If your child mainly eats white bread, it can be a practical choice for their school lunch. If you’d like their bread to provide more fibre, try fine wholemeal if they’re happy with the texture; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal and brown bread in particular for children. Check the allergen information on every bread you choose, as well as your school’s rules.
You’re looking for bread your child will eat at school, while also wanting to try fine wholemeal. A finer texture may be worth trying if they leave thicker slices uneaten; you’ll only know whether they like it once you offer it to them.
You want to compare the nutritional values of different breads without overlooking your child’s taste preferences. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal and brown bread in particular for children because of their fibre content. Check the fibre per 100 g for each bread, and bear in mind that your child may need time to get used to a different texture.
You need to know whether the exact bread is suitable for your child’s dietary needs and your school’s rules. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information, and ask the school what rules apply to food brought from home. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that allergens must be listed on labels; this won’t tell you what rules an individual school has.
Start by asking which bread your child will eat, then compare the fibre content on a like-for-like basis. Check allergens and school rules before packing the bread in their lunchbox.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Taste and texture | Try a bread with a texture your child will eat; if choosing fine wholemeal, check exactly which product it is. | If thick slices come home uneaten, I want to try a different texture without immediately choosing only white bread. Around 34% of consumers put whether they’ll enjoy the bread first. |
| Fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare fibre per 100 g, rather than comparing different portion sizes. | I want the bread itself to add more fibre to lunch, even if a new taste takes some getting used to. Fibre is the first consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the exact bread, and ask about the school’s rules. | If there’s a relevant allergy or a school rule to consider, I need to know whether this bread is suitable before packing it. Allergens and school rules come first for around 13% of consumers. |
| Buying again | Consider whether the type of bread you’ve chosen fits your usual shopping routine and which pack size works for you. | I want a bread I can pick up with my usual groceries, so planning lunches remains manageable. For around 20% of consumers, how easily they can buy it again is the most important factor. |
The colour doesn’t tell you how much fibre a bread contains. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means that at least three types of grain have been used; it doesn’t mean the bread is entirely wholemeal.
Look for the wholemeal label, then compare the fibre per 100 g on the pack.
Even breads you’re considering for the same school lunch can have different ingredients and allergen information. Albert Heijn lists cereals containing gluten and soya, among other allergens, for AH Wit heel; the information for Jumbo Fijn Volkoren lists cereals containing gluten.
Read the latest packaging for the exact bread, including any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. If your child has a relevant allergy, don’t rely on the name ‘white’ or ‘wholemeal’ alone.
Albert Heijn lists 1.6 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Wit heel; Jumbo lists 7.6 g per 100 g for Jumbo Fijn Volkoren. These figures relate to two specific products, not to all white and wholemeal breads.
Choose white bread deliberately when your child’s willingness to eat it is the deciding factor, and check the nutritional information again if you try a fine wholemeal bread.
A bread’s name won’t tell you what rules the school has about food or allergens. And following a school rule doesn’t replace checking the label.
Ask the school about its rules, and check the bread’s ingredients and allergen information separately.
AH Wit heel is a specific white bread you can compare with a wholemeal option.
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren is a specific wholemeal bread you can compare with white bread.
Lidl describes a wholemeal bread for children made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
Aldi lists a sliced Fijn Volkoren for anyone looking for a wholemeal option at their usual supermarket.
Plus lists products including Rond fijn volkoren heel as an option to explore in its range.
Dirk lists white, wholemeal and multigrain breads in its range.
White bread can be a practical choice if your child eats it and it fits the school’s rules. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal and brown bread in particular for children because of their fibre content, so you could also see whether your child will eat fine wholemeal.
Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens which must be declared need to be clearly listed on the label. If you need to avoid gluten, don’t rely on the bread’s colour or name.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt. The ingredients for AH Wit heel and Jumbo Fijn Volkoren list this, but don’t assume every bread is made in the same way without checking.
Follow the storage instructions for the bread you buy. Albert Heijn recommends storing AH Wit heel in a dry place and says you can freeze it on the day you buy it, then use it within one month of freezing. Other breads may come with different instructions.
Not necessarily: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means that at least three types of grain have been used. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g.
