A small or half a croissant containing salt is not a suitable everyday snack for baby-led weaning: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt. If you’re buying croissants for older family members, you can choose a single croissant or the right number of items to suit what they’ll eat. Check the ingredients, allergens and storage instructions for each variety.
You want to know whether the salt content and texture of a bread-like product are suitable for what your baby can eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking that your baby can sit upright, swallow and chew before offering larger pieces. A smaller size doesn’t replace that assessment.
You’re buying croissants for older family members and want the quantity to match the number of people eating. A single croissant or a pack whose remaining items you can use according to the label are both options.
You check the exact variety for ingredients such as wheat, milk and egg, even when a croissant is described as plant-based. Product information from Albert Heijn, PLUS and Jumbo shows why the ingredients and allergen declaration matter for each product.
First decide whether the croissant is for your baby or for older family members. Only then does it make sense to choose between a single item and a multi-pack.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable as a snack for a baby | Check the ingredients and the salt content in the nutritional information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt. | When I’m buying something for my baby, I don’t want a small size to make a salted croissant an everyday snack. Around 36% of consumers put suitability for their baby first. |
| Eating skills and texture | Before offering larger pieces, check that your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests crustless bread as a starting point once a baby is used to tasting foods and more textured foods. | I only want my baby to eat a larger piece independently when they’re ready in terms of posture and eating skills. This is the main consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen declaration for the exact variety, including any warnings about traces. If you’re buying a loose, unpackaged croissant, ask for the allergen information. | If someone in my family needs to avoid certain allergens, I can’t rely on the name or size of a croissant. Allergens are the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Portions and leftovers | Compare the number of items, weight, and storage and preparation instructions before buying for older family members. | If only one older family member wants a croissant, I don’t want to end up with lots of unnecessary leftovers. That’s why around 14% of consumers prioritise buying the right quantity. |
A smaller portion doesn’t change the ingredients. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, the AH Petit roomboter croissant contains 0.95 g of salt per 100 g; PLUS lists 1.228 g per 100 g for its small butter croissant.
Choose a small size to suit the quantity needed by older family members, not to make a croissant suitable as an everyday snack for a baby.
According to Jumbo, the Plant-Based Croissant examined contains wheat and gluten and may contain milk. Its listed salt content is 1.38 g per 100 g.
For the variety you’re buying, read both the ingredients and the allergen declaration and nutritional information.
A multi-pack only helps reduce waste if you can store and use the remaining croissants according to the product instructions. PLUS warns that its small defrosted croissant must not be refrozen.
If you only need one croissant, compare a single item with a pack first. For a multi-pack, check the storage and preparation instructions for that specific product.
The Albert Heijn and PLUS croissants examined contain ingredients including wheat, milk and egg. For an unpackaged product, the information isn’t always displayed next to it.
Ask for the allergen information before buying. If you’re taking a croissant to childcare or school, check the venue’s policy too.
The loose butter croissants examined show how the size affects the quantity you buy.
The products examined give you a choice between a small croissant sold individually and a 180 g bake-at-home pack.
The plant-based croissant examined is an option for adults to compare by ingredients, not a reason to assume it’s suitable for babies based on its name.
The bake-at-home pack examined is an example of a quantity you can plan for several people.
The loose in-store varieties examined are a multiseed croissant and a cheese-filled croissant.
These croissants offer portion options for older family members: one 85 g pack and two packs of four. Don’t choose them as an everyday snack for a baby. Match the quantity to the people eating and check the product information for the exact variety.
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An 85 g pack could be a good fit if one older family member wants a croissant. Don’t use the small size as a reason to give it to a baby as an everyday snack. Before buying, check the salt and allergens on the packaging.
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Four croissants could work when several older family members are eating, or if you want to spread the portions over more than one mealtime. The pack weighs 180 g in total. Check the storage instructions, salt content and allergens for this variety.
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Four croissants are an option if you’re planning to serve them to older family members over several mealtimes. Before use, check the baking instructions and storage guidance on the packaging. Check the salt content and allergens for this variety too.
Don’t treat a croissant containing salt as an everyday snack for a baby: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving babies food containing salt. Halving it doesn’t change the salt content per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists 0.95 g of salt per 100 g for its AH Petit, while PLUS lists 1.228 g per 100 g for its small croissant.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, only once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. For a first piece of bread, the Centre also recommends that your baby has tried tasting foods and more textured foods, and that you start without the crust. This advice doesn’t make a croissant containing salt a suitable everyday snack.
No, those properties don’t automatically go together. According to Jumbo, the Plant-Based Croissant examined contains wheat and gluten and may contain milk. Read the allergen declaration for the exact variety.
Before buying, ask the seller for the allergen information for that croissant. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that sellers must also inform consumers about allergens present in unpackaged foods.
No, don’t assume that. Check the ingredients list for the variety you’ve chosen. The AH Petit roomboter croissant and the PLUS bake-at-home croissants examined list iodised salt, but that doesn’t tell you anything about every other croissant.
