Parents just starting to offer bread
Your baby is over 6 months old and still getting used to bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting with brown or wheat bread without kernels or seeds.
Who is this relevant for?
Parents looking to introduce different bread textures
Your baby eats independently and you want to gradually offer a different texture. For larger pieces, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says your baby must be able to sit upright, swallow and chew well, and be supervised.
Parents who need to check allergens
You’re keeping an eye on ingredients such as wheat or sesame because of a known allergy, a medical dietary restriction, or the policy at your child’s nursery or school. The information on the bread packaging is important here.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start by asking whether your baby is just beginning to eat bread or is already comfortable with it. Then choose the texture you want and check the ingredients of the bread you’re actually buying.
Bread without kernels or seeds
When: Your baby is starting to eat bread after 6 months. This follows the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s recommendation to start with brown or wheat bread.
Consider: You’re not yet choosing the extra texture of seeded bread.
Fine wholemeal bread without seeds
When: Your baby is comfortable eating bread and you want to gradually try wholemeal bread without adding seeds straight away.
Consider: Check the ingredients: a fine texture and the term wholemeal don’t tell you whether the bread also contains kernels or seeds.
Seeded wholemeal bread
When: Your baby can manage pieces of an appropriate size and you’ve assessed the texture, loose seeds and allergens in that specific bread.
Consider: The name multiseed bread alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for your baby.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out and eating skills | When first introducing bread after 6 months, choose bread without kernels or seeds. Before offering larger pieces, check that your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. | When my baby is just learning to eat bread, I want to start without seeds and only offer larger pieces when they’re appropriate for their skills. For around 42% of consumers, this safe start would be the top priority when buying. |
| Wholemeal and texture | Check the ingredients of fine or standard wholemeal bread; the term multigrain doesn’t in itself mean that it’s wholemeal. | Once my baby is comfortable eating bread, I want to gradually change the texture before considering seeded bread. Around 33% of consumers would put the transition to wholemeal first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the current packaging. If needed, also check the policy at your child’s nursery or school. | If my child has a known allergy or there’s an agreement with their nursery, I want to know what’s in this particular bread, even when buying it again. The label would be the deciding concern for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Choosing multiseed bread as a first bread
The terms wholemeal and multigrain don’t change the advice for starting out: after 6 months, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends brown or wheat bread without kernels or seeds.
Start without kernels or seeds. Consider seeded bread later as a separate choice, based on your baby’s eating skills and the texture of the bread.
-
Only reading the front of the packaging
Seeded bread may contain ingredients that matter if your baby has an allergy. Product information can also change, as PLUS notes in its bread information.
Read the label when buying bread and when buying it again, including the allergens and any warnings. Discuss any known food allergy or medical dietary restriction with your healthcare professional.
-
Assuming soft bread is suitable for larger pieces
Even with soft bread, offering larger pieces depends on your baby’s skills. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says your baby must be able to sit upright and swallow and chew well.
Choose a shape and texture that suit your baby, and stay with them while they eat. Wait before offering larger pieces if they’re still finding it difficult to chew or swallow.
Brands to consider
These bread ranges offer a starting point for comparing ingredients and texture. A brand’s inclusion here doesn’t mean that a particular bread is suitable for every baby.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s online range includes wholemeal bread and seeded bread.
- The range includes wholemeal bread with sunflower seeds, for example, so it’s worth checking each product to see whether it contains seeds.
- Being available in the range doesn’t mean it’s suitable as a first bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends bread without kernels or seeds for this.
Jumbo
Jumbo provides product information for wholemeal multigrain bread with kernels and seeds.
- Jumbo Rond Korn Volkoren lists wholemeal wheat flour, sunflower seeds, linseed and sesame among its ingredients.
- This doesn’t automatically make the bread suitable for a baby just starting to eat bread; also check the allergen information on the current packaging.
Lidl
Lidl describes a wholemeal kids’ bread made with extra-finely ground wholemeal flour.
- According to Lidl, this kids’ bread contains just as much fibre as wholemeal bread, despite its finely ground texture.
- This product description isn’t an assessment of its suitability for baby-led weaning. Check the ingredients and make sure the texture is appropriate for your baby’s eating skills.
PLUS
PLUS lists various wholemeal breads online, including fine wholemeal bread.
- The product information gives you a starting point for checking the ingredients and allergens in fine wholemeal bread.
- PLUS says that ingredients and allergen information can change. So check the packaging of the bread you buy.
Dirk
Dirk lists wholemeal, multigrain and seeded breads online.
- Dirk explicitly mentions seeds and kernels in its Batard pompadour, a distinction that matters when choosing a first bread.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and texture of the specific bread; the category name alone doesn’t provide enough information.
Seeded bread on Joybuy
This bread meets the need for seeded bread, but it isn’t the general first choice, which is bread without kernels or seeds. Only consider it as a separate option once your baby is comfortable eating bread and you’ve checked the texture and ingredients.
Image unavailable
Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Country Bread Round 550 g
An option to consider only after first introducing bread, once you’ve assessed the seeds and texture for your baby. The product name describes a round loaf weighing 550 g.
Before offering it, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging, paying particular attention to wheat and sesame. Also bear thawing and baking in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give my baby seeded bread straight away for baby-led weaning?
Seeded bread isn’t a standard first choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends starting after 6 months with brown or wheat bread without kernels or seeds. Consider seeded bread later, taking your baby’s eating skills, the texture and the ingredients into account, rather than assuming there’s a set age for introducing it.
When can my baby eat larger pieces of bread?
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, larger pieces are only suitable once your baby can sit upright and swallow and chew well. Stay with them while they eat, and wait before offering larger pieces if they’re still finding it difficult to chew or swallow.
Should I check for gluten and sesame in seeded bread?
Yes, check the current packaging for these allergens if they’re relevant to your child. For example, Jumbo lists wheat and sesame in Rond Korn Volkoren, but other breads may have different ingredients. Read the label again when buying the bread again.
Does bread made with baker’s salt always contain the same amount of iodine?
No, you can’t tell how much iodine is in a particular loaf just from the presence of baker’s salt. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread through added baker’s salt; this doesn’t tell you what’s in every loaf.