Childcare practitioner working with a lunch policy
Looking for a regular lunch option that fits the setting’s food policy, without making a chocolate product a standard choice.
Who is this choice for?
Person responsible for allergy arrangements
Needs to compare the ingredients and allergens on the chosen packaging with the arrangements for every child who will eat it.
Parent discussing a special occasion
Wants to know whether the nursery allows an occasional sweet treat, and what portion and allergy arrangements apply.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the nursery’s lunch policy. Then check the allergy arrangements and the packaging. Only consider a chocolate option if it’s allowed as an exception.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Regular lunch choice | Check how the product fits with the setting’s food policy and review the nutritional information per portion. | If I regularly provide lunch for young children, I want to know whether the choice fits the policy. For around 50% of consumers, a regular lunch choice is the top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging of the exact product variant. | When there are individual allergy arrangements, I don’t want to rely on the general name ‘toast’. Around 40% of consumers give checking allergens top priority. |
| Occasional sweet treat | Ask whether the setting allows an exception and agree the portion in advance. | If I want to send in something sweet, it should be an allowed treat for a special occasion, not a replacement for the usual lunch. This is the main consideration for around 10% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Treating chocolate-coated toast like ordinary lunch toast
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s example childcare food policy lists chocolate spread on bread as a weekly treat and says there’s no room for these treats for children under 4. The policy doesn’t automatically classify every type of chocolate-coated toast, but a chocolate layer shouldn’t be taken for granted as a regular lunch choice.
For a regular lunch, serve bread or toast with a suitable topping. Speak to the nursery before bringing in a chocolate option.
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Relying only on the product name or ‘contains gluten’
Other ingredients may also matter for allergy arrangements. For example, Albert Heijn lists wheat and sesame for Van der Meulen Melba toast wholemeal, while Jumbo lists possible traces of egg, milk, sesame and soya, as well as gluten and wheat, for its Knapperige Toast. These are different products, not an allergen list for all toast.
Before serving, check the current packaging of the exact product variant you’ve chosen and compare it with the arrangements for the group.
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Treating an online product listing as a complete label
A product range page doesn’t always provide all the information you need to assess the ingredients, nutritional value and allergens on the packaging you’ve bought. Lidl doesn’t refer to a general online list of this information for food products.
Read the packaging label. If anything is unclear, ask the shop or manufacturer about the exact product variant before using it for the group.
Brands to consider
Van der Meulen
Makes products including Melba toast; Albert Heijn lists a wholemeal version from this brand.
- Ingredients such as wheat and sesame are listed for the wholemeal version specifically.
- This version isn’t chocolate-coated toast. Check the portion and allergy arrangements before choosing it for children.
Jumbo
Supermarket with its own toast products, including Jumbo Knapperige Toast.
- For Knapperige Toast, Jumbo lists gluten and wheat, as well as possible traces of egg, milk, sesame and soya.
- This information about ordinary toast doesn’t automatically apply to another toast variant or a chocolate product.
Lidl
Supermarket that lists a 240 g pack of Melba toast as a shop product.
- The product listing makes clear which packaging it refers to.
- Check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the physical packaging; Lidl doesn’t refer to a general online list for food products.
Related Joybuy products
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is chocolate-coated toast suitable as a regular nursery lunch?
It’s not an obvious standard choice for children under 4. In its example childcare food policy, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says there’s no room for weekly treats for this age group, such as chocolate spread on bread. Assess the ingredients of chocolate-coated toast separately and follow the setting’s food policy.
Which allergens should I check before sending in toast?
Check all the allergens on the current packaging of the exact toast variant, not just gluten. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the mandatory allergen labelling requirements for prepacked foods. Compare the ingredients list and any warnings with the group’s individual arrangements.
Can I rely on an online product page for a child with allergies?
Use an online product page as a starting point, but check the label on the packaging you’ve bought before using it. Product information can change. What’s more, Lidl doesn’t refer to a general online list of ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for food products.
Is iodine a reason to choose chocolate-coated toast?
No. Iodine alone doesn’t tell you whether chocolate-coated toast is suitable for nursery lunch. The Dutch government says iodine can be found, among other things, in salt or bread to which it has been added. Check the ingredients of the exact toast variant if added salt is relevant to the food policy.