size matters with breakfast cake too: the Peijnenburg plain, unsliced product reviewed lists 11 g of sugars per 28 g portion.
Compare the nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen and decide in advance how you’ll portion it.
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Sharing chocolates without reading the label
Chocolates may contain allergens that matter to colleagues. The Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles described by Jumbo list milk and soya, among other ingredients, and warn that nuts may also be present.
Read the label on the box you’ve bought before sharing, and keep the allergen information with the chocolates.
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Mistaking a category page for a product label
An overview of chocolates or breakfast cake won’t tell you which ingredients and warnings apply to the product in your biscuit tin.
Use the overview to compare products, but check the exact product information before buying and the packaging when you use it.
Relevant brands and retailers
Peijnenburg
Peijnenburg offers varieties of Dutch breakfast cake you can compare for a regular office supply, including plain, wholemeal, sliced and unsliced options.
- The plain, unsliced pack lists 12 portions, which helps when planning your supply.
- The variety described by Jumbo contains rye. Nutritional values and allergens need to be checked for each variety.
Albert Heijn
The supermarket offers chocolates, pralines and assorted boxes that you can compare by size and occasion.
- A choice of box sizes makes it easier to match the number of pieces to the occasion.
- Check the ingredients and allergens for the box you choose; a category overview is no substitute for the product label.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s product information provides specific details to help you assess a variety of Dutch breakfast cake and chocolates separately.
- The Peijnenburg breakfast cake described includes portion sizes and storage advice; the Lindt chocolates described include nutritional values and allergen information.
- These details apply to these specific products and not to all breakfast cake or chocolates.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dutch breakfast cake automatically a better choice than chocolates for the everyday biscuit tin?
No. Assess the products you’ve chosen by portion size and nutritional information, rather than by product category alone. The Voedingscentrum gives an average of 11.2 g of sugars for a 30 g slice of breakfast cake; also compare the values per 100 g on the packaging and the portions actually eaten.
Which allergens should I check before filling the tin?
Check the allergen information and warnings on every product you choose. The Peijnenburg breakfast cake described by Jumbo contains rye; the Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles described list milk, cereals containing gluten and soya, among other ingredients, and warn that nuts may also be present. According to the NVWA, allergen information for prepacked foods must be clearly shown on the label.
How should I store breakfast cake or chocolates at the office?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging for each product. For the Peijnenburg breakfast cake described, Jumbo recommends a cool, dry place away from light, such as a sealed tin or container. Don’t assume the same advice applies to chocolates.
Does the rule on baker’s salt mean that all breakfast cake contains iodine?
No, that rule doesn’t tell you whether every breakfast cake contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may only be present in bakery products through added baker’s salt, with a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients information for the specific product.