Choose a half multigrain loaf for a school lunchbox by checking the types of flour and fibre listed, rather than relying on the name ‘multigrain’ alone. The Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wholemeal bread for school lunches. A half loaf can suit a smaller household if you use the slices in time or freeze them in portions. Before packing lunch, also check the latest allergen information and the school’s policies.
You want to pack sandwiches and compare the types of flour and fibre per 100 g. The Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wholemeal bread for school lunches; the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal.
If you won’t finish a whole loaf in time, a half loaf may be a better fit for how much bread you eat. The Voedingscentrum recommends freezing any bread you’ll need later in portions straight away.
You need to know which ingredients are relevant to your child or their school before the sandwiches go into the lunchbox. Check the latest allergen information: as well as grains containing gluten, multigrain breads may contain other allergens.
Start by checking the types of flour and allergen information on the label. Then consider whether the amount of bread and how you’ll store it are right for the number of school lunches you need to prepare.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Types of flour and fibre | Check the product name and ingredients for wholemeal flour; compare the fibre per 100 g. | For school lunches, I want to be able to see how much wholemeal flour the bread contains, rather than relying on the word ‘multigrain’. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this composition. |
| Quantity and storage | Check the pack size, how many slices you’ll need and the storage instructions; freeze any bread you’ll use later in portions. | We don’t eat much bread at home, so I don’t want to buy more than we’ll use for lunches. Avoiding waste is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school policies | Check the latest ingredients and allergen list, including any warnings about possible cross-contamination; ask about the school’s policies if needed. | Before packing sandwiches, I need to know whether the ingredients are suitable for my child’s allergen restrictions and the school’s policies. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check whether your chosen type of bread is available at your shop, and look at the current label there. | I want to be able to choose a half loaf at the shop where I usually do my shopping, without relying on an old product listing. Around 20% of consumers prioritise availability. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ describes the types of grain used; it doesn’t mean that all the flour is wholemeal. So a loaf may have a different flour base from the one you expect based on its name.
Compare the ingredients and the stated proportion of wholemeal flour, and check the fibre per 100 g too.
You may still have bread left over, even with a half loaf, if you eat fewer slices than planned.
Freeze the slices you’ll need later in portions straight after buying them, as the Voedingscentrum recommends.
An old ingredients list isn’t a safe basis for a school lunch if the recipe or allergen information has changed.
Check the latest packaging when you buy the bread, and find out what additional policies the school or after-school club follows.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bread isn’t always baked with baker’s salt. The terms ‘organic’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t tell you which salt has been used in a particular loaf.
If it matters to your choice, check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Zaans Meergranen Half and an organic Oerdesem-halfje.
Jumbo lists Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half as one of its own-brand options.
Halfje donker meergranenbrood is one option to look out for at Lidl.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen Half.
PLUS lists Korenlanders Rond licht meerzaden half, weighing 400 g. The product description calls it a ‘whole brown multigrain loaf’, so check the shape and pack size when choosing.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Bakkers Meergranen Half as a fresh half loaf.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ refers to bread made with at least three different types of grain; it doesn’t mean that all the flour used is wholemeal. Check the product name and ingredients if you’re looking for a wholemeal variety, and compare the fibre per 100 g.
Freeze any slices you won’t use soon in portions straight after buying them, as the Voedingscentrum recommends. Take only the slices you need out of the freezer each time, and follow the bread’s storage instructions.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for substances relevant to your child or their school. Multigrain breads may contain grains with gluten and other allergens; warnings about possible cross-contamination may also be important. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling on food labels.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread isn’t always baked with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients label for the specific loaf to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed.
