For your baby’s first tastes of bread, a wholemeal roll isn’t automatically the best choice: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds as a starting option from 6 months. Larger pieces are only suitable once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. If you want to choose a wholemeal roll later on, check the ingredients, allergens, salt content and texture of the prepared roll.
When your baby is trying bread for the first time, the texture and whether they can manage larger pieces matter more than whether it’s labelled wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds as a starting option from 6 months. Your baby should be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well before you offer larger pieces.
If you’re looking for a wholemeal roll for the family, a brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, so look for the wholemeal label on the specific product.
If food sensitivities are a concern, check the latest allergen information for the roll. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wheat and other gluten-containing cereals as allergens. If you’re taking bread to school or childcare, check the rules there too.
Start with your baby’s eating skills and the texture of the bread. Then check whether a roll is genuinely wholemeal and whether its ingredients and preparation suit your needs.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture for a baby’s first tastes of bread | Start with bread without seeds, and check the crust of a roll after preparation too. Only offer larger pieces once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. | My baby is just starting to eat bread, so I want to choose a piece that suits what they can manage. This is the main priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Genuinely wholemeal | Look for the wholemeal label on the product. To compare fibre, check the nutritional information for equal quantities, such as per 100 g. | I’m specifically looking for a wholemeal roll for the family and don’t want to rely on its colour or the name ‘multigrain’. This is the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the specific roll. Ask for this information if you’re buying unpackaged bread, and check childcare rules if necessary. | If an allergen or childcare arrangement is a factor, I want to know what’s in the roll before serving it or taking it along. Around 21% of consumers put this first. |
| Availability and baking | Check what type of bread you’re buying, whether it needs baking and what the preparation instructions say. Assess the texture after preparation. | I want a roll that fits into our routine and is also suitable to offer my baby once baked. This is the most important consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
A dark colour or a mix of grains doesn’t mean that a roll is made from 100% wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread can only be labelled wholemeal if it’s made from 100% wholemeal flour.
If wholemeal is what you’re after, look for that label on the specific roll and read the ingredients list.
A baked crust and any seeds need to be considered differently from bread your baby is just starting to eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds as a starting option from 6 months.
Only offer larger pieces once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. If you’re using a bake-at-home roll, check the crust and the roll after baking.
A roll’s name doesn’t tell you which allergens and ingredients are listed on the packaging at the time you buy it. Wheat and other gluten-containing cereals are relevant here.
Check the latest allergen information with every purchase, or ask for it if you’re buying unpackaged bread. If you’re taking it to school or childcare, check their rules too.
The wholemeal label tells you nothing about the salt content of an individual roll. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises avoiding giving babies food containing salt where possible.
Check the salt content in the nutritional information for the specific product before deciding whether it’s suitable for your baby’s meal.
A product name can help you search more specifically, but it doesn’t tell you enough on its own about the ingredients, allergens or texture of the roll you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists a product called AH Pistolet volkoren (AH wholemeal roll).
Jumbo lists Wholemeal Rolls in a pack of four.
Lidl lists bake-at-home wholemeal rolls for anyone who wants to bake rolls at home.
ALDI describes wholemeal bread as part of its bakery range; this isn’t the same as a specific wholemeal roll.
PLUS lists multigrain rolls to bake at home.
Dirk lists multigrain rolls in a pack of four.
For a baby’s first tastes of bread from 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds as a starting option. If you want to offer larger pieces, your baby should be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well. Check the crust and any seeds in a roll too.
Not necessarily: the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t in itself mean that the bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, so look for the wholemeal label on the specific product.
A wholemeal roll made with wheat contains gluten, but always check the allergen information for the specific product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wheat, rye, barley and oats as gluten-containing cereals. If you’re buying unpackaged bread, you can ask for allergen information.
Yes. Assess a bake-at-home roll after preparation, as the crust may be crisp. Follow the product’s preparation instructions, then consider the crust, softness and any seeds in relation to what your baby can already manage.
