Choose a multipack with inner packs if five or six pieces of toast are about right for one break. The Melba varieties described aren’t confirmed to be individually wrapped. Before packing, check the latest label and the school’s allergen policy too; standard Melba toast made with wheat isn’t suitable for a lunch that needs to be gluten-free.
An unopened inner pack can be more convenient than taking toast from a large pack that’s already been opened. Check how many pieces it contains, though: Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe packs with several pieces of toast in each inner pack, not a wrapper around every piece.
The Melba varieties described include ingredients that need consideration, such as cereals containing gluten, soya or sesame. Before packing the toast, compare the latest label with the pupil’s needs and the school’s policy.
If you’re choosing between plain and multigrain, compare the types of flour, fibre per 100 g and other ingredients. According to Jumbo, the Van der Meulen multigrain variety described contains 45% wholemeal wheat flour and 7.5 g of fibre per 100 g. Those figures alone don’t tell you how the whole lunch is balanced.
First, work out how many pieces of toast will be eaten during one break. Then check the allergens, the school’s policy and the nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Most relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and packaging | Count the pieces of toast in each inner pack and check whether every piece is individually wrapped. | If I’m packing for one break, I don’t want to open a larger pack than necessary. For around 33% of consumers, portion size and packaging are the most important factors. |
| Allergens and school policies | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information, and check the school’s policy. | If allergens are a concern, I want to know whether the toast can be taken to school before packing it. This check comes first for around 42% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the types of flour, fibre and salt per 100 g; consider the rest of the lunch too. | If toast is the basis of my lunch, I want to compare the nutritional value of plain and multigrain varieties. Around 25% of consumers give this comparison the highest priority. |
The packs described contain five or six pieces of toast per inner pack. That’s different from having one wrapper per piece, which could be useful if you only need to take one piece with you.
Check the number of pieces in each inner pack, and look for individual wrappers if individually wrapped toast is essential.
The Van der Meulen multigrain variety described by Jumbo contains oats, rye, sesame and soya as well as wheat. Choosing based on fibre alone means overlooking these ingredients.
Compare the nutritional information and the full ingredients and allergen list for the variety you want to buy.
A Joybuy product page lists wheat and barley in the ingredients, but elsewhere on the same page gives conflicting allergen information. You can’t base your lunch choice on that description alone.
Check the latest label on the pack before packing the toast. If the information conflicts, don’t rely on the online allergen statement.
According to Albert Heijn, AH plain Melba toast comes in 12 packs of 6 pieces. This format could work well if one inner pack is the right amount for a break.
This Melba toast brand offers the plain and multigrain varieties described here. The plain variety comes in 6 packs of 6 pieces.
Jumbo describes its tomato and basil Melba toast as coming in 5 inner packs of 6 pieces.
The pack descriptions don’t confirm this: they refer to inner packs containing several pieces of toast. Albert Heijn lists 12 packs of 6, Van der Meulen 6 packs of 6, and Jumbo 5 packs of 6 pieces. Check the pack itself if each piece needs its own wrapper.
The standard Melba varieties described contain cereals with gluten, so they aren’t suitable for a lunch that needs to be gluten-free. To choose a suitable alternative, check the latest label, including other allergens, and check the school’s policy.
Follow the storage advice on the pack you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn advises storing its Melba toast in a sealed container after opening. For a school break, you could also check whether an unopened inner pack contains the right portion.
