Who is this choice relevant to?

Parents choosing bread for a regular breakfast

If tiger bread is often on the table, you’ll want to know whether it’s wholemeal or brown. The nutritional information per 100 g and whether baker’s salt is listed will help you compare products.

Parents specifically looking for sourdough

You’ll want to know whether a sourdough starter was used as the raising agent, rather than relying on a name or an ingredient containing the word ‘sourdough’. Also check separately whether the bread is wholemeal or brown.

Parents checking allergens or childcare arrangements

If your child has a known allergy or there are arrangements with their school or childcare provider, you’ll need up-to-date information about the ingredients and possible cross-contamination. Ask for this before buying unpackaged bread.

What should you look for when choosing?

Wholemeal, brown and sourdough don’t answer the same question: the first two describe the type of bread, while sourdough relates to how it’s made. So first decide which type of bread you want, then assess any mention of sourdough separately.

Wholemeal tiger bread

When to choose it: you give your child tiger bread regularly and want to focus on fibre when choosing bread.

Bear in mind: ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you whether baker’s salt has been used or which allergens are in that particular bread.

Brown tiger bread

When to choose it: your child isn’t keen on wholemeal bread and you want to compare the ingredients in a brown variety.

Bear in mind: brown isn’t the same as wholemeal; compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.

Bread raised with sourdough

When to choose it: bread made with a sourdough starter is a deliberate choice for you, and the flavour and texture suit your child.

Bear in mind: sourdough alone doesn’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal or which allergens it contains.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it’s most relevant to
Type of bread and nutritional information Check whether the bread is wholemeal or brown and compare the fibre per 100 g. Separately, check whether baker’s salt is listed in the ingredients. If bread is a regular part of my toddler’s breakfast, I want to be able to weigh up its ingredients rather than choosing based only on the crust. Around 42% of consumers put this nutritional starting point first.
Made with sourdough Read the ingredients and, if necessary, ask what raising agent was used. A mention of sourdough powder alone doesn’t confirm that an active starter was used. Anyone deliberately looking for bread raised with a starter will want to know how the dough was raised before letting the name determine their choice. For around 33% of consumers, this is the main consideration.
Allergens and suitability to eat Check the current label or, for unpackaged bread, ask about allergens and possible cross-contamination. Consider how your child chews when serving it. If there’s an allergy or an arrangement with the childcare provider, I want to know in advance whether this bread can be taken along; a young child also needs appropriately sized pieces and supervision. These considerations are the top priority for around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking the tiger pattern on the crust tells you what type of bread it is

    ‘Tiger’ describes the crust, not whether the bread is white, brown or wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread has the most fibre of these types of bread.

    First read the bread description, then compare the fibre per 100 g if the information is available.

  • Assuming sourdough powder means the bread was raised with sourdough

    The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes sourdough bread as bread made with sourdough instead of baker’s yeast. PLUS lists both baker’s yeast and inactive wheat sourdough powder in its Volkoren tijger heel; these ingredients don’t confirm that an active starter was used.

    For unpackaged bread, ask what the dough was raised with. For packaged bread, read the full ingredients list and ask for clarification if it’s still unclear how the bread was made.

  • Assuming all bread is made with baker’s salt

    Not every baker uses baker’s salt. You can’t tell whether it’s present from the type of bread or the tiger-patterned crust.

    Check the ingredients list or ask the baker whether baker’s salt has been used.

  • Relying only on allergen information online

    Ingredients and recipes can change. If your child has a known allergy, it’s important to get information about the bread you’re actually buying.

    Check the current packaging or, before buying unpackaged bread, ask for its allergen information and about possible cross-contamination. Make sure any bread you send in with your child meets the school or childcare provider’s requirements.

Brands to compare

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists Tijgerbrood tarwe, an 800 g product available in store.

  • A specific tiger bread variety to look at in store.
  • Before choosing this variety for a toddler, check the type of bread, ingredients and allergens on the packaging.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists Boeren Tijgerbrood Bruin, with an ingredients list that includes wholemeal wheat flour, wheat flour, baker’s yeast and baker’s salt.

  • The listed ingredients help you assess this brown variety.
  • The mention of baker’s yeast doesn’t confirm that this bread was raised with a sourdough starter; check how it was made if that matters to your choice.

PLUS

PLUS lists ingredients including wholemeal wheat flour, wheat gluten, baker’s yeast, baker’s salt and inactive wheat sourdough powder in its Volkoren tijger heel.

  • The ingredients let you check this wholemeal variety for its type of bread, baker’s salt and wheat.
  • Inactive sourdough powder alongside baker’s yeast doesn’t confirm that an active sourdough starter was used.

Lidl

Lidl lists Tijgerbruin and Tijger volkoren as products available in store.

  • The two names give you a starting point for comparing brown and wholemeal varieties in store.
  • Use the latest ingredient and allergen information when choosing in store, especially if you want to check for sourdough or a specific allergen.

ALDI

ALDI lists Boeren tijger volkoren and Boeren tijger bruin as separate bread varieties.

  • The product names make it clear which varieties to compare when choosing between wholemeal and brown.
  • Check the latest ingredients, allergens and whether baker’s salt is listed for each loaf; don’t assume it’s made with sourdough just because of the tiger-patterned crust.

Dirk

Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Boeren tijger bruin heel as a brown tiger bread variety.

  • The product name gives you a brown variety to consider when choosing bread.
  • Check the label or ask about the ingredients if wholemeal flour, allergens or sourdough preparation are important to your choice.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for when choosing tiger bread for a toddler’s breakfast?

First check whether the bread is wholemeal or brown rather than judging it by the tiger-patterned crust alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes bread as part of breakfast and lunch for children aged 1 to 3, and says that wholemeal bread has the most fibre of the different types. Then check the latest ingredients and allergen information.

Is tiger bread with sourdough powder also sourdough bread?

Sourdough powder alone doesn’t confirm that the bread was raised with an active sourdough starter. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes sourdough bread as bread made with sourdough instead of baker’s yeast; PLUS lists both baker’s yeast and inactive wheat sourdough powder in its Volkoren tijger heel. If you’re unsure, ask which raising agent was used.

Can I assume tiger bread is gluten-free?

No, the tiger-patterned crust tells you nothing about whether the bread contains gluten. The tiger breads mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat. Check the latest allergen information for every variety; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the name of the relevant cereal must appear in the ingredients list.

Does all tiger bread contain baker’s salt?

No, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. To find out whether your chosen bread was made with it, check the ingredients list or ask the baker.