Parents of a picky young eater
If a new bread roll causes anxiety, offering a small portion without any pressure to try it can help keep mealtimes relaxed. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against forcing a child to eat.
Who is this choice for?
Families using a croissant as a first step
A croissant can be a familiar shape in which to offer something different. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, seeds or several types of grain do not automatically make it wholemeal. So consider the meal choice separately from whether your child is willing to try it.
Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens
If you need to account for a food allergy, you’ll need information about the specific product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information required on the labels of prepacked foods. For unwrapped baked goods, check what information is available in store.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether the main aim is to let someone try something without pressure, or to choose wholemeal bread for an everyday meal. A multi-seed label on its own won’t answer the second question.
A croissant as a first step
A good choice when: A small portion of a familiar product lets you offer something without making it a requirement.
The trade-off: Even a croissant with seeds isn’t necessarily a wholemeal option. The AH Multi-seed Croissant lists WHEAT flour as its first ingredient.
Wholemeal bread as a meal choice
A good choice when: You’re looking for a product specifically labelled as wholemeal for a bread-based meal, and the eater is happy to try it without pressure.
The trade-off: Its taste and texture may differ from familiar bread or a croissant. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre than comparable white-grain products.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Taste and texture | Check whether visible seeds, a crust or a filling might suit this eater. If you like, start with a small portion. | If an unfamiliar bite makes it hard to try something, I want to be able to offer it without a mealtime battle. For around 40% of consumers, this relaxed first step matters most. |
| Wholemeal choice | Look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label and check which types of flour are listed in the ingredients. ‘Multi-seed’ alone isn’t proof. | For an everyday bread-based meal, I want to know that I’m choosing genuine wholemeal bread, even if a croissant is more readily accepted. For around 40% of consumers, this meal choice comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the product’s current allergen information. If you have a question about iodine, check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If I need to account for a food allergy, I can’t rely on the product name. Checking the ingredients is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking multi-seed for wholemeal
Seeds don’t tell you which flour has been used. Albert Heijn lists WHEAT flour as the first ingredient in its AH Multi-seed Croissant.
If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the product description and ingredients list rather than relying on the number of grains or seeds alone.
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Assuming a croissant is the same as wholemeal bread
Offering a croissant as a pressure-free first step has a different purpose from choosing bread for an everyday meal. Portion sizes also vary, so nutritional values on their own don’t necessarily tell you the same thing about what someone eats.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g as well as the portion size when weighing up products. If wholemeal is your goal, look for a product labelled as such.
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Making trying something a requirement
Choosing a different product won’t automatically take the pressure out of mealtimes. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against forcing a child to eat.
Offer a small portion and let the eater decide whether to try it.
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Relying on the product name for allergen or iodine information
Ingredients vary between products and can change. The mention of iodised salt on the AH Multi-seed Croissant tells you nothing about other croissants.
Check the current packaging and ask for allergen information about unwrapped baked goods before you choose.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
The AH Multi-seed Croissant has a specific label you can use to assess a croissant with seeds.
- The product information lists ingredients including linseed, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, rye flour and spelt flour.
- WHEAT flour is listed as the first ingredient, and the product isn’t called wholemeal. Albert Heijn advises checking the packaging, as product specifications can change.
Lidl
The Multi-seed Croissant is a bakery product you can compare with a standard croissant.
- Lidl describes the croissant as being made with several types of seed.
- Use the product information in store to decide which ingredients and allergens are relevant to your choice. ‘Multi-seed’ doesn’t confirm that it’s wholemeal.
Jumbo
The Jumbo Wholemeal Multigrain Bread listing shows the kind of information you can compare when choosing a product specifically labelled as wholemeal.
- For that specific loaf, Jumbo lists 40% wholemeal wheat flour and 7,8 g of fibre per 100 g.
- Jumbo lists that specific product as no longer available in its online range. Don’t use its details as specifications for a different multigrain loaf.
Wholemeal bread options on Joybuy
These are bread options for anyone specifically looking for wholemeal products for a bread-based meal; they aren’t croissants. Offer a picky eater a new taste or texture without putting pressure on them to try it.
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Souq Lebanese wholemeal bread, 6 pieces
A bread option if you’re looking for a product specifically labelled as wholemeal rather than a multi-seed croissant.
The product name specifies a pack of 6. Check the packaging for the latest ingredient and allergen information, and choose a portion that suits you.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 2 × 550 g
A wholemeal bread option if you can fit thawing and baking it at home into your meal plans.
The product name distinguishes this pack of two loaves from the single-loaf version. Let your eater discover the taste and texture without any pressure.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 550 g
A wholemeal bread option if you’re looking for the 550 g version and thawing and baking it fits into your meal plans.
This is a loaf of bread, not a croissant. Let a picky eater discover its taste and texture at their own pace.
Frequently asked questions
Is a multi-seed or multigrain croissant automatically wholemeal?
No. Having several seeds or types of grain doesn’t automatically make a croissant wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between the types of grain used and wholegrain products. Look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label and check which types of flour have been used.
How can I offer a croissant without a mealtime battle?
Start with a small portion and don’t make trying it compulsory. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against forcing a child to eat. Let the eater decide for themselves whether and how much to try.
Does every croissant contain iodised salt?
Don’t assume so: check the ingredients of the croissant you’re planning to buy. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the AH Multi-seed Croissant, but that doesn’t automatically apply to other products.
Where can I find allergen information for a croissant?
For a prepacked croissant, read the current allergen information on the label. For unwrapped baked goods, ask in store. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the requirements for providing allergen information; you’ll need to check which allergens are present in each product.