When choosing breakfast cereal for a young child or toddler, don’t rely on the ‘high-fibre’ claim alone. The Voedingscentrum recommends wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt as an alternative to bread for children aged 1 to 3. Regular cornflakes don’t automatically meet these criteria. So compare the ingredients, fibre per 100 g, sugars, salt and allergens in the product you’re considering.
For children aged 1 to 3, the Voedingscentrum lists wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt as a possible alternative to bread. If you’re considering cornflakes, check whether your chosen variety meets these criteria.
A fibre claim doesn’t tell you everything about the type of grain or the other ingredients. Compare the fibre per 100 g and check the information on sugars, salt and any sweeteners too.
If allergens are a concern for your child, or you’re sending breakfast cereal to school or nursery, check the current packaging. Ask the school or nursery separately about its rules for food brought in from home.
Start with the type of grain and the ingredients. Then use the nutritional information and allergen details to assess the exact product.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain and fibre | Check whether the grain is described as wholegrain and compare the fibre per 100 g. | If I’m looking for breakfast cereal as an alternative to bread, I want to know whether I’m really choosing a wholegrain variety. For around 42% of consumers, wholegrains and fibre are the most important factors. |
| Added sugar and salt | Read the ingredients list and nutritional information. Check sweeteners separately from the information on added sugars. | When choosing breakfast for my toddler, I don’t want a fibre claim to distract me from other ingredients. An estimated 42% of consumers prioritise added sugar and salt. |
| Allergens and food brought in from home | Check the allergens on the current packaging and ask the school or nursery about its own rules. | If I’m sending breakfast cereal in with my child, I need to know which allergens are listed on the packaging and what the school or nursery allows. Allergens and food brought in from home are the main concern for around 16% of consumers. |
‘High-fibre’ doesn’t tell you on its own whether a breakfast cereal is wholegrain or what else it contains. For example, Jumbo describes its Special Flakes as high-fibre, while also listing sweeteners.
After checking the claim, read the ingredients list and nutritional information for that exact variety, paying attention to the type of grain, sugars and salt.
The product category won’t tell you which allergens are listed on a particular pack. For example, Albert Heijn also sells a separate bran flake variety labelled gluten-free.
Check the allergen information on each pack. Ask the school or nursery about its own rules before sending breakfast cereal in with your child.
The Voedingscentrum describes wholegrain breakfast cereals for children aged 1 to 3 as an alternative to bread, not as a reason to overlook the rest of the day’s diet.
When replacing bread at breakfast, consider what else your child eats throughout the day.
Compare specific products within each brand. Cornflakes, bran flakes and other breakfast cereals don’t automatically have the same ingredients.
Albert Heijn sells products including AH Bran flakes volkoren and a separate variety called AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijke bran flakes.
Jumbo sells regular Cornflakes as well as separate Special Flakes. Don’t treat them as the same product.
Kellogg's All-Bran products are listed alongside cornflakes and other breakfast cereals in the range shown by Jumbo.
Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet 300 g is listed in Jumbo’s online range.
These Joybuy products are granola, cruesli, porridge oats and wheat breakfast cereal, not cornflakes. Use them to explore different types of breakfast cereal. For a toddler, always check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose.
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Granola is an alternative to consider if you’re looking for a breakfast cereal labelled gluten-free, but it doesn’t have the same qualities as cornflakes. Peanuts are listed as an allergen for this variety. Check the current packaging and any rules at your child’s school or nursery.
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Cruesli is a crunchy grain mix with nuts and seeds, for anyone comparing alternatives to cornflakes. When choosing breakfast cereal for a toddler, bear in mind that salt is listed as an ingredient and check the allergens for this variety on the packaging.
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Cruesli with raisins and hazelnuts is another type of breakfast cereal to consider instead of cornflakes. Salt is listed as an ingredient; check the allergen information on the current packaging too.
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Porridge oats are an alternative to cornflakes. The Voedingscentrum lists porridge oats as one possible breakfast option for children aged 1 to 3. Check the nutritional information and allergens on the pack you choose, and adapt the preparation and portion to suit your child.
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Wheat breakfast cereal is an option if you’re looking for a wholegrain alternative to cornflakes. Salt is listed as an ingredient. Before choosing it for your child, check the current packaging for salt, wheat and any other relevant allergens.
No. The name cornflakes doesn’t tell you whether a variety is wholegrain or high in fibre. The Voedingscentrum also notes that sugar is often added to white breakfast cereals such as cornflakes. For a toddler, check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the specific product.
A fibre claim doesn’t assess the product’s full ingredients. For example, Jumbo describes its Special Flakes as ‘high-fibre’ and ‘with no added sugars’, but also lists sweeteners. So check the type of grain, ingredients, sugars, salt and allergens too.
The Voedingscentrum lists porridge oats, muesli and other wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt as alternatives to bread at breakfast for children aged 1 to 3. Also consider what your child eats at other times of the day, rather than looking at breakfast alone.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging and ask the school or nursery about its own rules. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be clearly listed on the label of pre-packed foods. Don’t assume that all cornflakes have the same allergen profile.
