For a quick breakfast, choose cornflakes with the EU organic logo, then check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the pack. A variety with no added sugar can be a good base for milk, yoghurt or a plant-based alternative, but you’ll need to arrange this in advance if you’re taking breakfast with you. Organic doesn’t automatically mean gluten-free or high in fibre.
A dry portion of cornflakes is easy to take with you if you can arrange milk, yoghurt, quark or a plant-based alternative separately. You’ll also need a bowl or a sealable container at the place where you plan to eat.
If you like to choose what goes into your breakfast, start by checking the organic logo, then read the ingredients list and the information about sugars.
Organic cornflakes aren’t automatically gluten-free or free from other allergens. If this matters to you, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the allergen information on the current pack.
Start with the organic logo, as described by Skal Biocontrole for prepacked organic consumer products in the EU. Then compare labels on the points that matter most for your breakfast.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic logo | Look for the EU organic logo on the packaging. If you shop online, check the pack you receive too. | If you’re consciously choosing organic cornflakes, you’ll want to be able to recognise the logo rather than rely on the word ‘natural’. For around 31% of consumers, checking for this logo comes first. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the ingredients list and the information about added sugars; compare the sugars per 100 g. | If I’m adding fruit or yoghurt myself, I want to know what’s already in the flakes. Around 31% of consumers give top priority to a base with no added sugar. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g; check the portion size separately. | If I make the same breakfast regularly, I want to compare the nutritional information on different packs on a like-for-like basis. This is the main priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Check for any gluten-free label, the allergen list and warnings about possible traces on the current pack. | If I need to avoid gluten or another allergen, I can’t rely on maize being an ingredient. For around 15% of consumers, the label is the first thing they check when choosing. |
AH Biologisch Cornflakes lists soya as an ingredient, while the product information for Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet warns that it may contain, among other things, cereals containing gluten. The organic logo doesn’t answer questions about allergens.
If you need to avoid gluten or another allergen, read all the information on the current pack, including an explicit gluten-free label if required.
The product information reviewed lists 5 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Biologisch Cornflakes and 0.5 g per 100 g for Your Organic Nature Cornflakes. The logo doesn’t mean their nutritional values are the same.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes the label as a tool for comparing the nutritional values of products.
To make a bowl of cornflakes with milk, yoghurt, quark or a plant-based alternative, you’ll need that extra ingredient as well as something to eat from.
Portion the cornflakes in advance and keep the extra ingredient separate until you’re ready to eat.
The AH Biologisch Cornflakes reviewed comes in a 300 g pack and can be eaten with milk, yoghurt or quark, for example.
Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet is a 300 g variety of organic cornflakes.
The Your Organic Nature cornflakes reviewed are organic maize flakes in a 250 g pack.
Look for the EU organic logo — the green leaf — on the packaging. According to Skal Biocontrole, this logo is compulsory on prepacked organic consumer products in the EU. If you shop online, check the pack you receive too.
No, the organic logo doesn’t set a specific fibre content. The product information for AH Biologisch Cornflakes lists 5 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 0.5 g per 100 g for Your Organic Nature Cornflakes. So compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
No. Having maize as the main ingredient or an organic logo isn’t enough to guarantee this. The product information for Smaakt and Your Organic Nature warns of possible traces of gluten or cereals containing gluten. If you need to eat gluten-free, check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the current packaging.
Pack a dry portion of cornflakes separately and arrange milk, yoghurt, quark or a plant-based alternative, along with a suitable cup or bowl, in advance. Combine everything when you’re ready to eat.
Seal the pack well after use and store it in a cool, dry, dark place. This follows the storage instructions from Albert Heijn and Jumbo for the varieties discussed.
