When choosing bread for a nursery lunch, don’t rely on the search term ‘medium sliced’ alone: check the slice thickness on the packaging and compare the latest allergen information with the nursery’s requirements. If fibre is your priority, the wholemeal toastie breads reviewed contain more fibre per 100 g than their white equivalents. Packaging, portions and storage instructions are separate considerations.
If you’re buying bread for several children, check the listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on each pack. Whether a product is suitable depends on the requirements for the child in question and the nursery.
For a daily bread-based lunch, they want a practical type of bread, but also compare the product description and fibre content per 100 g. The wholemeal toastie breads reviewed differ from the white versions in this respect.
They also take into account the amount of bread, the stated number of portions and the storage or freezing instructions. It’s still important to check the actual slice thickness if medium-sliced bread has been agreed.
Start with the allergen requirements for lunch. Then compare white and wholemeal bread using the label, and finally check that the slice thickness, pack size and storage instructions work for the way you’ll prepare it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and requirements | Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you’re buying. Compare these with the nursery’s requirements. | When I pack bread for a child with specific allergen requirements, I want to know whether this particular pack is suitable. This check is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the product description and compare fibre per 100 g; don’t judge whether bread is wholemeal by its colour alone. | For a daily bread-based lunch, I want to make an informed choice between white and wholemeal bread without losing sight of the allergen requirements. Around 33% of consumers give this choice the highest priority. |
| Portions and supplies | Check the number of portions, the storage and freezing instructions, and the actual slice thickness stated on the pack. | When planning our lunches, I want to know how much bread we can use and how to store it. For around 25% of consumers, practical planning matters most. |
The sliced breads reviewed contain wheat and gluten, but some individual products also list other allergens or ‘may contain’ warnings. This means a particular type of bread won’t necessarily be suitable for every child.
Check the latest label and the individual requirements every time you buy. Don’t rely on an ingredients list you viewed online previously instead of checking the pack.
For the products reviewed, Albert Heijn lists 7.2 g of fibre per 100 g for its wholemeal toastie bread and 1.6 g for its white version; for Jumbo, the figures are 6.4 g and 2.3 g per 100 g respectively. Choosing wholemeal doesn’t remove the need to check allergens.
Read the product description and compare the nutritional information per 100 g on the pack you’re buying.
A label stating that it’s half a loaf of toastie bread, or giving a number of portions, doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are. So these details don’t automatically tell you whether the bread is suitable for the agreed lunch preparation.
Check the slice thickness on the packaging or the product itself before choosing bread for this lunch.
These examples show the product information you can compare; the brand name alone won’t tell you which version meets the requirements for lunch.
For its half loaves of white and wholemeal toastie bread reviewed here, Albert Heijn lists around 11 portions per pack and advises freezing at home on the day of purchase.
For the half loaves of white and wholemeal toastie bread reviewed here, Jumbo lists around 11 portions, along with product-specific allergen and nutritional information.
Bolletje Echte Beschuit is a crisp product for breakfast or lunch, not soft toastie bread with a guaranteed medium slice thickness.
No, that isn’t a general requirement for every lunch. Follow the requirements for the children eating with you, and check the latest label to see which allergens the bread you’ve chosen contains or may contain. The white and wholemeal toastie breads reviewed contain wheat and gluten.
The white and wholemeal toastie breads from Albert Heijn reviewed here can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month. Don’t assume the same applies to other bread: follow the instructions on the pack you buy.
Check the ingredients list for the bread you’ve chosen to see whether it contains baker’s salt or iodised salt; don’t assume it does based on the type of bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread in the Netherlands contributes to iodine intake through baker’s salt, which has iodine added to it.
