For your child’s first taste of bread, start with a texture they can manage, then choose the type of bread. For babies who are ready for bread, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels as a starting option from six months. If your child already eats bread well but turns down coarser varieties, fine wholemeal bread may be worth considering. Check the ingredients and texture of the specific product each time.
Once your baby is ready for practice foods and coarser textures, their eating skills and the shape of the bread will determine what you can offer. From six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels as a starting option.
If your child can already eat bread but rejects coarser textures, fine wholemeal bread may be an option to consider. Even with a finer variety, check the texture of the bread itself.
If you want to check the ingredients, allergens or type of salt used, you’ll need the label for the specific loaf. Albert Heijn and PLUS say that product information can change.
Start with what your child can already eat. Then compare the types of bread and, finally, check the label on the loaf you’re buying.
When: For a baby’s first tastes of bread, once they’re ready; from six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends varieties without seeds or kernels as a starting option.
Consider: Starting with a soft texture doesn’t tell you which type of bread your child will prefer later. Match the texture you offer to your child’s eating skills.
When: For a child who already eats bread but rejects coarser wholemeal textures.
Consider: A fine texture depends on the product. Words such as ‘kids’ or ‘dark’ don’t, by themselves, tell you whether bread is wholemeal or what has been added.
When: For a child who can manage and accepts the texture and flavour of the bread you’ve chosen.
Consider: A coarse variety with seeds or kernels isn’t the starting option recommended by the Voedingscentrum for bread from six months.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| First texture | Check whether your child is ready for bread and, to start with, choose a soft option without crust, seeds or kernels. | My baby is still getting used to coarser foods; I want their first bread to suit what they can already eat. Around 42% of consumers would put the first texture first. |
| Moving on to wholemeal | Check that the bread is actually labelled as wholemeal and assess the texture of the variety you’ve chosen. | My child already eats bread but leaves coarser varieties; I’m looking for a finer wholemeal option. For around 33% of consumers, making this switch would be the main priority. |
| Label and ingredients | Read the latest ingredient and allergen information. If you have questions about iodine, check which salt has been used. | I want to know what’s in this specific bread, rather than relying on its name or an earlier product page. Around 25% of consumers would make this check their priority. |
The colour or name doesn’t tell you enough about the type of grain. Lidl describes one specific kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour, but that doesn’t tell you anything about other children’s breads.
Read the product description and ingredients list for the variety you want to buy. Also check whether its texture is suitable for your child.
When introducing bread, your child’s eating skills are what matter. For a first taste from six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels.
Choose a texture your child can manage, remove the crust for their first tastes of bread and soften it if needed.
Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that ingredients and allergen information can change. An earlier online description may not match the packaging of the product you buy.
Read the packaging every time you buy, especially if a particular ingredient or allergen matters to your choice.
The Voedingscentrum says that bread made with iodised baker’s salt can be a source of iodine. Don’t assume that every type of bread has the same ingredients.
Check the label if the type of salt used matters to your choice.
Compare the specific loaves from these brands, not just the range category: texture, ingredients and packaging information can vary between products.
A brand whose wholemeal options you can browse online before you shop.
A range where you can compare different wholemeal varieties.
Worth considering if you’re looking for fine wholemeal bread for a child who already eats bread.
A brand with a specific extra-high-fibre wholemeal loaf you can check against the label.
A brand where you can check the ingredients in a fine wholemeal variety.
A range that includes white bread, wholemeal bread, multigrain bread and sourdough.
This wholemeal Lebanese bread is an option to consider for a child who already eats bread safely and can manage the texture. Don’t judge it by its name as a choice for a first taste of bread.
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A wholemeal bread option for a child who already eats bread, provided the texture of the prepared bread suits their eating skills.
Lebanese bread; Whole Wheat 6 P variety. Check the latest ingredient and allergen information on the packaging before use.
Bread is an option once your baby is ready for that particular texture. From six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels as a starting option. Choose a form that suits what your child can already eat.
No. For a first taste of bread, a manageable texture comes first. Once your child is eating bread well, you can also consider wholemeal; according to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is relatively high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Yes, you can offer softer bread if needed once your baby is ready for bread. Softening it doesn’t remove the need to assess the texture and check for seeds or kernels in the bread you’ve chosen.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bread made with iodised baker’s salt can contribute to your iodine intake. If the type of salt matters to your choice, check the label; don’t assume every loaf has the same ingredients.
Use the information on the packaging of the bread you’re actually buying. Albert Heijn and PLUS say that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
