For a regular snack for a young child or toddler, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables or a little wholemeal bread instead of biscuits or chocolate. If you’d like to give them Dutch gingerbread occasionally, check the portion size, nutritional information and current allergen details. A box of chocolates is better suited to a gift or special treat than an everyday toddler snack.
Whether you’re at home, out and about or packing food for childcare, you’ll want something you can give them regularly. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables and a little wholemeal bread as snacks for young children and toddlers. So first decide whether you’re buying for an everyday snack before comparing Dutch gingerbread or chocolate.
If you’ve decided on an occasional biscuit treat, an individually wrapped slice can make it easier to choose a portion in advance. Albert Heijn lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its Peijnenburg plain 10-pack. Also check the nutritional information and ingredients on the pack you buy.
Allergens vary by product: the Peijnenburg plain portion pack listed by Jumbo contains rye and may contain milk and nuts, while PLUS lists lupin and milk for a gluten-free Peijnenburg variety. Check the current packaging and, before packing it, ask about the rules at your child’s school or childcare setting.
When: For a regular snack for a young child or toddler, this follows the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice.
Things to consider: Choose something you can prepare and take with you for that particular snack time.
When: For an occasional treat when you want to decide on the portion in advance.
Things to consider: An individually wrapped slice is handy to take with you, but it doesn’t make Dutch gingerbread an everyday choice.
When: When you’re looking for a gift or a treat for a special occasion.
Things to consider: The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that children under four have little room for extra snacks alongside foods from the Wheel of Five.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| An everyday choice | Decide whether you’re buying for a regular snack or a special occasion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables and a little wholemeal bread as snacks for toddlers. | If I often need something for home or childcare, I want an option that suits an everyday snack. For around 46% of consumers, this everyday staple comes first. |
| Allergens and rules | Check the current packaging to see which allergens the product contains or may contain. Also ask about the rules at your child’s school or childcare setting. | If a child needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know whether this particular variety is suitable before packing it. For around 36% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
| Portion size and portability | Compare the weight of each slice, whether they’re individually wrapped and the nutritional information per portion. Albert Heijn lists 28 g slices in its Peijnenburg plain 10-pack. | For an occasional treat when we’re out and about, I want to be able to choose a small portion in advance. Around 18% of consumers give this convenience top priority. |
A biscuit treat is different from an everyday snack. For the latter, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends fruit, vegetables or a little wholemeal bread.
First, decide whether you’re buying for a regular snack or an occasional treat. For everyday snacks, choose from the options recommended above.
‘Gluten-free’ only tells you about gluten. PLUS also lists lupin and milk for a gluten-free Peijnenburg gingerbread, while a label such as ‘zero’ doesn’t tell you which allergens a product contains.
Read the full ingredients list, allergen information and nutritional details, and check the portion size of the variety you’re planning to buy.
The information on a product page may differ from what’s on the packaging you eventually buy. This is especially important if you’re packing Dutch gingerbread for a child who needs to avoid certain allergens.
Check the physical packaging before giving it to your child. If anything is unclear, ask the manufacturer or retailer, and take your school or childcare setting’s rules into account.
The range can help you compare packaging types and varieties. Always check the ingredients and allergens for each individual product.
Peijnenburg offers plain portion packs and a gluten-free gingerbread variety, among other options.
Albert Heijn’s gingerbread and spiced cake range includes own-brand varieties and Peijnenburg.
Jumbo lists Peijnenburg gingerbread in sliced and individually wrapped formats, among others.
Lidl stocks a zero gingerbread product and Tastino gingerbread, among other options.
ALDI stocks sliced Koek & Bakker gingerbread and individually wrapped Goud Gebakken gingerbread bites, among other options.
PLUS provides product information for a Peijnenburg plain portion pack and a gluten-free gingerbread variety.
Not as a regular snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends foods from the Wheel of Five for young children and toddlers, such as fruit, vegetables or a little wholemeal bread. Save gingerbread for an occasional treat.
Only if it fits with the setting’s rules and the ingredients the child is allowed to eat. Jumbo lists rye and possible traces of milk and nuts for the Peijnenburg plain portion pack. Check the current packaging before packing a slice.
No. Gluten-free doesn’t mean allergen-free. PLUS lists lupin and milk in its gluten-free Peijnenburg gingerbread, so check all the allergens on the packaging of the variety you choose.
No. A box of chocolates is better suited to a gift or special treat than a regular snack. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, children under four have little room for extra snacks alongside foods from the Wheel of Five. For everyday snacks, it recommends fruit, vegetables and a little wholemeal bread.
