If your baby has coeliac disease, don’t choose ordinary tiger bread. Look for bread clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’: Albert Heijn’s product information lists wheat and wheat gluten in its AH Extra lang lekker tijger volkoren bread. Then check whether you can serve the bread soft and crustless, in a way that suits what your baby can already eat. Also check for other allergens, the salt content and the type of salt listed; ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t answer those questions.
You need bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and want to avoid it coming into contact with ordinary bread during storage or preparation. The Dutch Nutrition Centre points to the ‘gluten-free’ label as a way to identify suitable products.
You’re looking not only at the type of bread, but also at its texture and your baby’s abilities. The Dutch Nutrition Centre advises offering bread without the crust at first. To manage larger pieces, a baby needs to be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well.
As well as checking the gluten-free label, you want to compare the ingredients, other allergens, salt content and type of salt on each pack. If bread is a regular part of your baby’s meals, it’s worth checking whether it contains iodised salt.
For a baby with coeliac disease, the gluten-free label is the first requirement. Then consider the texture for self-feeding and read the rest of the label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ label and read the ingredients. Keep the bread away from crumbs and utensils used for ordinary bread during preparation. | If my baby has coeliac disease, I want to choose clearly labelled bread and avoid contact with ordinary bread; strict gluten-free status is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Texture and development | At first, choose bread that you can serve soft and without crust, kernels or seeds. Offer larger pieces only when your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well, as advised by the Dutch Nutrition Centre. | My baby is still learning to chew, so I want to offer bread that suits what they can already eat. Around 33% of consumers give suitable texture top priority. |
| Other label information | Compare the allergens and salt per 100 g. Check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If bread is on the menu more often, I also want to be able to check for other allergens and the type of salt. For around 25% of consumers, checking this information on the label is their main concern. |
‘Tiger bread’ describes the type of bread, not whether it contains gluten. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Extra lang lekker tijger volkoren contains wheat and wheat gluten, so it is not an alternative for a baby with coeliac disease.
Start your search with the ‘gluten-free’ label on the packaging, not the product name or the appearance of the crust.
The distinctive tiger crust isn’t the best place to start when your baby is just learning to eat bread. The Dutch Nutrition Centre advises offering bread without crust, kernels or seeds at first. To manage larger pieces, babies need to be able to sit, swallow and chew.
First offer a soft, crustless piece that suits what your baby can already eat, and stay with them while they eat.
A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you which other allergens or type of salt the bread contains. For example, according to Jumbo’s product information, Schär Meesterbakker Classic contains soya and may contain lupin and mustard; this doesn’t tell you about other varieties.
Read the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional information for the bread you choose. If gluten-free bread becomes a regular part of your baby’s diet, you can discuss your choice with a dietitian specialising in coeliac disease.
There are several types of gluten-free bread available, but the brand or shop won’t determine whether a particular variety is right for your baby in terms of texture and ingredients.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo stock a range of Schär gluten-free breads, including Meesterbakker Classic and bread rolls.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free bread range includes its own-brand bread and products from other brands.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread range includes Lekker Vrij van Gluten, Yam, Céréal and Schär.
You can’t tell whether ordinary tiger bread is suitable from its name alone: according to Albert Heijn, AH Extra lang lekker tijger volkoren contains wheat and wheat gluten. For a baby with coeliac disease, choose only bread clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and avoid contact with ordinary bread during preparation.
Wait until your baby is used to tasting solid foods before introducing bread, and initially offer it soft and without the crust, as advised by the Dutch Nutrition Centre. To manage larger pieces, your baby needs to be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well. Stay with them while they eat.
No. The ‘gluten-free’ label tells you nothing about the crust, kernels, seeds, other allergens or salt content. Read the packaging for the specific bread and adapt how you serve it to your baby’s development.
Yes, especially if gluten-free bread regularly replaces ordinary bread. According to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so check the ingredients of the bread you choose to see whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed. If your baby follows a gluten-free diet long term, you can ask a dietitian specialising in coeliac disease for advice.
