For your child’s everyday school lunch, choose bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ if that’s your first nutritional priority: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ on its own doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. Then check that the slices are the right thickness for the lunchbox and filling, and read the allergen information every time you buy it. Standard multigrain bread containing gluten isn’t suitable for people with coeliac disease.
You’re looking for bread for the daily lunch routine and don’t want to rely on the word ‘multigrain’ alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre classifies wholemeal products according to whether they contain the whole grain, so check the product description and, if you like, compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
If your child has a known allergy, coeliac disease or an arrangement with their school, the ingredients and allergens in the bread you choose are important. Also check how the bread is prepared and packaged if contact with other foods needs to be avoided.
You want slices that fit neatly in a lunchbox, without buying more bread than your family will use. Whether you choose a whole or half loaf will also depend on the storage advice and whether you can freeze portions.
First decide which feature matters most for your child’s school lunch. Then check the slice thickness and packaging of the bread you’re actually planning to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and nutritional information | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the product. Compare fibre and other nutritional values per 100 g across similar breads. | I want to know whether the multigrain bread I buy for every school day is actually wholemeal. For around 33% of consumers, this is their main consideration when buying. |
| Allergens | Read the current label or ask for allergen information if buying unpackaged bread. Check separately for any arrangements with the school or after-school club. | If my child has a known allergy, I need to know which ingredients and allergens are relevant before packing their lunch. This check is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Slice thickness and size | Check whether the bread is sliced and whether a slice will fit in the lunchbox and work with the filling. Ask the bakery counter about the available slice thickness if it isn’t stated. | A slice should fit easily in the lunchbox and be easy to add a filling to. For around 20% of consumers, this practical fit is the most important factor. |
| Storage and weekly use | Choose a whole or half loaf to suit how much you use, and follow the storage advice on the packaging. Check whether you can freeze any portions you won’t use straight away. | I don’t want to end up with bread at the end of the school week that’s no longer any good. Buying and storing the right amount is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
Multigrain means that more than one type of grain has been used; it doesn’t mean that the whole grain has been included. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the name alone isn’t a reliable indication that bread is wholemeal.
First check whether the product is labelled ‘wholemeal’. Then read the ingredients and nutritional information for the variety you want to buy.
Other allergens may also be relevant in multigrain bread. For example, Albert Heijn lists sesame alongside cereals containing gluten in AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden. Information for one loaf doesn’t apply to other varieties.
Read the current label every time you buy. Ask for allergen information if buying unpackaged bread, and avoid contact with ordinary bread crumbs when gluten-free food is essential.
Sliced bread doesn’t necessarily have slices that suit the filling, lunchbox or your child’s eating skills. ‘Medium sliced’ also doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are in the loaf you’ve chosen unless the product information confirms it.
Look at the slices or ask in store what thicknesses are available before deciding which loaf to buy.
If your family will only use some of the loaf, the last few slices could dry out or go mouldy before they make it into a school lunchbox.
Consider buying half a loaf or freezing portions in good time. Follow the storage advice for the product you choose.
These examples can help you compare bread types, ingredients and packaging. Check the details on the product you buy.
AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden is an example of sliced multigrain bread for anyone looking to assess the loaf format.
Jumbo sells whole, half and sliced loaves, among other options. Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is one example to look at when checking the product description and ingredients.
Brood van Soma Haverkorn meergranen is one example from the PLUS range. You can check the ingredients and nutritional information for this product.
Dirk stocks whole and half multigrain loaves, including Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half.
Schär offers products labelled gluten-free, including Mehrkorn and Meergranenbroodjes.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that more than one type of grain has been used, but it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is wholemeal. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check that the product is labelled ‘wholemeal’.
For pre-packed bread, check the label. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must be shown there. If you’re buying unpackaged bread, ask for the allergen information for that specific variety before you buy it.
Not if the bread contains ingredients with gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that, for people with coeliac disease, contact with ordinary bread crumbs also matters. Check that the product is labelled gluten-free and avoid crumb contact when preparing and packing it.
Buy an amount that suits your family’s needs and follow the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. Check whether the bread you’ve chosen has different storage advice.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or iodised baker’s salt. For example, PLUS lists iodised salt in Brood van Soma Haverkorn meergranen, but you can’t tell whether other breads contain it from the word ‘multigrain’ alone.
