Who cares about which feature?

Looking for a seed crunch

You want to serve something with noticeable grains or seeds on your fakeaway spread. Decide whether you want to stick with soft spiced breakfast cake, or whether a crunchy cracker with savoury toppings would work too.

Checking the sugar label

You’re looking at versions with no added sugars because there are already other sweet items on the table. The ingredients and nutritional information can also help you assess the sugars and any sweeteners in the product.

Buying sliced wholemeal spiced breakfast cake

You want to serve slices easily to several people, and wholemeal spiced breakfast cake is your priority. If seeds matter too, check the ingredients list separately.

What should you look for when choosing?

For your fakeaway spread, first choose between soft spiced breakfast cake and a crunchy cracker. Then decide whether seeds, information about sugars or a sliced wholemeal version matters most to you.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Seeds and texture Look for specific grains or seeds in the ingredients list. Check whether a soft bar or crunchy cracker would work with your toppings. I mainly want a noticeable crunch with savoury toppings, even if that means swapping spiced breakfast cake for a cracker. For roughly 40% of consumers, this need is the deciding factor.
Sugars and sweeteners Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion; also check which sweeteners are listed in the ingredients. With other sweet snacks on the table, I want to know what a claim on the packaging means for this product. This is the top consideration for around 30% of consumers.
Wholemeal and serving Check whether the spiced breakfast cake is wholemeal and pre-sliced, and how much the pack contains. Check for seeds as a separate feature. When I’m laying out slices for several people, I care more about the product format and wholemeal version than a seed mix. Around 30% of consumers put this first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming wholemeal spiced breakfast cake contains seeds

    Wholemeal and seeded describe different features. ALDI lists the Koek & Bakker version as pre-sliced wholemeal spiced breakfast cake; the product name doesn’t say that it contains seeds.

    Read the ingredients list if seeds are the reason you’re choosing it. Only choose a multiseed cracker if its crunchy format suits your serving plans.

  • Reading ‘Zero’ as ‘sugar-free’

    A claim such as ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product contains in total, or whether it contains seeds or sweeteners.

    Compare the sugars per 100 g and per portion, and check the ingredients of the version you want to buy.

  • Checking allergens only when it’s time to serve

    Ingredients vary from product to product. Albert Heijn lists rye and oats in Peijnenburg Tussendoor+ grains, seeds & fruit; other allergens may also be relevant in products containing seeds or grains.

    Before buying, check the latest allergen information for every product you plan to serve on the same spread.

  • Assuming spiced breakfast cake is automatically a source of iodine

    The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which bakery products may contain iodine through baker’s salt. This doesn’t mean that every spiced breakfast cake contains iodised baker’s salt.

    For a specific product, rely on the latest ingredient information rather than the product category.

Brands to compare

When comparing these brands, look at the specific version: a bar with seeds, wholemeal spiced breakfast cake and a zero version don’t answer the same serving question.

Peijnenburg

Within the range, Tussendoor+ grains, seeds & fruit is the relevant option if you’re looking for a breakfast cake bar with seeds.

  • Albert Heijn lists oats and sunflower seeds in the ingredients of this bar.
  • It’s a separate snack bar, not sliced spiced breakfast cake or multiseed bread. Also check the sweeteners and allergens in this version.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI lists pre-sliced wholemeal spiced breakfast cake and a pre-sliced zero version from this brand.

  • The listed wholemeal version contains 485 g and is pre-sliced.
  • Don’t choose these versions based on the name alone if seeds are your main priority; check the ingredients instead.

PLUS

According to PLUS, its own-brand range includes sliced spiced breakfast cake in plain, wholemeal and zero versions.

  • You can compare the product types if soft, sliced spiced breakfast cake is what you’re looking for.
  • Check the ingredients and allergens in the specific version before choosing what to put on your fakeaway spread.

Albert Heijn huismerk

Albert Heijn lists sliced own-brand spiced breakfast cake, including a zero version.

  • An own-brand option to compare if you want sliced spiced breakfast cake or a zero version.
  • The product category alone doesn’t tell you whether the cake you choose contains seeds; check the label.

Jumbo huismerk

Jumbo lists a 475 g pack of sliced plain own-brand spiced breakfast cake.

  • The sliced pack is an option when you want to lay out slices for several people.
  • Don’t assume from ‘plain’ that the cake is wholemeal or contains seeds; check the product’s ingredients.

Joybuy products for a crunchy option

This cracker is an option for your fakeaway spread if you’re looking for a crunchy sesame base instead of soft spiced breakfast cake. Don’t treat it as a breakfast cake bar or a cracker containing a mix of several seeds.

Bolletje Sesame Bagel Crackers, 225 g pack

Bolletje Sesame Bagel Crackers, 225 g

A cracker for your fakeaway spread when you want a crunchy alternative to soft spiced breakfast cake.

The product name mentions sesame; the pack contains 225 g. Check the latest packaging for ingredients and allergens before serving it to several people.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is spiced breakfast cake with grains and seeds the same as multiseed bread?

No. Peijnenburg Tussendoor+ grains, seeds & fruit is a breakfast cake bar containing ingredients including oats and sunflower seeds, not multiseed bread. If you mainly want a crunchy base for savoury toppings, a cracker is a different type of product to consider.

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean that spiced breakfast cake is sugar-free?

No. A product may still contain naturally occurring sugars, and the claim doesn’t tell you which sweeteners have been used. Check the ingredients and nutritional information for the version you’ve chosen, both per 100 g and per portion.

Which allergens should I check for a shared fakeaway spread?

Check every product individually. Albert Heijn lists rye and oats in the Peijnenburg bar with grains and seeds; the PLUS-listed Bolletje Ontbijtcrackers multiseed also contains sesame and cereals containing gluten. Always read the latest packaging, especially when serving the products alongside one another.

Is iodised baker’s salt compulsory in Dutch spiced breakfast cake?

No, don’t assume this applies to every spiced breakfast cake. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products through baker’s salt, at a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Check the ingredients for the specific product if this matters to your choice.