If the bread is for a child with coeliac disease, choose a product labelled gluten-free on its current packaging and avoid contact with crumbs from ordinary bread when preparing it. Check for other allergens too: gluten-free does not mean allergen-free. For school lunches, also compare the loaf size, storage instructions and nutritional information per 100 g.
For a school lunch, it’s not just the gluten-free label on the bread that matters. You also need to consider what it might come into contact with while being sliced, spread and packed. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns, among other things, about crumbs on shared chopping boards.
If you have an allergy to ingredients such as soya, milk, egg or nuts, the gluten-free label alone isn’t enough. The allergens listed and warnings about possible traces vary between the breads reviewed.
A half loaf, a whole loaf and an individual bread roll all call for different planning. Check the storage instructions, whether the bread can be frozen and how long a roll takes to defrost.
For a school lunch, first check the gluten-free label and prepare the bread without letting it come into contact with ordinary bread. Then compare the other allergens, nutritional information and what works practically on school days.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and crumb contact | Read the gluten-free label on the current packaging. Use clean utensils when preparing the bread and avoid contact with ordinary bread. | If my child has coeliac disease, I want their sandwich to stay free of crumbs from ordinary bread, even after it has been spread. Around 42% of consumers prioritise gluten safety. |
| Other allergens and nutritional information | Read the allergen information and compare fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g. Check the ingredients if iodised salt is important to you. | When we need to avoid ingredients other than gluten, I want to know exactly what the bread contains; the nutritional information also helps me compare products. Around 25% of consumers give these points top priority. |
| Size and storage | Compare the quantity with the number of lunches you need to prepare, and read the storage, freezing and defrosting instructions. Check that the product you choose is available. | For several school days, I want to be able to plan when the bread will be ready to pack. This practical convenience matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
According to Jumbo, Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit contains soya and may contain egg, milk and nuts. The allergens present, or that may be present, also vary between other gluten-free white breads.
Read the full allergen information on the packaging of the exact product you’re buying, even if you’ve bought it before.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs from ordinary bread can get onto gluten-free bread via a chopping board, for example.
Use a clean knife and a clean chopping board. Also avoid contact with shared butter or fillings if they have been in contact with ordinary bread.
Fibre content varies between products. Albert Heijn lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half; the product information for PLUS Wit glutenvrij lists 6,158 g per 100 g.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g on the current packaging, and don’t judge a loaf by just one nutritional value.
The Dutch Nutrition Centre says that bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. You’ll therefore need to check each loaf individually.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt if this is important to your choice.
These brands give you options to compare when choosing a specific loaf or bread roll. Always check the gluten-free label, allergens and storage instructions for the individual product.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half and other gluten-free bread options.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit is a 500 g white loaf in its gluten-free bread range.
PLUS lists both PLUS Wit glutenvrij and the individual Ouni Glutenvrij wit puntje bread roll.
Dirk lists Schär Meisterbackers Classic glutenvrij as a 300 g product.
Lidl has information about an additional gluten-free range.
ALDI lists gluten-free bread options within its wider range of bread rolls and bake-at-home products.
No. Ordinary white bread containing gluten isn’t suitable for a gluten-free diet for someone with coeliac disease. Choose bread labelled gluten-free on its current packaging and avoid contact with ordinary bread when preparing it.
Use a clean knife and a clean chopping board, and avoid contact with crumbs or fillings that have been in contact with ordinary bread. Ask the school what arrangements are in place for storing and handing out lunches.
No. Check the ingredients list for each product. The Dutch Nutrition Centre points out that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt; Jumbo and Ouni list iodised salt for the products mentioned here.
Not necessarily: allergen information varies from one loaf to another. According to Jumbo, Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit contains soya and may contain egg, milk and nuts, so check the current packaging of the product you want to buy.
