Choose a half white loaf only if the type and texture of bread are suitable for your baby’s stage of eating; the half-size portion alone tells you nothing about this. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a piece of crustless bread can be an option between 4 and 6 months. For bread from 6 months onwards, also compare brown bread or wheat bread without seeds, and check the latest ingredients and allergen information for every loaf.
Your baby is getting used to lumpier textures, and you want to know whether a small piece of crustless bread is suitable. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says this can be an option between 4 and 6 months.
Your baby is starting to eat more independently, and you want to weigh up white bread against brown bread or wheat bread without seeds, taking texture into account.
You don’t use much bread and want to decide whether a half loaf better suits your needs. Check the ingredients and allergen information separately from the pack size.
First, check that the bread and its texture are suitable for your baby’s stage of eating. Then choose a pack size and read the product information for the loaf you’re actually buying.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Stage of eating and texture | Choose the type of bread and whether it has a crust to suit your baby’s stage of eating. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a piece of crustless bread can be an option between 4 and 6 months. | My baby is still getting used to lumpier foods, so I want the bread to be suitable for what they can manage. Around 50% of consumers prioritise stage of eating and texture. |
| Pack size | Check whether it’s a half loaf, and read the storage and shelf-life information on the packaging. | We don’t use much bread at home, so I want to buy an amount that suits our needs. For around 30% of consumers, pack size is the first thing they consider. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients, allergen and nutritional information; for unwrapped bread, ask about allergens. | I need to know which ingredients and allergens this bread contains before giving it to my baby or sending it in with them. This product information is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Bread that feels soft isn’t necessarily suitable for your baby’s stage of eating or the texture they can manage.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that a piece of crustless bread can be an option between 4 and 6 months. For bread from 6 months onwards, also compare brown bread or wheat bread without seeds.
A similar product name is no substitute for product-specific information. Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that product information can change.
Read the packaging of the loaf you’ve chosen. For unwrapped bread, you can ask for allergen information; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, sellers must provide consumers with this information.
‘Half’ describes the amount of bread, not its crust, ingredients or allergens.
Use the size to choose an amount that suits your needs, and assess the type of bread and product information separately.
Albert Heijn lists AH Zaans wit half as an example of a half white loaf.
Jumbo lists products including Casino Wit Brood Half and Wit Brood met Extra Vezels Half.
PLUS lists products including Boeren wit half and Beiers Landbrood wit half.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Casino wit half.
ALDI lists a product labelled Wit brood Half.
Lidl lists an 800 g white loaf and provides information about the ingredients and allergens in its freshly baked bread.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a baby can try a piece of crustless bread between 4 and 6 months. Check whether your baby is used to practising with food and can manage the texture; buying a half loaf doesn’t change that decision.
No. ‘Half’ only tells you how much bread there is. For bread from 6 months onwards, also consider other types, such as brown bread or wheat bread without seeds, and choose a texture your baby can manage.
Read the allergen information on the packaging or ask about it when buying unwrapped bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that sellers must tell consumers about any allergens present.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toppings aren’t needed during the first tastes stage. You can first check whether the bread itself and its texture are suitable, without using a topping as your starting point.
Read the latest allergen information for the bread and check the arrangements at the nursery or school in question. The packaging tells you which allergens are present in the product, but it doesn’t replace local arrangements.
