For an everyday bread-based lunch, wholemeal bread is a more obvious choice than a croissant: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread in its Wheel of Five guidelines and lists croissants as a choice outside them. A croissant can add variety. When buying sliced bread, check the product description and nutritional information, as the thickness of the slices tells you nothing about its ingredients.
If bread is often the basis of your lunch, you’ll want to check whether it’s wholemeal and how much fibre and salt it contains per 100 g. Then choose the slice thickness to suit the fillings you have in mind.
A croissant can be appealing for a change or as a bake-at-home option. Compare its nutritional information with that of the bread you’d otherwise choose, rather than treating the two products as interchangeable.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between breads and croissants. If you need to avoid an ingredient, check the information on the exact product’s packaging; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking allergen information on the label.
First decide whether you’re looking for bread for your usual lunch or a croissant for a change. If you’re choosing bread, compare its ingredients and then pick the slice thickness you prefer for your fillings.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who does it matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Read the product description and compare fibre per 100 g across similar breads. | If bread is the regular basis of my lunch, I want to know what’s in it rather than judge it by its colour alone. For around 50% of consumers, the ingredients come first. |
| Slice thickness and fillings | Check whether the bread is sliced and what slice thickness is available; look at the nutritional information separately. | When I take bread with me or add fillings, I want slices that are practical for the job. Ease of handling is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
| A croissant for a change | Check the ingredients and nutritional information for each croissant, including fibre, fat and salt per 100 g. | On a day when I fancy a croissant, taste and convenience matter more than my usual choice of bread. Around 30% of consumers prioritise that change. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread in its Wheel of Five guidelines, but lists croissants as a choice outside them. The two products therefore have different places in those dietary guidelines.
If you’re looking for bread for your usual lunch, start by checking the wholemeal description and nutritional information. Choose a croissant when you’re looking for a change.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that several types of grain have been used; it doesn’t prove that a bread is wholemeal. ‘Fine’ or ‘medium’ doesn’t describe its ingredients either.
Read the product description and ingredients list, and compare fibre per 100 g before choosing your preferred slice thickness.
The plant-based croissant in Jumbo’s product information lists wheat and gluten. A description of animal-derived ingredients therefore doesn’t tell you which allergens are absent.
If you have an allergy, always check the allergen information on the packaging of the exact croissant.
Albert Heijn stocks both croissants and the separately described AH OerDesem wholemeal Allinson bread.
Jumbo provides separate product information for Fijn Volkoren bread and its croissant varieties.
PLUS Rond fijn volkoren is an example where you can consider the product description alongside the nutritional information.
At Dirk, Bakker van der Akker Boeren Extra vezels volkoren heel is a separately named wholemeal loaf for breakfast or lunch.
These two pack sizes of the same Lekhaven Bakkerij wheat bread are options if you’d like to bake and slice your own bread for lunch. They aren’t croissants, so don’t choose them on the assumption that they’re medium-sliced or pre-sliced.
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For anyone who wants to bake their own bread and then slice it for lunch. The ingredients list wholemeal wheat flour and wheat gluten; check the current packaging if you need to avoid wheat or gluten.
According to the preparation instructions, the bread should be defrosted, baked at 220 °C for 11–13 minutes and then left to cool before slicing. Check your preferred slice thickness, and compare fibre and salt only when the nutritional information gives a clear basis per 100 g.
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A single pack for anyone who wants to use home-baked wheat bread for lunch. The ingredients list wholemeal wheat flour and wheat gluten; check the packaging if you need to avoid wheat or gluten.
The preparation instructions say to defrost the bread, bake it at 220 °C for 11–13 minutes, leave it to cool and then slice it. Check whether slicing it yourself fits your lunch plans, and use figures with a clear basis per 100 g when comparing fibre or salt.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread in its Wheel of Five guidelines, while croissants are listed as a choice outside them. If you’d like a croissant for a change, check the nutritional information for that specific product rather than treating it as equivalent to wholemeal bread.
Check the product description and ingredients list; the slice thickness and colour of the bread don’t tell you. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the name ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t prove that bread is wholemeal either.
No, that description doesn’t tell you how much fibre a croissant contains. The plant-based croissant for which Jumbo provides product information contains 1,7 g of fibre per 100 g; for another croissant, check its nutritional information again.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging of the exact product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that common allergens must be clearly shown on the label; don’t assume a plant-based option is free from wheat or gluten.
