Parents having breakfast with several toddlers
For a shared breakfast, knowing how many buns are in the bag makes it easier to work out how many you’ll need. If there are any left over, check the storage instructions too.
Choose a bag of six to nine currant buns based on how many children will be eating, the portions you need and what you’ll do with any leftovers. Before handing them out, check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens, especially if the school or childcare setting has its own rules. For everyday bread-based meals, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal or brown bread; currant buns can add some variety.
For a shared breakfast, knowing how many buns are in the bag makes it easier to work out how many you’ll need. If there are any left over, check the storage instructions too.
If a whole standard-sized bun is too much for one meal, you can share one or look for a mini version. Compare the nutritional information and ingredients on the packaging separately from the size.
If you’re providing breakfast at school or childcare, it’s important to check the current ingredients list. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on prepacked foods; you should also check the setting’s rules on food brought from home.
First, work out how many children will be eating and what portion is right for the occasion. Then check how you can store any leftovers and whether the ingredients are suitable for the group.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and choice of bread | Check the size of each bun and its nutritional value per 100 g. The regular varieties from Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS included in this comparison are white wheat buns; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal or brown bread for everyday bread-based meals. | If my toddler doesn’t always eat a whole bun, I want to be able to share one and take their other bread-based meals into account. For around 42% of consumers, portion size and choice of bread come first. |
| Sharing and storage | Compare the number of buns with the number of mealtimes, and read the storage or freezing instructions. For its 6-pack included in this comparison, Albert Heijn advises freezing on the day of purchase and using within one month; PLUS advises freezing its 8-pack on the day of purchase. | When several children are having breakfast together, I want enough to go round without being left with an awkward number of leftovers. Around 33% of consumers give ease of sharing and storage the highest priority. |
| Allergens and group rules | Read the current ingredients list and any warnings on the packaging. Ask the school, childcare setting or organiser what rules apply to food brought from home. | If I’m packing food for a group, I need to know which ingredients and allergens could be an issue for them. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
A larger bag is only practical if you’ll use the buns or can store them according to the packaging instructions. Eight regular buns and nine mini buns also don’t provide the same number of portions.
Count the children as well as the later mealtimes. If you want to freeze the buns, choose a variety with suitable freezing instructions on the current packaging.
A smaller bun can make serving easier, but its size alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre, sugar or salt it contains, or what type of flour has been used.
Use the size to help you choose portions, and compare the ingredients and nutritional information separately.
As well as gluten-containing cereals, the regular products included in this comparison list milk or lactose. Warnings about the possible presence of other allergens vary by product.
Check the full, current packaging before buying or packing buns for a group, and ask how the setting handles allergen warnings.
The quantities and details given apply to the varieties described, not to every product from each brand.
The regular bag included in this comparison contains six raisin and currant buns and has instructions for freezing at home.
The bag of six raisin and currant buns included in this comparison offers a set quantity for a smaller group breakfast.
The bag of eight currant buns included in this comparison is an option when several children will be eating.
The bag described contains nine mini raisin and currant buns, designed as smaller individual portions.
ALDI lists both a regular bag of six raisin and currant buns and a separate pack of nine mini butter and raisin buns.
It’s best to offer currant buns for variety rather than as a routine replacement for wholemeal or brown bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends those types of bread for everyday bread-based meals; the regular currant buns included in this comparison are made with white wheat flour.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends around two to three slices of bread a day, usually divided between breakfast and lunch. When serving currant buns, consider the size of each bun and what else your child eats at other mealtimes.
The regular varieties from Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS included in this comparison list wheat or other gluten-containing cereals. Each time you buy them, check the current ingredients list for the exact variety you plan to serve.
Check the packaging of the product you actually buy too, and ask about the school or childcare setting’s rules. Product information can change, and the setting may have its own requirements for food brought from home and allergen warnings.
You can’t tell from the words ‘baker’s salt’ alone. For the variety included in this comparison, Albert Heijn specifically lists iodised salt; the Jumbo variety lists baker’s salt without explicitly saying it is iodised. Check the current ingredients list if this distinction matters to you.