When choosing breakfast cake to enjoy on the patio, don’t rely on ‘zero’ or ‘no added sugar’ alone if you’re looking for a genuinely sugar-free option. The product information for the varieties checked from Albert Heijn, PLUS and Peijnenburg lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g in each case. If avoiding added sugar is your main priority, compare the serving size, ingredients and warnings on the packaging too.
You want to know exactly how much sugar the breakfast cake contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between ‘no added sugar’ and a product containing no sugar at all, so the front of the pack isn’t enough to help you choose.
You’re looking for breakfast cake to enjoy with coffee or tea, and a portion that’s pre-measured and easy to take with you matters. For Peijnenburg’s individually wrapped slices, the nutritional values per slice and per 100 g are both worth checking.
You check the exact variety for rye and other allergens, and want to know which sweetener it contains. If you have a dog, warnings about xylitol on some packs are important too.
Start with your sugar goal: ‘no added sugar’ and ‘sugar-free’ mean different things. Then compare the portion size and ingredients of the breakfast cake you want to take with you.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or ‘zero’ | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the exact pack; don’t rely on the name ‘zero’ alone. | I don’t want to choose a breakfast cake that still contains sugar despite being labelled ‘zero’. For around 36% of consumers, choosing a genuinely sugar-free option comes first. |
| No added sugar and fibre | Compare the no-added-sugar claim with ‘of which sugars’ and the fibre content per 100 g. | If I want to avoid added sugar, I also want to know how much fibre a variety contains. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| A portion to take with you | Check whether the slices are individually wrapped and how much each one weighs. | For a coffee break on the patio, I want to be able to take one slice with me easily, without having to cut a whole cake. Around 21% of consumers put convenient portions first. |
| Ingredients and warnings | Read the allergen information and check whether the variety contains xylitol, especially if a dog could get to it. | I want a slice that suits my dietary restrictions and can be kept safely out of my dog’s reach. For around 14% of consumers, this is the first thing they check. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that ‘no added sugar’ doesn’t mean a product contains no sugar. The zero and no-added-sugar varieties checked from Albert Heijn, PLUS and Peijnenburg list 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g.
So check the ‘of which sugars’ line on the pack of the exact variety you’re buying.
Peijnenburg lists 17 g of fibre and 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for its wholegrain variety with no added sugar. The variety contains rye and gluten; the product information also warns that it may contain traces of nuts and milk.
Consider your sugar preferences and any ingredient restrictions separately before comparing fibre content.
Product information from Peijnenburg and PLUS warns that xylitol is not suitable for animals. The varieties checked also carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of pets’ reach. If an animal eats any, follow the product warning and contact a vet straight away.
Worth considering if you’re choosing between sliced breakfast cake and individually wrapped slices with no added sugar.
AH Ontbijtkoek Zero gesneden is an own-brand option to compare for sugar content and portion size.
PLUS Ontbijtkoek Zero gesneden is an own-brand option if you’re comparing breakfast cakes with no added sugar.
This ALDI own-brand’s pre-sliced Ontbijtkoek Zero is an option if you’re looking for a 485 g pack.
Lidl lists Ontbijtkoek Zero as a 485 g in-store product.
No. The name ‘zero’ alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar a breakfast cake contains. The varieties checked from AH, PLUS and Peijnenburg each list 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also stresses that ‘no added sugar’ doesn’t rule out sugars being present in the product.
The AH Zero, PLUS Zero and Peijnenburg varieties checked aren’t suitable if you’re looking for gluten-free breakfast cake: their product information lists rye and gluten. For any other variety, check the latest allergen information on the pack rather than assuming it’s suitable based on the ‘zero’ label.
Keep breakfast cake containing xylitol out of pets’ reach, even when eating outdoors. Product information from Peijnenburg and PLUS warns that xylitol is not suitable for animals; the product information checked also mentions a possible laxative effect if eaten in excess.
Not without nutritional information for the specific breakfast cake. The Dutch government lists salt or bread with added iodine as possible sources of iodine, but that doesn’t tell you how much iodine a particular breakfast cake contains. If iodine matters to your comparison, ask the manufacturer for product-specific information.
