Pack wholemeal breakfast cake as an addition to a school lunch, not as a substitute for the whole meal. Choose an option that suits your preferences for ingredients and packaging, and check the latest nutrition information and allergen details before packing it.
You’re looking for wholemeal breakfast cake for the lunchbox, but don’t want to mistake it for a complete lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholemeal products, fruit and vegetables among the options for a school meal.
You want to compare a regular wholemeal option with a product labelled ‘no added sugars’. This doesn’t mean the product is sugar-free, so check the nutrition information on the pack too.
You’re looking for packaging that makes it easy to take a portion with you. Pre-sliced pieces and packs containing individual portions are different product formats.
First, decide which feature matters most for the lunchbox. Then check the ingredients, nutrition information and allergens for your chosen option on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal ingredients and the rest of the lunch | Check whether the option is labelled as wholemeal. Include other foods in the rest of the lunch, such as bread, fruit or vegetables. | If I’m looking for wholemeal, I want to know what I’m packing without making a slice of breakfast cake the whole lunch. This would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Added sugars | Read the exact wording on the pack and compare sugars per 100 g or per portion on the same basis. | I want to be able to distinguish an option with no added sugars from regular wholemeal breakfast cake, without immediately calling it sugar-free. This would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Convenience to take with you | Check whether the product comes as pre-sliced pieces or individual portions, and how much you want to pack. | When I need to fill the lunchbox quickly, the portion format is the deciding factor for me. Around 21% of consumers would make convenience the top priority. |
| Pack size | Check the quantity in the pack and the storage instructions if you’re packing for several school days. | I plan lunchboxes for several days and want to choose a pack that suits how I’ll use it. Pack size would matter most to around 14% of consumers. |
The wholemeal label doesn’t tell you everything that’s in the lunchbox. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also lists other foods for a school meal, including fruit and vegetables.
Use breakfast cake as an addition and put the rest of the lunch together separately.
The statement about added sugars doesn’t tell you how much total sugar is listed per 100 g or per portion.
Check the ingredients and nutrition information for the exact option. Only compare portions if they’re the same size.
Peijnenburg lists wholemeal rye flour as an ingredient in its regular sliced wholemeal breakfast cake. So the wholemeal label doesn’t mean a breakfast cake is gluten-free.
Check the allergen information on the latest packaging and find out whether the school or class has rules about what pupils can bring in.
Peijnenburg offers regular sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, as well as a sliced option labelled by the brand as ‘100% wholemeal’ and ‘no added sugars’.
Albert Heijn offers a product called AH Ontbijtkoek Volkoren Gesneden.
Jumbo lists wholemeal breakfast cake in a 280 g pack, as well as a pack of 6 wholemeal breakfast cake bars.
ALDI describes its Koek & Bakker wholemeal breakfast cake as pre-sliced and sold in a 485 g pack.
PLUS lists sliced wholemeal breakfast cake in a 485 g pack.
No. Use wholemeal breakfast cake as an addition to lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists several foods for a school meal, including wholemeal products, fruit and vegetables, so consider everything in the lunchbox.
Not necessarily. Peijnenburg lists wholemeal rye flour in its regular sliced wholemeal option. Before packing the breakfast cake you’ve chosen, check the latest allergen information and any rules set by the school or class.
You can’t tell from the wholemeal label. If iodine content matters to your choice, check the information for the product you’ve chosen or ask the manufacturer.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your chosen option. Jumbo says to store its wholemeal breakfast cake in a cool, dry place; check the date and instructions on the pack too.
