Choose a sourdough croissant for nursery only as a planned, occasional lunch option that fits your own nutrition policy. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a croissant as a weekly choice in its example policy for nurseries. Before serving, check the current ingredients, allergens and portion size, and take account of each child’s dietary arrangements.
Group lunches may need to accommodate children with coeliac disease or allergies to ingredients such as wheat, milk or egg. Before buying or serving a croissant, check the ingredients and allergen information for the one you have chosen, and follow each child’s individual requirements.
A croissant may work for a planned occasion, but it is not necessarily suitable for everyday lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a croissant as a weekly choice in its example policy for nurseries; your own nutrition policy determines how to include it.
The word ‘sourdough’ does not replace the ingredients list. Before planning a group lunch, check the allergens, nutritional information, portion size and storage instructions for the current version of the product.
First, decide whether a croissant fits your nutrition policy. Then check that your chosen version meets the individual requirements for the children and the practical needs of the planned lunch.
| What to consider | What to check | Who does this matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and dietary requirements | For a packaged product, read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any warning about cross-contamination. For an unpackaged product, ask for the available allergen information before buying. | If I’m buying food for children with individual allergy requirements, I need to know whether this particular croissant meets them before serving it. Around 40% of consumers put allergen checks first. |
| Nutrition policy and portion size | Set the frequency and portion size in line with your own nutrition policy. Check the nutritional information for your chosen version, including salt and saturated fat. | For a regular lunch, I want to make sure a planned weekly choice does not quietly become the everyday option. Around 30% of consumers prioritise where a croissant fits within their nutrition policy. |
| Ingredients and planning | Check what ‘sourdough’ means for your chosen version, as well as the packaging, use-by date and storage instructions for the planned group lunch. | If I want to bring sourdough croissants for a group, the version I choose needs to be easy to identify and suitable to serve on the planned day. This practical consideration comes first for around 30% of consumers. |
The word alone does not tell you which allergens, portion size or nutritional values apply to your chosen croissant. In the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s example policy, a croissant remains a weekly choice.
Read the product information and decide in advance how the croissant fits into your lunch programme, rather than relying on its name alone.
The packaging from an earlier purchase is no substitute for checking the version you are serving now. Differences in ingredients or allergens can matter, particularly when children have individual dietary requirements.
Check the packaging when it arrives. If you are buying an unpackaged croissant, ask for the current allergen information before you buy it.
Boodschappie names these six supermarket chains. Assess a croissant using the information for the product you have chosen, not the name of the shop.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
A supermarket chain named by Boodschappie.
Not automatically. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a croissant as a weekly choice in its example policy for nurseries. Use your own nutrition policy to decide whether a croissant belongs on the menu, and how often.
Check the allergen information for the current croissant and the requirements for the children who will be eating it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists cereals containing gluten, egg and milk among the allergens that food providers must give information about. For a packaged product, read the label; for an unpackaged product, ask for the available information before buying.
A standard croissant made with wheat containing gluten is not suitable for a child with coeliac disease. Do not rely on the word ‘sourdough’: check the ingredients and follow the child’s agreed individual dietary requirements.
Follow the storage instructions for your chosen product and your nursery’s food safety procedures. When preparing and serving the croissants, take account of individual dietary requirements and prevent food intended for different children from coming into contact.
