Parents just starting their baby on bread
You’re looking for a bread texture that suits your baby’s stage. After 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds.
Who is this choice relevant for?
Parents who want to introduce wholemeal bread gradually
Your baby is already used to bread and you want to consider the fibre content and whether it’s wholemeal, without assuming that a dark colour or the name ‘multigrain’ tells you enough.
Households checking for allergens
You want to check which gluten-containing cereals and other allergens your chosen bread contains before buying it. If you’re taking bread to nursery or school, check the local allergen policy too.
What should you look for when choosing?
Your baby’s stage of development determines which bread texture to consider first; only then does the choice between brown, wholemeal and multigrain become decisive. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends gradually moving on to wholemeal bread once your baby has started eating bread.
Brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds
When: Your baby is starting bread after 6 months.
Consider: This follows the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice for starting out; you can switch to wholemeal later, once your baby gets used to fibre.
Wholemeal bread without kernels or seeds
When: Your baby is used to bread and you want to introduce wholemeal bread gradually.
Consider: Wholemeal bread is made from the whole grain; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the transition should still suit the foods your baby is used to eating.
Wholemeal multigrain bread with kernels and seeds
When: Your child is already comfortable with this coarser bread texture and you’ve checked the ingredients.
Consider: The Netherlands Nutrition Centre doesn’t recommend starting out with bread containing kernels and seeds.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Texture when starting bread | Check whether the bread contains kernels or seeds and whether its texture suits your baby’s eating skills. | If my baby is just starting bread, I want to choose a type that suits this stage. For around 42% of consumers, the starting texture comes first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the ‘wholemeal’ label and the ingredients; only compare fibre content between breads with a suitable texture. | Now that my baby is getting used to bread, I want to know whether a dark multigrain loaf really is wholemeal. Around 33% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the latest allergen information for the exact bread you’re buying and, if necessary, check the nursery or school policy. | If an allergen or nursery policy determines my choice, I need to know what’s in the bread. This check matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘multigrain’ means ‘wholemeal’
Using several types of grain doesn’t tell you whether all the flour is wholemeal. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses that products labelled ‘wholemeal’ must meet requirements for the flour used.
Check the product description and ingredients list rather than judging by the colour or the number of grains.
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Choosing bread with kernels for your baby’s first tastes
After 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds. So wholemeal multigrain bread containing kernels isn’t automatically a suitable first choice.
Choose a texture that suits your baby’s stage, then check whether the bread is wholemeal.
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Checking for gluten only
Multigrain products can contain other allergens too. For example, sesame and soya are listed among the ingredients of PLUS wholemeal multigrain rolls.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen information for your chosen product every time you buy it.
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Assuming every loaf contains baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. The name of the bread alone won’t tell you which salt has been used.
Check the ingredients of packaged bread or ask which salt is used in unwrapped bread; choose the bread texture separately based on what’s suitable for your baby.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Useful if you want to tell the difference between wholemeal, brown and multigrain bread.
- Albert Heijn explains why multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal.
- Before choosing a loaf to start your baby on bread, still check its kernels, seeds and ingredients.
Jumbo
A product example for anyone comparing the ingredients in wholemeal multigrain bread.
- Jumbo describes its Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen as bread containing kernels and seeds.
- That texture doesn’t match the bread without kernels or seeds that the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with.
Lidl
Useful if you want to check the ingredients and allergens in freshly baked bread.
- Lidl publishes an ingredients and allergen overview for its freshly baked bread range.
- Check that information against the exact bread you choose; the range name doesn’t determine whether it’s wholemeal.
ALDI
An example of wholemeal multigrain bread where the texture needs consideration.
- ALDI describes its Boeren volkoren meergranen as bread containing grains and seeds.
- Bread containing seeds isn’t the seed-free starting option recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
PLUS
An example of wholemeal multigrain rolls for anyone comparing ingredients carefully.
- The ingredients in PLUS Korenlanders Volkoren meergranenbollen include wholemeal wheat flour, sunflower seeds and linseed.
- The ingredients also include sesame; check the latest allergen information and whether the texture is suitable.
Dirk
Useful if you’re comparing a multigrain hearth loaf with a wholemeal option.
- Dirk describes its multigrain hearth loaf as bread containing grains and seeds.
- ‘Multigrain’ alone doesn’t confirm that a loaf is wholemeal; the seeds also need consideration when starting your baby on bread.
A bread option at Joybuy
This round loaf is an option to assess for its ingredients and texture when choosing bread for baby-led weaning. The name includes ‘Whole Wheat’, but check the latest ingredients before considering it fully wholemeal.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread, 550 g
Assess this bread based on whether its texture suits your baby’s stage; the product name alone doesn’t confirm that all the flour is wholemeal.
Pack size: 550 g. Check the latest ingredients, allergen information and preparation instructions before use.
Frequently asked questions
Can my baby start straight away with wholemeal multigrain bread containing kernels?
That isn’t the usual starting choice: after 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds. Then gradually move on to wholemeal bread as your baby gets used to fibre.
Is multigrain bread always wholemeal?
No. ‘Multigrain’ tells you which types of grain a bread may contain, not whether all the flour is wholemeal. Check the wholemeal label and the ingredients; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, flour labelled ‘wholemeal’ must be made from whole grains.
How do I check for allergens in bread?
For packaged bread, read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on labels; for unwrapped bread, ask the seller for allergen information and, if necessary, check the nursery or school policy too.
Should I check the salt content of bread for my baby too?
Yes. Check the nutritional information for your chosen bread and consider what you put on it too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends limiting salty foods for young children; choosing a suitable bread texture is a separate consideration.
Does all bread contain iodised baker’s salt?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list on packaged bread or ask which salt has been used in unwrapped bread.