If your baby is just starting to eat bread, choose brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds rather than relying on the name of a multigrain loaf alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends this as a good starting point after 6 months. A bread made with both wholemeal flour and white flour could be a stepping stone later on for a fussy eater, provided the texture suits your baby. Check the ingredients, nutrition information and allergens for the specific loaf.
You’re looking for bread your baby can practise eating without going straight for kernels or seeds. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds as a good starting point after 6 months. Also check that the texture suits what your baby can manage.
You’re considering a bread made with both wholemeal flour and white flour as a stepping stone. The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much of each type of flour it contains, so check the ingredients and the texture of the specific loaf.
If your baby has a diagnosed allergy or needs to avoid certain ingredients, the information for the bread you choose is crucial. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains allergen information requirements for packaged products and how information must be provided for unpackaged bread. If the bread is going in a lunchbox, also ask about the school or childcare setting’s policy.
When: your baby is starting to eat bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds as a good starting point after 6 months.
What to consider: choose a bread texture that suits your baby, even if a multigrain loaf might seem more appealing at first glance.
When: your baby is already eating bread and you want to try a different blend for a fussy eater.
What to consider: the ratio of wholemeal flour to white flour varies by recipe, and a blended loaf may still contain kernels or seeds.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started and texture | Check the ingredients and the bread itself for kernels, seeds and hard pieces. Assess the texture before serving it. | When my baby is just learning to eat bread, I want the texture to suit their eating skills. For around 33% of consumers, getting started with bread is the top priority. |
| Types of flour and nutritional value | Compare wholemeal flour and white flour in the ingredients list, and fibre and salt per 100 g in the nutrition information. If iodine matters to your choice, check what type of salt has been used. | I want to be able to see what’s actually in a blended loaf, rather than relying on its name. For around 27% of consumers, the ingredients are their main concern. |
| Accepting a different bread | If you’re considering a change, look at the types of flour, the crust and whether it contains kernels or seeds. If possible, don’t change everything at once. | If my baby rejects a different flavour or texture, I want to be able to try a transition without immediately choosing a bread packed with seeds. Around 20% of consumers prioritise whether their baby will accept it. |
| Allergens and childcare | Read the latest allergen information. For unpackaged bread, ask for this information before buying and confirm the school or childcare setting’s policy if needed. | If my baby has a diagnosed allergy or needs a lunchbox for childcare, I need to know whether this particular bread meets the relevant requirements. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main concern. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread can be made with wholemeal flour, white flour or a blend of both. For example, Albert Heijn lists 31% wholemeal wheat flour and 30% wheat flour in its Vloerbrood meergranen. So the product name doesn’t tell you everything about what’s in it.
Read the ingredients list and compare the nutrition information per 100 g for the loaves you’re considering.
For babies starting after 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds. Multigrain bread may also contain kernels or seeds.
When introducing bread, base your choice on the ingredients and texture, not just the type of bread shown on the front of the pack.
Multigrain bread can contain several gluten-containing cereals and other allergens. For example, Jumbo lists barley, rye, soya, spelt and wheat among the allergens in its wholemeal multigrain bread.
Check the latest allergen information for the specific loaf. For unpackaged bread, ask the seller which allergens it contains before buying.
Bread recipes can change. Albert Heijn notes in its product information that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information may change.
Use the product page to compare loaves, but check the packaging again when you buy, especially if allergens or the type of salt used matter.
These examples show the product information you can compare. Always assess the individual loaf before choosing it for your baby.
A useful example if you want to check the flour ratio in a multigrain loaf.
A place to compare the ingredients of individual multigrain loaves.
Its multigrain range includes product names you can use to guide your comparisons.
A range that includes multigrain bread and farmhouse wholemeal multigrain bread.
Multigrain bread, with separate information about the ingredients and allergens in freshly baked bread.
This loaf may be worth considering if you’re looking at a possible switch to a different combination of flours. Check the ingredients on the current packaging and, above all, assess the texture once prepared before deciding whether it suits your baby’s eating skills.
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If you’re considering a different loaf as a stepping stone, the key things to check for this product are the types of flour and the texture once prepared.
Weight: 550 g. According to the product information, the bread should be baked at 220 °C after defrosting.
The ingredients include wheat and wheat gluten. Check the latest allergen information, and assess the crust and crumb before serving it to a baby who is just starting to eat bread.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown bread or wheat bread without kernels or seeds as a good starting point after 6 months. Also choose a texture that suits your baby’s eating skills, and stay close by while they eat.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread can be made with wholemeal flour, white flour or a blend of both. For example, Albert Heijn lists 31% wholemeal wheat flour and 30% wheat flour in its AH Vloerbrood meergranen. Check the ingredients of the loaf you’re considering.
For packaged bread, read the latest ingredients and allergen information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information for unpackaged bread must be made available in another way, so ask for it before buying. If your baby has a diagnosed allergy, don’t rely on the bread’s name or colour.
Don’t assume so: check which salt is listed in the ingredients for the specific loaf. The Dutch legal definition describes baker’s salt as iodised table salt used when making bread. The name ‘multigrain bread’ doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular product.
First ask about the policy at the school or childcare setting, then check the bread’s allergen information. Multigrain bread can contain gluten-containing cereals and other allergens. The product name alone isn’t enough to tell you whether it meets local requirements.
