For your teenager’s school lunch, choose wholemeal bread if they enjoy eating it. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread. If the taste or texture is a sticking point, try finely milled wholemeal bread first, or alternate between white and wholemeal. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information for each loaf, and look for baker’s salt if that matters to your choice.
You’re looking for bread to pack for school, while also seeing whether your teenager can get used to wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that wholemeal tastes different from white bread, and that it can take time to get used to.
You want to compare breads for lunch by their wholemeal labelling, ingredients and fibre per 100 g, rather than judging by colour alone.
Before packing lunch, you need to check the packaging and any arrangements the school has in place. Bread made with wheat, rye or barley may contain gluten. If your child has a known allergy or other medical dietary requirement, take extra care when choosing a product.
First, work out which bread your teenager will actually eat. Then compare the wholemeal labelling, fibre per 100 g and ingredients of the breads that could work.
When: If your teenager is willing to eat wholemeal bread, a finer texture could be a good place to start.
The trade-off: Wholemeal can taste different from the familiar white loaf, even when it has a fine texture.
When: If switching straight away doesn’t work, you can gradually alternate between the two types of bread in their school lunch.
The trade-off: Alternating isn’t the same as choosing wholemeal bread exclusively.
When: Brown bread is another option if your teenager wants to choose between white and wholemeal.
The trade-off: A brown colour doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal.
When: White bread can be a temporary option if your teenager isn’t ready to eat the other types yet.
The trade-off: According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, white bread contains less fibre than wholemeal bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Taste and texture | Compare a finely milled wholemeal loaf with the white bread your teenager is used to. If needed, try a smaller amount first. | If lunch would otherwise come home uneaten, I want a manageable transition. Around 40% of consumers put taste and texture first when it comes to acceptance. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare fibre per 100 g. If you’re interested in baker’s salt, check the ingredients list too. | For bread my teenager will eat every day, I like to compare the wholemeal labelling and nutritional information. For around 50% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
| Allergens and school arrangements | Read the latest allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings. Check the school’s arrangements too. | If a pupil needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know which bread is suitable before packing it. For around 10% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
A dark colour, seeds or several types of grain don’t prove that all the grain in the bread comes from wholemeal flour.
Look for the wholemeal label if that’s what you want. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only carry this label if all the grain ingredient is wholemeal flour.
Wholemeal tastes different from white bread. For a fussy teenager, a sudden switch could mean their lunch goes uneaten.
Try a smaller amount of finely milled wholemeal bread first, or gradually alternate between white and wholemeal.
Bread that comes home uneaten and is then thrown away can contribute to food waste.
The name doesn’t tell you which allergens or possible cross-contamination warnings are listed on the latest packaging.
Read the packaging before packing lunch, and take the school’s or class’s arrangements into account.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre mentions bread made with baker’s salt in connection with iodine, but that doesn’t tell you what’s in a loaf you’re still deciding whether to buy.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt if it’s relevant to your purchase.
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren Half is worth considering if you’d like to try a smaller amount of finely milled wholemeal bread.
AH Vloerbrood volkoren heel is a wholemeal option you can compare with other breads at product level.
ALDI lists both white and finely milled wholemeal bread in its range, so you can consider both for a gradual switch.
Lidl lists white, brown, multigrain and wholemeal bread in its range.
According to PLUS, Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren is also available as a half loaf.
Dirk lists a wholemeal batard under Bakker van der Akker, for anyone looking to try a different shape of bread.
This white baguette is only suitable for the temporary white-bread option for a school lunch. It isn’t wholemeal bread or a mix of white and wholemeal.
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A white baguette for anyone choosing white bread for their school lunch for now. Before packing it, check the latest packaging for ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings.
No. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be labelled wholemeal if all the grain ingredient is wholemeal flour. So don’t judge by the brown colour alone.
You could try finely milled wholemeal bread, or gradually alternate between white and wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that wholemeal tastes different from white, so see which bread your teenager will actually eat.
Read the latest packaging for listed allergens and any cross-contamination warnings. If your child has a known allergy or other medical dietary requirement, check the school’s or class’s arrangements before packing the bread too.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt if iodine from bread matters to your choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre links iodine in bread specifically to bread baked with baker’s salt, so don’t assume every loaf has the same ingredients.
