A soft, plain strip of croissant is, at most, an occasional snack for a baby who can sit upright and swallow and chew well; stay with them while they eat. For a baby’s first taste of bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without seeds after 6 months. Check the salt content and allergens of the croissant you choose.
When offering larger pieces, your baby’s eating skills matter more than choosing a shape that is easy to hold. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says your baby should be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well first.
A soft, plain strip may be an option for a baby who can already manage coarser textures. Even then, supervision, salt content and the ingredients in the croissant you choose all matter.
Check each variety for wheat, gluten and milk. For example, Jumbo’s product information shows that a plant-based croissant can still contain wheat and gluten, and may contain milk as an allergen.
Start with what your baby can already eat. Then decide between ordinary bread and an occasional croissant, and read the label for the variety you choose.
When: After 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without seeds as a starting option.
Bear in mind: Choose a shape that suits your baby’s eating skills. Larger pieces are not suitable until your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well.
When: A soft strip that is easy to hold may be an occasional option once your baby is ready for larger pieces and you stay with them.
Bear in mind: A croissant is not automatically a substitute for an ordinary bread meal; salt content and allergens vary between products.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Eating skills and texture | Consider whether a soft strip is right for your baby’s ability to swallow and chew; offer larger pieces only when they are sitting upright and supervised. | If my baby is still getting used to larger bites, I don’t want an easy-to-hold strip to lead to larger pieces too soon. Around 42% of consumers would put eating skills and supervision first. |
| Salt and its place in your baby’s diet | Compare the salt per 100 g and per portion on the label; decide whether the croissant will remain an occasional snack rather than become a regular bread meal. | I want to know how much salt the croissant contains before giving it to my baby. For around 33% of consumers, the ingredients would be the main consideration. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the allergen information, including any mention of wheat, gluten, milk and ‘may contain’; if you’re taking food with you, check any childcare requirements too. | If my child has dietary requirements or arrangements with their childcare provider, I want to be able to check the ingredients of this exact variety. For around 25% of consumers, this check would come first. |
The shape doesn’t change the skills your baby needs to manage larger pieces. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says babies need to be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well first.
Only offer the strip if its texture and shape are right for your baby. Avoid hard additions and stay close while they eat.
The plant-based croissant on Jumbo’s product page contains wheat and gluten, and may contain milk. The word ‘plant-based’ also tells you nothing about its salt content.
Check both the allergen information and the salt content on the packaging of the variety you buy.
The fact that bakers’ salt can be used in bakery products doesn’t tell you what kind of salt is in a particular croissant.
If it matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for iodised salt or bakers’ salt.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between varieties. That’s why Albert Heijn advises customers to read the packaging; Lidl also refers customers to the packaging for food ingredients.
Check the packaging of the product you’ve bought before offering it, especially if your baby has specific dietary requirements.
Albert Heijn provides product information for various croissants, including a listing for Damhert Nutrition croissants.
Jumbo lists product-specific ingredients and allergens for the butter and plant-based croissants reviewed.
Lidl sells croissants in its bake-off range and refers customers to the packaging for food ingredients.
At most, it can be an occasional snack if your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. A thick strip doesn’t automatically make larger pieces suitable: choose a soft, plain texture and stay close while your baby eats, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises to help prevent choking.
Ordinary bread is the more clearly recommended starting option. After 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without seeds; choose a shape that suits your baby’s eating skills.
Read the label for the variety you choose and compare both the salt per 100 g and the salt per portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises avoiding salty foods for babies, so don’t use terms such as ‘plant-based’ or ‘butter’ to judge the salt content.
No, you can’t tell from the name. The plant-based croissant described by Jumbo contains wheat and gluten, and may contain milk. If your baby has specific dietary requirements, check the latest allergen information for that particular product.
You can’t assume that. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products through the use of bakers’ salt. This doesn’t confirm the ingredients of any particular croissant, so check the ingredients list.
