For an occasional change at breakfast, you can choose a plain mix if you already have the required extras at home. For a wholegrain mix, check the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g of prepared product. A complete mix or shaker bottle means less measuring, but you still need to check the allergens and preparation instructions. Don’t compare dry mix directly with ready-made pancakes: they require different preparation.
You want to know in advance which ingredients you’ll need in addition to the mix. Dry mixes may call for milk, eggs and cooking fat; a complete mix may only need water instead. Read the instructions on the specific pack before getting your ingredients ready.
You want to serve pancakes for breakfast now and then, so you’re comparing plain and wholegrain options. Check the proportion of wholegrain flour and the nutritional values on the same preparation basis. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses bread as part of breakfast and lunch for children aged 1 to 3; pancakes don’t automatically need to replace this everyday staple.
You want to measure out fewer ingredients before you start cooking. A shaker bottle or complete mix could be a good fit, as long as you still follow the cooking instructions and check the allergens on the packaging.
First decide whether you’re looking for a dry mix. Then compare the extras, ingredients, preparation instructions and allergens that matter for your breakfast on each pack.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Required extras | Check which liquid, eggs and cooking fat the recipe calls for, and how many pancakes the pack says it makes when prepared as instructed. | When I’m making breakfast, I want to know what I need to get ready in addition to the mix. Around 36% of consumers put the required extras first. |
| Wholegrains and variety | Compare the proportion of wholegrain flour and the fibre per 100 g of prepared product, provided the preparation basis is the same. | I want to serve pancakes for a change and am mainly interested in the ingredients. This is the key consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Preparation | Check whether you need to measure out ingredients or just add water, and read the cooking instructions too. | On a busy morning, I want to make the batter in as few steps as possible. This is the first consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and taking food along | Read the current ingredients list and the ‘may contain’ statement. If you’re sending food in with your child, ask about the rules at their school or childcare setting. | If I need to consider an allergy or my child is taking food somewhere, I need to choose a suitable option. Around 14% of consumers put suitability first. |
A dry mix isn’t always ready to use with just water. Some varieties also need milk, eggs and cooking fat.
Read all the preparation instructions and check which ingredients you already have at home.
Albona pancake mix still needs to be made into batter and cooked; Delicious Home ready-made pancakes from ALDI only need reheating, according to ALDI. These are different types of product.
First decide whether you want to cook pancakes yourself or heat up a ready-made product.
Koopmans Gluten-Free product information states that the product may contain egg and milk.
Check the full ingredients list and the ‘may contain’ statement on the current packaging for any allergens you need to avoid.
The Koopmans Complete mix we checked states that the batter isn’t intended to be eaten raw and must be heated thoroughly.
Follow the cooking instructions for the mix you’re using and don’t let your toddler taste raw batter.
Koopmans offers plain, complete, shaker bottle, wholegrain and gluten-free pancake mixes, among other options.
The own-brand range includes plain, complete, multigrain and wholegrain mixes, among other options.
Jumbo offers a Plain mix and a separate organic pancake mix.
PLUS offers plain and wholegrain mixes with different flour blends.
Albona is ALDI’s own brand, with dry plain and multigrain mixes among its range.
Belbake offers an original dry pancake mix in a 400 g pack.
These dry mixes come in different pack sizes and formats for anyone who wants to cook pancakes from scratch. For a toddler breakfast, check the instructions, nutritional information and allergens for each individual variety.
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An option if you’re specifically looking for a mix labelled Wholegrains to add variety to breakfast. Before choosing this variety, check the packaging for the grains used, nutritional information, required extras and allergens.
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A handy option if you want to measure out fewer ingredients. According to the Joybuy product information, you add 350 ml of water and the shaker bottle makes 4 to 6 pancakes. Check the allergens on the packaging and heat the batter as instructed.
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A standard dry mix for anyone who wants to make the batter themselves. Check the pack to see which ingredients you need to add for this variety, how many pancakes it makes and which allergens are listed.
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The 100 g pack may suit you if you’re looking for a small pack to make your own batter. Check the preparation instructions and allergens on the pack. Only rely on the nutritional information on the packaging when assessing the calcium claim in the original product title.
It’s best to think of pancakes as an occasional change at breakfast rather than an obvious everyday substitute. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends around 2 to 3 slices of bread a day for children aged 1 to 3, usually split between breakfast and lunch. If you serve pancakes for breakfast, consider what else you’re offering that day too.
Choose plain if you’re looking for a standard mix; choose a wholegrain variety if you specifically want to look for wholegrain flour. PLUS says its wholegrain mix contains 75% wholegrain wheat flour and 20% wholegrain oat flour. Only compare nutritional values when it’s clear they’re given on the same preparation basis.
No. Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels for prepacked foods. Also look out for a statement that the product may contain other allergens.
Ask the school or childcare setting about its current food and allergy policy beforehand. Also check the allergen information on the pack you’re using to make the pancakes; a product label can’t tell you which rules apply at that location.
Don’t let your toddler taste raw batter. Koopmans Complete product information says the batter must be heated thoroughly; follow the preparation instructions for any other mix you use.
