For a regular nursery lunch, wholemeal or brown bread is a more suitable choice than a small piece of crisp toast; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends these types of bread over white bread. A white-and-wholemeal mix can be a stepping stone for a fussy eater, but it is not the same as wholemeal bread. Whatever you choose, check the ingredients, whether your child can chew it comfortably and the nursery’s food policy.
If your child will only eat white bread, a lighter type of bread could be a stepping stone. Check the ingredients rather than assuming a mix is wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible.
Before packing a lunch, they need to know exactly what ingredients and allergens a product contains, and what the nursery allows. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that people with coeliac disease cannot tolerate gluten; the toast products reviewed may also contain other allergens.
Melba toast or crispbread can offer a different base for toppings, but it is not the same portion size or texture as a sandwich. Check that your child can chew it comfortably, and store opened crunchy products according to the instructions on the packaging.
Start with the nursery’s allergy policies. Then choose a bread-like base for a regular lunch, and assess any crunchy option separately in terms of portion size and ease of chewing.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Bread-like lunch base | Check whether wholemeal flour is a main ingredient. Compare fibre per 100 g for products of the same type. | If my child eats bread for a regular lunch, I want to choose a suitable base rather than just pack a small piece of toast. For around 45% of consumers, a bread-like lunch base comes first. |
| Allergens and nursery policies | Read the allergen information on the current packaging and ask the nursery what rules apply to food brought from home. | If there’s an allergy policy to follow, I want to know whether the ingredients are allowed before packing the food. For around 33% of consumers, allergens and nursery policies are the top priority. |
| Acceptance and texture | Consider the portion size and whether your child can chew a crunchy product comfortably. | If my child is more willing to try a different type of bread, I look for variety that they can also eat comfortably. Around 22% of consumers put acceptance and texture first. |
A small piece of Melba toast is a different portion size and serves a different purpose from a sandwich. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses regular sandwiches as a basis for young children’s lunches.
Use crunchy toast as a deliberate change, and also consider what your child is having as their bread-based lunch.
A white-and-wholemeal mix is not automatically 100% wholemeal. And the fibre figure per 100 g alone does not tell you how much of the product your child will eat.
Read the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information per 100 g for products of the same type.
Jumbo’s product information for Van der Meulen Melba Wholemeal Toast lists wheat, barley, rye, sesame and soya. An older pack or a product name is no substitute for checking the current allergen information.
Check the label and speak to the nursery before sending the product in for the first time, to find out what rules apply to your child and the group.
The firm texture of crispbread may be different for a child from soft bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises cutting food into smaller pieces if you are unsure whether your child can chew it comfortably.
Assess the texture at home first, and choose a softer base if your child is still finding chewing difficult.
The Melba Wholemeal Toast reviewed is a thin, crunchy product for small topped bites, not the same as soft toast bread.
The Jumbo Wholemeal Toast Bread reviewed is shaped like bread for a regular lunch.
The Wholemeal Crispbread reviewed is a firm, crunchy bread option, not soft toast bread.
These products offer two bread-like options for lunch and one crunchy option for a change. A round loaf or flatbread is not toast bread, so choose based on the type of bread you want, how much preparation is needed and the nursery’s policies.
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A bread-like option if you want to slice the bread yourself for lunch; this is not ready-to-eat toast bread.
This frozen bread needs to be defrosted, baked and left to cool first. Check the current packaging for the baking time.
Check the packaging for wheat and gluten, and make sure the lunch complies with the nursery’s policies.
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A bread-like option for anyone who wants to pack flatbread instead of toast bread. Check that the shape and portion size are suitable for your child’s lunch.
Check the current packaging for wheat, gluten and possible traces of soya or milk, as well as the nursery’s policies.
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A crunchy option for a change, provided your child can chew the firm texture comfortably. A cracker is not automatically a substitute for a regular bread-based lunch.
Check the current allergen information, including gluten and sesame, and the nursery’s policies.
No, a mix is not automatically 100% wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible. Read the ingredients list to see which flour is used in the bread you choose.
Only if the ingredients, crunchy texture and nursery policies are suitable for your child. According to the Dutch government, every childcare organisation must have a safety and health policy. Ask the nursery in advance how it handles food brought from home and allergens.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, people with coeliac disease cannot tolerate gluten. Follow your child’s healthcare professional’s advice and the individual arrangements you have made with the nursery.
Baker’s salt is an ingredient in the Jumbo Wholemeal Toast Bread reviewed. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies bread as a source of iodine, but don’t assume every toast product has the same ingredients: check the specific product’s ingredients list.
Keep it cool, dry and dark, and seal it well. In its storage guide, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping opened wholemeal crackers in a kitchen cupboard for around one month. Follow the instructions on the packaging too, and don’t eat them if their smell, taste or texture has changed.
