When choosing bread for baby-led weaning, don’t focus on medium-sized slices alone. First check that your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. The Voedingscentrum recommends crustless bread for those first bread experiences and, when starting after six months, brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels. Gradually introduce wholemeal bread and crust. Always check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the bread you choose.
If your baby is still getting used to coarser textures, their eating skills, the crust and any seeds or kernels matter more than the thickness of the slice. The Voedingscentrum recommends offering larger pieces only once your child can sit upright and swallow and chew well.
Once your baby is managing bread well, you can gradually introduce different textures and see when wholemeal bread and, later, crust are suitable. A medium-sized slice doesn’t determine when your baby is ready.
If your child has an allergy or you’re packing bread for childcare, check the information on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn and PLUS warn that ingredients and allergen information can change.
When choosing everyday bread for your baby, first consider their eating skills and the right bread texture. Then compare the wholemeal description, the current product label and how practical the slices are.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Eating skills and texture | When starting out, choose bread without seeds or kernels. Consider whether to remove the crust or soften the bread. | My baby is still practising with pieces of food, so I want a bread texture that suits what my child can already chew and swallow. For around 39% of consumers, finding a suitable texture comes first. |
| Switching to wholemeal | Check that the bread is actually labelled wholemeal and see how your baby responds to the coarser texture. | As my baby gets used to bread, I want to make a gradual switch to wholemeal. Around 23% of consumers give this change top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current packaging, even if you’ve bought the bread before. If you’re packing it for your child, ask about the childcare setting or school’s policies. | I’m packing bread for my child and need to consider an allergy or the rules at their childcare setting or school. For around 23% of consumers, checking for allergens is their main concern. |
| Convenience of pre-sliced bread | Check the actual size of the slices and the crust. The term ‘medium-sliced’ doesn’t tell you whether your baby is ready to eat it. | For everyday use, I want slices that are easy to adapt for my baby. Around 15% of consumers put convenience first. |
The thickness of a slice of bread doesn’t tell you whether a baby is ready for larger pieces. According to the Voedingscentrum, a child needs to be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well first.
Adjust the shape, crust and amount to suit your baby, and stay close while they’re eating.
For babies starting after six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels. So a seeded wholemeal loaf, such as one described by ALDI, isn’t automatically a suitable first choice.
Start with a simple bread texture, then see when wholemeal bread and crust are suitable.
Albert Heijn and PLUS say that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change. A product page you looked at previously isn’t a substitute for checking the label on the packaging in your hand.
Read the current label again, especially if your child has an allergy or you’re packing the bread for them.
The name ‘wholemeal bread’ doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular loaf. So if you want to know, don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
Check the product information or ask the baker which salt was used.
These supermarket ranges give you a starting point for comparing breads. For each specific loaf, check the slice, texture and current packaging.
Albert Heijn has an online overview of wholemeal breads, as well as individual product pages.
Jumbo’s online range includes Fine Wholemeal, among other products.
Lidl lists a product called Fine Wholemeal.
ALDI lists Fine Wholemeal as sliced bread and also offers other wholemeal varieties.
PLUS’s online bread range includes Round Fine Wholemeal and Farmhouse Wholemeal, among other products.
Dirk lists Wholemeal Hearth Bread and Bakker van der Akker Farmhouse Wholemeal, among other products.
According to the Voedingscentrum, a baby aged between four and six months can be given a piece of crustless bread if they’re already used to tasting foods and can manage lumpier textures. For babies starting after six months, the Voedingscentrum recommends brown or wheat bread without seeds or kernels. From seven months, bread with crust can help them learn to chew.
No. The thickness of the slice doesn’t determine whether your baby is ready for pieces of food. The Voedingscentrum says your baby should be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well. Also consider whether the crust, softness and any seeds or kernels are suitable for your baby.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, a topping isn’t needed when your baby is first trying solid foods. If you’d like to spread something on the bread, the Voedingscentrum suggests soft margarine as an option.
No. The name of the bread doesn’t tell you which salt was used in that specific product. Check the product information or ask the baker if the type of salt used matters to you.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, and ask the childcare setting or school about its own policies. Albert Heijn and PLUS say that product information can change, so if your child has an allergy, don’t rely solely on an older online product listing.
