For nursery lunch, start by choosing bread labelled wholemeal: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, all the grain ingredient in a product labelled wholemeal must be wholemeal flour. If the coarse texture is an issue, fine wholemeal bread may be an alternative. Assess a white and wholemeal mix separately by checking the ingredients and the nursery’s food policy. If a child has an individual arrangement concerning gluten or wheat, check the current label and follow the agreed storage and serving procedures.
If you’re choosing bread for everyday lunches and want to check the label, this is for you. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, all the grain ingredient in a product labelled wholemeal must be wholemeal flour. For specific loaves, compare the fibre content per 100 g too.
If the texture of bread is a practical barrier, consider your options. Fine wholemeal bread and a white and wholemeal mix are different choices: check the product description and ingredients before treating a mix as a substitute for wholemeal bread.
If bread needs to meet arrangements for coeliac disease, wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity, this is for you. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ingredients containing gluten need attention and, for coeliac disease, you may also need to avoid contact with crumbs when storing and serving food.
First, check the nursery’s food policy and any individual dietary arrangements. Then compare the type and texture of bread, particularly for children who are less keen on coarser bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check that the bread is labelled wholemeal and compare the stated fibre per 100 g in the loaves you’re considering. A brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t, on its own, mean that bread is wholemeal. | When I choose bread for everyday lunches, I want to be able to tell if it really is wholemeal; around 40% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Texture and ingredients | Compare fine wholemeal bread with the ingredients in a white and wholemeal mix. For a mix, check which types of flour and any proportions are listed on the packaging. | If a child avoids coarse bread, I’m looking for a finer texture without mistaking a mix for fully wholemeal bread; around 30% of consumers give acceptance the highest priority. |
| Gluten and serving | Read the current allergen label on the bread you’ve chosen, and make sure storage, preparation and serving follow the nursery’s individual arrangements. | If a child has an arrangement concerning gluten or wheat, I want to be able to serve suitable bread and avoid contact with crumbs where necessary; around 30% of consumers make these dietary and serving arrangements their top priority. |
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the wholemeal label means that all the grain ingredient is wholemeal flour. A dark colour or a different name for the bread doesn’t confirm this.
Read the product name or legal description. Treat bread made with both wholemeal flour and white flour as a mix, not automatically as fully wholemeal.
For coeliac disease, contact with crumbs can also be relevant, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. A suitable label won’t prevent contact during storage or preparation.
Follow the individual arrangements agreed with parents and the nursery, and agree in advance which utensils and handling steps need to be kept separate.
PLUS says that product ingredients and allergen information can change. This means an earlier online description may not match the packaging of the product you’re using.
Check the label on the bread you’ve chosen again, especially if the packaging or recipe has changed.
Albert Heijn provides information about the difference between wholemeal and brown bread.
Jumbo offers several types of wholemeal bread, including fine wholemeal bread.
PLUS describes its Round Fine Wholemeal Loaf as a wholemeal wheat loaf.
Dirk stocks products including a wholemeal hearth loaf.
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 check the product description, rather than relying only on the colour or the name ‘multigrain’.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, children without a relevant individual dietary arrangement don’t need gluten-free bread. If there is an arrangement for coeliac disease, wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity, check the product you’ve chosen and follow the arrangements agreed with parents and the nursery for safe storage and serving.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the bread you’ve chosen. Jumbo and PLUS say to store their wholemeal breads in a cool, dry, dark place; for its fine wholemeal bread, Jumbo also recommends checking the best-before date on the closure clip.
No, don’t assume that the bread you’ve chosen contains baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list if this matters when you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes baker’s salt as a way of adding iodine compounds to bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products.
