Shoppers with a strict sugar-free requirement
You want to choose an egg cake for yourself or a guest that meets the ‘sugar-free’ limit. A wholemeal or gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether it does.
Who is this important for?
Hosts planning a coffee get-together with different dietary needs
You want to serve egg cakes to friends with different preferences or requirements around sugar, gluten and allergens. Check that your chosen option suits each person’s needs.
Home bakers who choose their own ingredients
You have time to bake in advance and want to choose the ingredients yourself. The nutritional value of the finished egg cakes depends on the full recipe.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether sugar-free is a firm requirement. Then consider your guests’ individual needs and whether the number of egg cakes you choose will be enough for everyone at the table.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verified sugar-free status | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the current packaging. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g is allowed for the ‘sugar-free’ claim. | If sugar-free is a firm requirement for a guest, I want to be able to assess the specific egg cake against that standard. For around 46% of consumers, this would be the most important purchasing requirement. |
| Planning a coffee get-together | Check how many are in each pack and whether your chosen option is currently available. | When having coffee with several friends, I want to be able to serve enough suitable egg cakes without relying on an outdated product listing. Convenience when organising would come first for around 36% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the allergen information on the exact pack you’ve chosen; assess the sugar content separately. | If a guest needs to avoid gluten or certain allergens, I want to know first whether the egg cake is suitable for them. This specific need would matter most to around 18% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming wholemeal or gluten-free means sugar-free
These labels describe different qualities. Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugars per 100 g for AH wholemeal egg cakes and 33 g per 100 g for AH gluten-free egg cakes.
If you have a strict sugar-free requirement, always check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g for the egg cake you’ve chosen.
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Confusing ‘no added sugars’ with ‘sugar-free’
A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars from its ingredients. The two labels don’t mean the same thing.
For a sugar-free option, check that the finished product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
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Relying only on an online product listing
For a coffee get-together, what matters is the option you actually buy. A listing you looked at earlier may no longer match the packaging in store.
Just before buying, check the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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Automatically calling a home-baked recipe sugar-free
Replacing sugar in a recipe doesn’t tell you how much sugar the baked egg cakes contain per 100 g. The other ingredients count too.
Check the full recipe and the finished weight before serving your homemade egg cakes as sugar-free.
Baking them yourself also takes preparation before your coffee get-together.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists several egg cakes under its own brand, including wholemeal and gluten-free options.
- The product information for AH wholemeal egg cakes and AH gluten-free egg cakes lists the sugar content per 100 g.
- According to Albert Heijn, these options contain 31 g and 33 g of sugars per 100 g respectively, so neither meets the ‘sugar-free’ limit.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s egg cake range includes standard, wholemeal and gluten-free products.
- The different options give you a starting point for finding a product to suit each guest’s needs.
- The name of an option doesn’t tell you how much sugar it contains; check the nutritional information for the specific product.
Bolletje
Bolletje soft milk-coated egg cake is a specific variety listed by Albert Heijn.
- Albert Heijn provides a nutritional table for this variety.
- The table lists 42 g of sugars per 100 g, so this variety isn’t a sugar-free option.
Heerlijck Banket
ALDI lists free-range egg cakes from Heerlijck Banket in a pack of 12.
- The brand name and pack size help you identify the pack you’re looking for.
- If you have a strict sugar-free requirement, assess the product using the nutritional information on the pack you’ve chosen.
Lidl
Lidl has listed egg cakes as a limited-time in-store offer.
- The listing can help you recognise this type of product in store.
- Check current availability and the packaging itself before choosing egg cakes for your guests.
Related products at Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
When can an egg cake be labelled ‘sugar-free’?
Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, an egg cake can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to use the ‘sugar-free’ nutrition claim. Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the current packaging; ‘no added sugars’ isn’t the same claim.
Is a wholemeal or gluten-free egg cake also sugar-free?
Not automatically: wholemeal and gluten-free labels don’t, by themselves, tell you how much sugar a product contains. Albert Heijn lists 31 g of sugars per 100 g for AH wholemeal egg cakes and 33 g per 100 g for AH gluten-free egg cakes. Check the nutritional information for any other variety individually.
How do I choose egg cakes for guests with allergies?
Check the allergen information on the exact pack you plan to serve. A gluten-free label only answers the question about gluten; check the product information separately for other allergens and sugar content.
How should I store egg cakes until my coffee get-together?
Follow the use-by date and storage instructions on the pack you’ve chosen. For AH wholemeal egg cakes, Albert Heijn advises storing them in a cool, dry place away from light and closing the pack securely after use. Don’t assume the same instructions apply to other varieties.