If you’d like to pack wholemeal bread for a pupil who prefers white bread, first see whether they like finely milled wholemeal bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, gradually switching from white to wholemeal bread can help them get used to the different taste. If a bread is called ‘mix’ or ‘best of both’, don’t rely on the front of the pack alone: check the product description, ingredients and fibre per 100 g. If gluten needs to be avoided for medical reasons, regular wheat bread isn’t suitable.
For a pupil who is used to the taste or texture of white bread, switching to wholemeal can be a gradual process. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests mixing white and wholemeal bread to help them get used to the different taste; finely milled wholemeal bread is another option to try together.
If you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread, the product description, ingredients list and fibre per 100 g are more useful than the colour or a name such as ‘multigrain’.
If a pupil needs to avoid gluten because of coeliac disease, a wheat allergy or diagnosed gluten sensitivity, choosing a suitable bread matters more than choosing between white and wholemeal. Check the current label and bear in mind the school’s arrangements.
Start with what the pupil will actually eat, then check that the bread meets your wholemeal requirements. Before packing it, check for allergens and any school arrangements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Taste and texture | See whether they’ll eat finely milled wholemeal bread. If you’re making the switch, compare white and wholemeal bread too, without assuming that a ‘mix’ name tells you what’s in it. | If a coarser slice gets left behind, I want a bread my pupil will take to school and eat. Around 46% of consumers would put taste and texture at the top of their shopping priorities. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Read the product description and ingredients list; compare the stated fibre content on the same basis, per 100 g. | I want to be able to confirm that the lunch bread really is wholemeal, rather than judge by its colour. For around 36% of consumers, being able to check that it’s wholemeal would come first. |
| Allergens and school arrangements | Check the current label and, if gluten needs to be avoided, whether the product is suitable. Also check the arrangements at your school. | If a pupil needs to avoid gluten or the school has allergen arrangements in place, I want to know what can be packed before making lunch. For around 18% of consumers, this would be their first shopping priority. |
The colour or product name alone doesn’t tell you what flour has been used. So, if a bread is sold as a stepping stone, it’s still important to check what it contains.
Read the product description and ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ingredients are listed in order of quantity; also compare fibre per 100 g.
Regular bread containing gluten isn’t suitable for a pupil who needs to avoid gluten for medical reasons. Cross-contamination may also be a concern.
For a new or changed product, check the current label and follow the arrangements that apply to the pupil and the school.
White bread can help if the pupil would otherwise refuse a sandwich, but it doesn’t replace the aim of gradually trying wholemeal bread.
See whether they’ll eat finely milled wholemeal bread, or try alternating between white and wholemeal bread a little at a time, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre suggests when getting used to a different taste.
If you only need a few slices for school, the rest could be left uneaten.
Following the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice, freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it and take out what you need.
Albert Heijn lists separate categories online for wholemeal bread and bread mixes.
Jumbo lists, among other products, mixes for white bread and finely milled wholemeal bread online.
Lidl distinguishes between white, brown, multigrain and wholemeal bread, among other types, and displays a fibre meter on packaged loaves.
ALDI’s daily fresh range includes white bread alongside finely milled wholemeal bread and other wholemeal varieties.
PLUS lists products including PLUS Rond fijn volkoren heel, with a product description, ingredients and nutritional information.
Dirk’s bread range includes white, wholemeal and multigrain bread.
These bread options show a few different possibilities for a school lunch: wholemeal flatbread, a round multigrain loaf and white rolls. Don’t assume the shape or taste tells you what a product contains. For a wholemeal option or allergen information, check the label of the version you choose.
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A flatbread option to consider if this shape suits the lunch your pupil likes to take to school.
The product name states Whole Wheat and a pack size of 6 P. This isn’t an ordinary sandwich loaf or a confirmed mix of white and wholemeal. The product contains wheat and gluten; check the current label and school arrangements before packing it.
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A round multigrain loaf to consider if you have time to prepare the bread in advance for a school lunch.
The product name states 550 g. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before slicing. If wholemeal bread or an allergen restriction affects your choice, check the product description, nutritional information and allergens on the packaging.
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A white roll option for when the familiar taste of white bread matters more than switching to wholemeal for now.
The pack contains 4 pcs. This isn’t a confirmed mix of white and wholemeal. The product contains wheat; as the packaging notes that traces of other allergens may be present, check the current label and school arrangements.
No, the name alone doesn’t confirm that. Read the product description and ingredients list, and compare fibre per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ingredients are listed in order of quantity; for example, the product description for PLUS Rond fijn volkoren heel says ‘Wholemeal wheat bread’.
Try a wholemeal bread the pupil enjoys, perhaps one with a finer texture, or gradually alternate between white and wholemeal bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that wholemeal tastes different from white bread and suggests mixing the two to help them get used to the taste.
No, regular wheat bread isn’t suitable when a gluten-free diet is necessary. Check that an alternative is clearly labelled gluten-free, and look out for the current label, possible cross-contamination and your school’s arrangements.
Freeze bread in portions as soon as you buy it, and take out only what you need. This is also the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice for bread you won’t use straight away.
Check the ingredients list for the bread you’re considering to see whether it includes baker’s salt. If this matters to your purchase, don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
