For a regular after-school sandwich, choose bread clearly labelled wholemeal if your child enjoys eating it. Softer multigrain bread can be a stepping stone for a fussy eater, but multigrain does not automatically mean wholemeal. Check the ingredients and allergens on each pack. If the bread is for school, check the school or childcare setting’s rules too.
If a substantial wholemeal sandwich gets left uneaten, the texture of the bread may be what makes the difference. Compare a softer multigrain option with clearly labelled wholemeal bread, but don’t assume that a dark colour means it’s wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain tells you how many types of grain are used, not whether the bread is wholemeal.
If you want to choose bread as a regular option for an after-school sandwich, look for a wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g on the packaging. The Voedingscentrum includes wholemeal bread and most types of brown bread in the Schijf van Vijf; nutritional information varies by product.
If your child has an allergy or there are rules about food brought in from home, the current packaging is the most reliable source of information. A wholemeal multigrain bread described by Jumbo contains wheat, barley, oats and rye, among other ingredients, but allergens vary by product. Check the rules at your child’s school or childcare setting too.
Choosing between wholemeal multigrain bread and a softer multigrain option starts with what your child is willing to eat. Then check the label on the specific loaf. Taste, ingredients and suitability for taking to school are separate considerations.
Choose this if: your child enjoys it and you’re looking for clearly labelled wholemeal bread for their regular sandwich.
Bear in mind: a firmer texture, or the presence of seeds, may make it less appealing to some fussy eaters.
Choose this if: a softer sandwich could be a useful stepping stone when your child leaves wholemeal bread uneaten.
Bear in mind: the word multigrain doesn’t prove that the bread is wholemeal; check this separately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture and whether your child will eat it | Check the type of bread and the ingredients. If you’re not sure what texture your child likes, try a small amount first. | If my child leaves firm bread uneaten, I look for a sandwich they will eat. For around 40% of consumers, this is said to be their main concern. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g in similar breads. | For bread we eat regularly, I want to know whether I’m really choosing wholemeal. This is said to be the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the current allergen declaration, including statements about possible traces, and ask about the rules at school or childcare. | When I pack bread, it needs to suit my child’s allergies and the rules at their school or childcare setting. For around 20% of consumers, this is said to be the main consideration. |
| Availability and storage | Check where the option you’ve chosen is available and follow the storage and freezing instructions on the packaging. | If I buy bread for several snack times, I don’t want to take home more than we can use. Reducing leftovers is said to be the top priority for around 10% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain. That doesn’t tell you whether the flour is wholemeal, so the name alone isn’t enough if you’re looking for wholemeal bread.
Look for an explicit wholemeal label on the packaging and read the ingredients list. The Voedingscentrum explains that ingredients are listed in order of quantity.
Not all bread is baked with baker’s salt: the Voedingscentrum says its use isn’t compulsory. So don’t assume it’s present based on the type of bread alone.
If baker’s salt is relevant to your comparison, look for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the label, or ask the baker.
Multigrain bread can contain several allergens, and the ingredients vary by option. For example, Jumbo lists several gluten-containing grains in one of its wholemeal multigrain breads. So a general category name is no substitute for checking the specific product.
Read the full, up-to-date allergen declaration, including any relevant statements about possible traces, and check the rules at school or childcare before packing the bread.
A whole loaf isn’t necessarily practical if you only need a few after-school sandwiches. Availability of a particular option may also vary between shops.
Choose a size you can use, and follow the storage or freezing instructions on the packaging of the bread you buy.
These shops offer different types of multigrain bread. Compare the option you’re actually buying: seeing a product in a range doesn’t tell you whether a different loaf is wholemeal or what allergens it contains.
Albert Heijn stocks options including AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen and other multigrain varieties.
Jumbo stocks options including wholemeal multigrain bread and other multigrain varieties.
Lidl offers fresh-from-the-oven bread and lists multigrain products.
ALDI offers fresh bread daily, including Boeren Volkoren Meergranen Half.
PLUS stocks standard multigrain products and Schär Gluten-Free Master Baker Mehrkorn.
Dirk stocks multigrain bread alongside bake-at-home bread and rolls.
These Joybuy products are multigrain bread and rolls for snack time. Choose according to the type of bread and preparation needed. Check the packaging separately if you’re looking for bread explicitly labelled wholemeal or need to take allergens into account.
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For a snack time when you’d like to bake the bread at home first. The product description says to defrost and bake, and lists wheat, sesame and barley malt, among other ingredients. The title and description give different totals for the pack, so confirm the number of items before buying. If you have allergies, check the current packaging.
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Four individual rolls can be handy if you want to use one per snack time. The product information gives nutritional values per 100 g. The sesame statements contradict one another, so if you have allergies, read the current allergen declaration on the packaging before choosing these rolls or taking them to school.
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A round loaf for snack portions, if defrosting and baking it at home fits your plans. The product description lists wheat flour, sunflower seeds, linseed and sesame, among other ingredients. If you’re choosing based on wholemeal content or allergens, check the current packaging and remember that the bread needs to be prepared before use.
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A round loaf for a snack time you can prepare at home by defrosting and baking it. The product description lists wheat flour, sunflower seeds, linseed and sesame. Compare the option and ingredients on the current packaging, especially if wholemeal content or allergens will influence your choice.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread is made using at least three types of grain; this doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. If wholemeal is what you’re looking for, check for an explicit wholemeal label.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients on the packaging or ask the baker if you want to know whether the bread you’ve chosen was made with it.
Follow the storage and freezing instructions for the bread you buy. For example, Albert Heijn says that AH Boeren donker meergranen heel can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month of freezing. Don’t assume the same instructions apply to another variety.
No. Gluten-free on its own isn’t a measure of whether something makes a better after-school snack. PLUS describes Schär Gluten-Free Master Baker Mehrkorn as a gluten-free product for people with gluten intolerance. If your child has a specific dietary requirement, check the full label on the option you choose.
