Choose organic Dutch breakfast cake based on the organic designation and EU organic logo, then check separately whether it contains seeds or kernels. A separate organic seed and kernel mix can go well with plain organic breakfast cake, but it doesn’t make it a cake with seeds baked in. Also compare the sugars per 100 g, and if you’re combining products, check the allergen information for both.
You want to be able to see from the packaging whether your breakfast cake is organic. The European Commission says the EU organic logo can only be used on certified organic products; also read the product description and ingredients list.
You want to know whether the breakfast cake actually contains seeds or kernels. A separate organic mix gives you a different combination from a cake with seeds or kernels included as ingredients.
You check sugars, fibre, portion size and allergens before choosing breakfast cake. Compare nutritional values on the same basis, and check the label of any separate topping too.
When to choose it: Choose this option if organic status matters more to you than having seeds or kernels in the cake.
The trade-off: Check the seeds, nutritional information and allergens separately; the organic certification doesn’t tell you anything about these.
When to choose it: Combine organic breakfast cake with a separate organic seed and kernel mix if you’d like to add the kernels yourself.
The trade-off: The seeds aren’t baked into the cake; check the organic designation and allergens for both products.
When to choose it: A bar is a different product format if you’re mainly looking for an individual portion with kernels.
The trade-off: Kernels in the product name don’t confirm organic status; check the claim on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic status | Look for the organic designation and EU organic logo on the packaging. | I want to be able to identify the organic status before choosing between varieties. For around 38% of consumers, this assurance would be the top priority. |
| Seeds and kernels | Look for specific seeds or kernels in the ingredients list; distinguish between ingredients in the cake and a separate topping. | The texture of seeds or kernels matters to me, but I want to know whether they’re in the cake or served separately. For around 31% of consumers, this would be the most important factor. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare sugars and fibre per 100 g and per portion where listed; read the allergen information. | When choosing a portion of breakfast cake, I want to weigh up the nutritional information and ingredients against my own buying criteria. This label information would come first for around 31% of consumers. |
An organic designation tells you something different from an ingredients list. The product information for GIJS and Bio Nature at PLUS doesn’t list seeds or kernels in these breakfast cakes.
First check the organic designation, then look separately for the seeds or kernels you want in the ingredients list.
PLUS lists 40,1 g of sugars per 100 g for GIJS Plain Organic Breakfast Cake and 52 g per 100 g for Bio Nature Organic Breakfast Cakes. The organic designation doesn’t replace the nutrition table.
Compare sugars per 100 g, then consider the portion size you plan to have.
When you add a separate seed and kernel mix, you’re combining two products. The ingredients and allergen information for the cake won’t tell you anything about the topping.
Read both labels before using the products together.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products. This doesn’t mean that every breakfast cake contains baker’s salt with iodine.
If iodine is important to your choice, check the latest product information or ask the manufacturer.
PLUS describes GIJS Plain Organic Breakfast Cake as a 400 g organic plain breakfast cake.
PLUS lists organic breakfast cakes in a pack of 4 × 2 pieces, for anyone looking for small individual portions.
Albert Heijn lists AH Organic Plain Uncut Breakfast Cake, 400 g, as an organic plain variety.
Albert Heijn lists Peijnenburg Tussendoor+ cereals, kernels & fruit among its breakfast cake bars.
Check for the organic designation and EU organic logo on the packaging. The Dutch government says ‘organic’ is a protected term; the European Commission states that the EU organic logo can only be used on certified organic products.
No, organic certification doesn’t confirm that seeds or kernels are used as ingredients. The organic varieties from GIJS and Bio Nature described by PLUS don’t list them in their ingredients. A separate seed mix is a different combination from a cake with seeds baked in.
No, the organic designation doesn’t tell you the sugar content. PLUS lists 40,1 g of sugars per 100 g for GIJS Plain Organic Breakfast Cake and 52 g per 100 g for Bio Nature Organic Breakfast Cakes; for other varieties, compare their own nutritional information per 100 g.
Read the ingredients and allergen information for your chosen variety and any topping you’re adding. According to PLUS, GIJS Plain Organic Breakfast Cake contains wheat and rye and may contain nuts; Bio Nature Organic Breakfast Cakes contain rye and gluten-containing cereals and may contain milk and nuts. The organic designation doesn’t change this information.
You can’t tell from the product category alone. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bakery products, not that they’re found in every breakfast cake. Check the product information or ask the manufacturer if this is one of your buying criteria.
