If your toddler has coeliac disease, choose a kaiser roll labelled ‘gluten-free’ and avoid contact with gluten during preparation, topping and packing. Then compare other allergens, nutritional information and storage instructions. A long-life option needs less preparation at breakfast, while a frozen one means you’ll need to plan ahead for defrosting.
They’re looking for a roll labelled ‘gluten-free’ and want to prevent it coming into contact with gluten during preparation, topping or packing for later. The Dutch Coeliac Society emphasises that food must remain gluten-free at nursery or school, too.
They compare a long-life roll with a frozen option that needs defrosting or baking. The storage and preparation instructions determine whether the roll will be ready in time for breakfast or to take along.
When choosing gluten-free bread, they look at fibre, salt, ingredients and whether it contains a source of iodine. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as a source of fibre, iodine, B vitamins and iron for children aged 1 to 3.
First, check that the roll is labelled gluten-free for a toddler with coeliac disease. Then look at other allergens and nutritional information, and only after that decide which storage option works best for breakfast.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and other allergens | Look for the ‘gluten-free’ label and read the current ingredients and allergen information. Keep the roll away from bread containing gluten and crumbs while preparing it. | If my toddler has coeliac disease, the roll must remain gluten-free after it has been topped and packed, too. This safe handling is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion. If you regularly replace ordinary bread, check whether the ingredients include iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If gluten-free bread is often on the menu, I want to know how it fits into the rest of my toddler’s diet. Around 30% of consumers give this nutritional consideration top priority. |
| Storage and preparation | Read the storage instructions and, for frozen rolls, check how long defrosting or baking takes. If you’re packing one to take along, agree with the nursery or school on how it should be stored and served. | On an early morning, I want to be able to prepare a roll without skipping the storage or defrosting instructions. For around 20% of consumers, practical planning is their main concern. |
The two labels don’t mean the same thing. According to the European Commission, products sold to consumers in the EU can only be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if they contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
If your child has coeliac disease, choose a pack labelled ‘gluten-free’ and read the ingredients and allergen information, too.
The gluten-free Schär Kaiserbrötchen and Kaisersemmel described by Jumbo contain soya. For the frozen option, Jumbo also states that the product may contain eggs, hazelnuts, milk and mustard.
If your toddler has a food allergy as well as coeliac disease, check the packaging of your chosen option again.
Gluten-free bread doesn’t always contain the same type of salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking whether purchased or home-baked gluten-free bread contains iodine.
Look for iodised salt or baker’s salt on the label, or ask your baker which type of salt they use.
According to Jumbo’s product information, Schär Kaisersemmel must not be refrozen after defrosting. It should then be kept in the fridge and eaten within one day.
Only defrost the amount you plan to use within that time, and plan ahead so it’s ready before breakfast or before you need to pack it to take along.
Jumbo describes two gluten-free Schär options: long-life Kaiserbrötchen, in a pack of 4 weighing 240 g, and frozen Kaisersemmel, in a pack of 6 weighing 350 g. The main differences are storage, preparation and the information on the packaging.
No. A kaiser roll containing gluten isn’t suitable for the strict gluten-free diet recommended for coeliac disease by the Dutch Coeliac Society. For example, one standard kaiser roll described by Jumbo lists gluten, rye and wheat, so check the packaging of the roll you choose.
Under European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a food can be labelled ‘gluten-free’ in the EU if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten when sold to consumers. This label doesn’t remove the need to prevent contact with gluten during preparation if your child has coeliac disease.
Also check for the ‘gluten-free’ label and the current allergen information. The Dutch Coeliac Society describes the Crossed Grain symbol as an internationally recognised mark for gluten-free products, but it doesn’t tell you which other allergens a roll contains.
If you regularly replace ordinary bread, it’s worth checking the source of iodine in gluten-free bread, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Check the packaging for iodised salt or baker’s salt. Jumbo lists iodised salt in the long-life Schär Kaiserbrötchen, while the frozen Kaisersemmel described only lists salt.
Agree in advance with the nursery or school on how the roll will be stored, prepared and served. The Dutch Coeliac Society’s guidance emphasises that food for a child with coeliac disease must remain gluten-free there, too, so take care to avoid contact with ordinary bread, crumbs and shared kitchen utensils.
