If your baby has coeliac disease or has been advised to follow a gluten-free diet, first choose bread that is labelled gluten-free on the current packaging. Then consider whether its texture is suitable for what your baby can already eat. For a baby just starting out with bread, a soft loaf without nuts or seeds and preparation that avoids gluten crumbs matter more than the brand name.
You’re looking for bread with a gluten-free label you can check, and want to avoid gluten crumbs getting onto it from toppings or kitchen utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society also advises taking cross-contamination into account.
You want to choose a type of bread that suits your baby’s eating skills. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with bread without the crust and, when introducing bread after six months, without nuts or seeds.
You want to compare bread at shops such as Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS and Dirk. Check the exact variety and current packaging every time you buy it; just because it’s listed in the range doesn’t mean its texture is right for your baby.
If your baby has been prescribed a gluten-free diet, start by checking the label on the packaging, then consider the bread’s texture. After that, compare where you can buy the same suitable variety and which nutritional information matters for your choice.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Read the current packaging: does it say gluten-free or carry the Crossed Grain symbol? Check again if the recipe changes. | With coeliac disease, I want to be able to see that the bread is gluten-free and avoid gluten crumbs getting onto it during preparation. This reassurance is a priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Bread texture | Check the crust, nuts, seeds and any hard pieces in the exact variety, as well as what your baby can already eat. | When my baby is just learning to eat bread, I look for a type that suits their current eating skills. Texture is the most important consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check whether the exact variety is available at your chosen shop, and read the packaging there rather than relying only on the product page. | If I want to buy the same type of bread regularly, I want to know where I can find it. For around 21% of consumers, being able to choose the same shop again is the most important factor. |
| Nutritional information | Compare details such as salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients list if information about baking salt or iodine is relevant. | I want to know how this bread fits in with my baby’s other food, without making assumptions about salt or iodine. For around 14% of consumers, checking this comes first. |
Gluten-free bread can have a hard crust, nuts or seeds. For a baby just starting out with bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with bread without the crust, nuts or seeds.
Check the texture of the exact variety and choose something that suits what your baby can already eat.
A product description or recipe can change. Albert Heijn and PLUS therefore recommend reading the packaging, while the Dutch Coeliac Society also highlights that products may change.
Check the current gluten-free label and ingredients every time you buy it.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that crumbs and shared kitchen utensils can contaminate gluten-free food.
Wash your hands and use a clean work surface and utensils. Take care with toppings if a knife has been used for regular bread.
The gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether a particular loaf contains baking salt or iodine. Bread is also just one part of a baby’s diet, not a replacement for milk feeds, as the sample menus from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre show.
Read the ingredients and nutritional information for your chosen bread. If you have questions about the overall diet for coeliac disease, discuss them with a specialist dietitian.
The brands and supermarket own-label ranges mentioned here include different types of bread at the respective shops. Always choose based on the packaging and texture of the individual product.
Schär is available in the bread ranges of shops including Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS and Dirk, with several types of bread to choose from.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free bread range includes white, multiseed and sourdough varieties.
PLUS lists white, brown and multiseed varieties of gluten-free bread under its own label.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list a range of gluten-free bread and bakery products from Consenza.
PLUS lists Yam as a gluten-free bread brand, with sourdough, raisin and multiseed varieties among its range.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, between four and six months you can offer your baby a piece of bread without the crust if they’re already used to trying purées and lumpier foods. After six months, the Centre recommends starting with bread without nuts or seeds. If you choose a gluten-free variety, check its packaging and texture separately.
No. The type of grain alone doesn’t confirm that bread is gluten-free. For coeliac disease, the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends looking for a gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging, as ingredients can also be affected by cross-contamination.
Prepare gluten-free bread with clean hands, a clean work surface and clean kitchen utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society says that a shared knife or chopping board, or toppings contaminated with gluten crumbs, can also lead to cross-contamination.
No. Baby-led weaning in itself isn’t a reason to choose gluten-free bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says there’s no need to eat gluten-free unless you have a relevant diagnosed condition. If you suspect your baby may have a condition, talk to a doctor before starting a strict gluten-free diet yourself.
