When choosing sliced breakfast cake for lunch, compare the fibre and sugars per 100 g first, then check the ingredients and the weight of each slice. The wholemeal varieties examined differ considerably from one another on these points, and from plain breakfast cake too. So, a wholemeal label alone won’t tell you which cake suits your preferences. Breakfast cake can be part of a lunch, but it doesn’t automatically replace the other parts of the meal.
You want to take sliced breakfast cake with you for lunch, but don’t want to choose based on words such as ‘wholemeal’ alone. Compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the ingredients in each variety.
Pre-sliced cake is convenient for lunch at work, school or on the go. The number of slices and the weight of each one can help you decide how much to take with you; being sliced doesn’t, in itself, affect the nutritional value.
Start by comparing wholemeal varieties with and without added sugars, then check the nutritional information and portions for each product.
A good choice when: Fibre and sugars are key considerations. The Peijnenburg variety examined offers specific figures to compare: 17 g of fibre and 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g, according to the product information.
What to consider: This variety contains rye, gluten and xylitol. The label warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
A good choice when: If you’re looking for wholemeal rye flour without choosing the xylitol variety examined, you could compare it with PLUS’s regular wholemeal cake.
What to consider: For this variety, PLUS lists 41% wholemeal rye flour, 5,7 g of fibre and 34,1 g of sugars per 100 g. So, ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t mean low in sugars here.
A good choice when: If the pre-sliced format is your main priority, you can compare plain varieties by slice weight and packaging.
What to consider: According to Jumbo, the Peijnenburg Plain variety examined contains 3,1 g of fibre and 38 g of sugars per 100 g. Check whether that suits what you’re looking for in a lunch.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritional value and ingredients | Compare fibre and sugars per 100 g, and check what proportion of the flour is wholemeal. | When I have breakfast cake for lunch, I want to weigh up the ingredients and nutritional value rather than rely on the front of the packet. Around 45% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Slices and portions | Check the number of slices, the weight of each slice and the nutritional information per portion. | When I’m having lunch on the go, I want to know in advance how much cake I’m taking with me. Portion planning is the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and sweeteners | Read the current ingredients and allergen information; if you’re choosing a variety with no added sugars, check for sweeteners too. | If I need to take rye, gluten or xylitol into account, the ingredients list determines whether a variety suits my needs. This is the main concern for around 22% of consumers. |
Wholemeal flour and sugar content are two different things. For its wholemeal breakfast cake examined here, PLUS lists 5,7 g of fibre and 34,1 g of sugars per 100 g.
Compare both values on the same basis and read the ingredients list, even if the packet says ‘wholemeal’.
The Peijnenburg variety with no added sugars examined here contains xylitol. The product label warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect and that xylitol is not suitable for animals.
Check the ingredients and portion information, and keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of reach of pets.
The regular and wholemeal breakfast cakes examined here contain rye and gluten; some labels also mention the possible presence of other cereals.
If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, look for an explicit gluten-free product claim and check the current allergen information on the packaging.
Information about baker’s salt in bread doesn’t prove that breakfast cake contains baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also notes that bread isn’t required to be baked with baker’s salt.
Don’t assume breakfast cake contains iodine unless product-specific nutritional information confirms it.
These examples show which sliced varieties you can compare side by side. The features of one variety don’t necessarily apply to the whole brand.
Has sliced varieties examined here in plain and wholemeal versions with no added sugars.
The Plain variety examined here is a 485 g sliced breakfast cake, suitable if you want to plan your portions.
Has sliced breakfast cake varieties examined here in both plain and wholemeal versions.
The ALDI variety examined here is a 485 g pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake.
The Lidl variety examined here is a 485 g sliced plain breakfast cake.
This sliced wholemeal breakfast cake may suit you if you’re looking for a pre-sliced option for lunch. Before comparing it with the varieties discussed above, check the current packet for the weight of each slice, the nutritional value per 100 g and the allergen information.
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A pre-sliced option to take with you as part of a lunch.
485 g pack. To plan your portions, check the number of slices and the weight of each slice on the packet.
To compare fibre and sugars, read the nutritional information per 100 g and check the current ingredients and allergen information.
No. A slice of breakfast cake doesn’t automatically make a complete lunch. Consider the portion and what else you’re eating with it; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholemeal bread as part of the Dutch Wheel of Five.
No. According to the product information, the Peijnenburg Wholemeal variety with no added sugars examined here still contains 4,9 g of sugars per 100 g and contains xylitol. The label warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, so check the weight of each slice too.
No. The wholemeal varieties examined here contain rye and gluten. If you’re looking for a gluten-free variety, check for an explicit product claim and read the current ingredients and allergen information.
No, you can’t tell that from the type of product alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that even bread isn’t required to be baked with baker’s salt. For breakfast cake, check the information for the specific product rather than assuming it contains iodine.
Seal the packet well after opening and store the cake somewhere cool, dry and dark. This is in line with the storage advice Albert Heijn and Jumbo give for the sliced products examined here.
