Parents of a baby learning to eat bread
You’re looking for bread with a texture your baby can already manage. For a first slice of bread after six months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without seeds.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Parents of a baby who prefers white bread
Your baby mostly accepts light-coloured bread, but you’d like to gradually introduce more wholemeal flour. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread contains a mixture of white flour and wholemeal flour; it isn’t the same as 100% wholemeal bread.
Parents packing bread to take with them
You want to know which ingredients and allergens the bread contains before packing it, and what rules apply at childcare or school.
What should you look for in bread for your baby?
Start with your baby’s eating skills and the texture of the bread. Then compare white, brown and wholemeal bread by checking the description and the current label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Texture and eating skills | For a first bread after six months, choose a variety without seeds. Check the crumb and crust. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, larger pieces are only suitable once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. | When my baby is just learning to eat bread independently, I want the texture to suit what they can already chew. For around 36% of consumers, eating skills come first. |
| A gradual transition | Check whether the bread is described as white, brown or wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread contains a mix of white flour and wholemeal flour; colour alone won’t tell you that. | My baby mostly accepts white bread, and I want to make the move towards more wholemeal flour gradually. For around 29% of consumers, a gradual transition is the main concern. |
| Choosing wholemeal | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ if you want bread made with 100% wholemeal flour. When comparing breads with a suitable texture, check the fibre per 100 g. | Once my baby is comfortable with the texture of bread, I want to be able to tell whether it really is wholemeal. Around 21% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Allergens and labelling | Check the packaging for wheat, gluten, possible traces and the current ingredient list. If packing bread to take with you, check the rules at childcare or school too; compare the salt content when looking at different breads. | If my baby has a known allergy or there are rules about food brought in from home, I need to know exactly what the bread contains. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming dark bread is wholemeal
A brown colour or a name that mentions several grains doesn’t mean the bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread is a mix of white flour and wholemeal flour.
Use the bread description and ingredients to choose a stepping stone. Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ if you specifically want wholemeal bread.
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Focusing on fibre and overlooking texture
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a baby should be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well before being given larger pieces of bread. For a first bread after six months, it recommends bread without seeds.
Check the crumb, crust and any seeds before offering the bread. Stay with your baby while they eat.
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Relying on an allergen list you read earlier
Ingredients and allergen information can change. That’s why product information from Albert Heijn and PLUS highlights the importance of checking the current packaging.
Check the allergen declaration and warnings about possible traces again, especially if your baby has a known allergy or you’re packing bread to take with you.
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Not considering the topping
Choosing a suitable bread texture doesn’t tell you what to put on the slice. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toppings aren’t needed during the first stage of trying solid foods.
Keep the slice simple at this stage; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says soft margarine is enough.
Brands compared
The breads listed are examples of wholemeal bread for comparing labels, not verified white-and-wholemeal blends. Always check the texture and current packaging for your baby too.
Albert Heijn
AH Rond volkoren heel is an example of wholemeal bread with ingredient and nutrition information available online.
- Albert Heijn lists 6,9 g of fibre and 0,9 g of salt per 100 g for this bread; the ingredients include iodised salt.
- This bread isn’t a white-and-wholemeal blend. Check the current packaging, as product information can change.
Jumbo
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren is an example of wholemeal bread for anyone comparing ingredients, nutritional values and allergens.
- Jumbo lists wholemeal wheat flour as the first ingredient, with 7,6 g of fibre and 1,00 g of salt per 100 g.
- This isn’t a verified transition blend. The allergen information lists wheat, barley and gluten, among other things, as well as possible traces of other allergens.
PLUS
PLUS Rond fijn volkoren heel is an example of wholemeal bread with a product description and allergen information.
- PLUS describes this product as a whole loaf of wholemeal wheat bread and lists 6,7 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g.
- It contains wheat and cereals containing gluten, and may contain other allergens. Check the current packaging; this isn’t a verified white-and-wholemeal blend.
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Frequently asked questions
When can my baby eat bread?
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, between four and six months you can offer a piece of bread without the crust if your baby is already used to trying solid foods and slightly lumpier textures. After six months, it recommends starting with brown bread or wheat bread without seeds. Only offer larger pieces once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well.
Should I choose 100% wholemeal bread straight away?
No. A gradual transition may be helpful while your baby gets used to the texture of bread and fibre. For a first bread after six months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without seeds. You can consider wholemeal bread once your baby is comfortable with that texture.
Is brown bread the same as wholemeal bread?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread is made from a mix of white flour and wholemeal flour, while wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check the bread description rather than relying on its colour alone.
Does bread for a baby need a topping straight away?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toppings aren’t needed during the first stage of trying solid foods. Soft margarine is enough at this stage.
What should I check if allergens or childcare rules are a concern?
Check the current packaging for ingredients, gluten and warnings about possible traces, and ask what rules childcare or school has for food brought in from home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that ordinary bread made with cereals containing gluten isn’t suitable for people with coeliac disease; a dark colour or a wholemeal name doesn’t mean the bread is free from allergens.