For a pupil with coeliac disease, choose bread clearly labelled gluten-free, check the current packaging and keep lunch separate from ordinary bread and crumbs when spreading and packing it. Ready-to-eat bread suits a quick daily routine; bake-at-home rolls take time and need to be prepared separately. Then compare the fibre content, allergens and storage instructions for each product.
For a daily bread-based lunch, it’s not just the gluten-free label on the packaging that matters: the bread must also be kept away from crumbs from ordinary bread when it’s spread and packed. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of a strict gluten-free diet for people with coeliac disease.
Bread that’s ready to eat or can be frozen according to the product information may suit your meal-prep routine. Also compare the portion size, fibre per 100 g and allergens in the bread you buy.
An online range can help you search, but only choose a specific bread once you’ve checked the current packaging and its availability at your shop.
Start with the gluten-free label and preparation that avoids contact with crumbs. Then compare what matters most for a school lunch: the fibre content of a particular loaf, or the ease of buying, storing and preparing it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and crumbs | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging and check the ingredients and allergens. At home, use clean utensils and fillings that are free from bread crumbs. | If my child has coeliac disease, I want to make sure that spreading and packing their lunch won’t bring it into contact with ordinary bread either. For around 50% of consumers, this gluten safety is the top priority. |
| Fibre and nutritional information | Compare fibre per 100 g on the label and check the information about other allergens too; the colour or name of the bread doesn’t tell you the whole story. | For a regular sandwich lunch, I want to know how much fibre the bread I’ve chosen contains, without overlooking other allergens. This nutritional information is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Availability and preparation | Check the specific product at your shop and read the storage or freezing advice. For bake-at-home rolls, make sure you have time and can prepare them separately at home. | When lunch needs to be ready quickly on school days, I look for bread that I can buy in time and prepare easily. Around 20% of consumers give this everyday convenience top priority. |
Wheat isn’t the only grain that contains gluten. For a pupil with coeliac disease, a product without a clear gluten-free label is therefore not an obvious alternative.
Choose bread labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the current packaging, even if a loaf looks wheat-free or contains lots of seeds.
A knife, breadboard or tub of spread with crumbs on it can bring the bread into contact with gluten after you’ve bought it.
Use clean utensils and spreads without crumbs, prepare lunch on a clean surface and pack it straight away. Talk to the school in advance about how food will be handled for special meals or activities.
‘Brown’ or ‘multiseed’ doesn’t tell you how much fibre the bread contains, and it doesn’t rule out other allergens. PLUS lists soya in Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn and says it may contain lupin, mustard and sesame.
Compare fibre per 100 g and read the full allergen information on the packaging you buy.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Its presence therefore varies from one loaf to another.
If you want to know whether your chosen bread contains iodised salt, check the ingredients list for ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Glutenvrij Brood licht meerzaden half, a 480 g packaged loaf for sandwiches.
Jumbo lists packaged gluten-free breads, including Lekker Vrij van Gluten Bruin (500 g), alongside other types of bread.
PLUS lists gluten-free bread from its own brand and from Schär, including Meesterbakker Mehrkorn.
Dirk’s search results include Schär breads such as Meisterbäckers Classic and Vital.
Aldi lists gluten-free options among its rolls and bake-at-home products.
Lidl provides information about its gluten-free range and a separate ingredients list for fresh oven-baked bread.
Not just because it’s ‘wheat-free’. Other grains can contain gluten too, so choose bread with a clear gluten-free label and check the current packaging.
No, the symbol isn’t required when choosing bread labelled ‘gluten-free’. The Dutch Coeliac Society describes the Crossed Grain symbol as an extra way to identify suitable products; remember to check the other allergens on the packaging too.
Look for ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’ in the ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so don’t assume it’s in every gluten-free loaf.
If a pupil has coeliac disease, speak to the school in advance about what gluten-free food will be provided and how it will be kept separate from ordinary bread and crumbs. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends discussing this beforehand when the school arranges a meal; ordinary bread containing gluten isn’t a suitable substitute.
