If fibre is your main consideration when choosing an after-school snack, look for bread labelled as wholemeal and compare the nutritional information per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a slice of wholemeal bread as a possible snack for children; whether it works at home also depends on what your child likes to eat. If your child needs to avoid gluten or wheat, ordinary wholemeal wheat bread is not a suitable alternative.
Parents who want to give their child a sandwich as an after-school snack and are therefore considering wholemeal bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists a slice of wholemeal bread as a possible snack for children.
Parents who take into account the texture and flavour their child is used to. Fine wholemeal bread may be worth comparing, but a brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ does not, by itself, mean the bread is wholemeal.
Parents for whom ingredients and allergens are the deciding factors. Ordinary wholemeal wheat bread is not an alternative if a child needs to avoid gluten; if they have a wheat allergy, you should also check specifically for wheat.
First decide whether you are mainly looking for wholemeal bread, need to take your child’s preferences into account, or have to avoid bread with certain ingredients. Then compare the portion size and storage advice for an after-school snack.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g in different breads. | If fibre is my main reason for replacing white bread, I want to know what I’m buying. For around 36% of consumers, fibre is the top priority. |
| Texture and whether your child will eat it | See whether there is a fine wholemeal variety or a smaller loaf available. | My child is used to soft white bread, so I’m looking for a wholemeal variety they will eat too. Getting their acceptance matters most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Gluten and wheat | Read the current ingredient and allergen information; if you pack bread for school, check the school’s rules too. | If my child needs to avoid gluten or wheat, I want to make sure I don’t pack unsuitable bread. For around 21% of consumers, this is the first thing to check. |
| Portions and storage | Compare pack sizes and follow the storage or freezing advice for the bread you choose. | For a regular snack, I don’t want to keep buying more bread than we use. Easy storage and suitable portion sizes are the top priorities for around 14% of consumers. |
The colour and the word ‘multigrain’ don’t tell you whether the bread is made entirely from wholemeal flour. Albert Heijn explains that the term ‘wholemeal’ is only used for bread made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Check the product name. Then compare the fibre per 100 g if you’re choosing between different breads.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. An earlier purchase or product photo is no substitute for checking the label on the bread you’re packing now.
Read the current packaging and ask the school about any rules on food brought in from home. If your child has a wheat allergy, check specifically for wheat: a ‘gluten-free’ label alone doesn’t answer that question.
If your child only has a few slices after school, some may be left over before you get a chance to use them.
Consider buying half a loaf or freezing portions if the packaging provides suitable storage advice.
When comparing these shops, check the information for the specific bread: a range description doesn’t tell you the ingredients or nutritional values of every variety.
Offers different types and varieties of wholemeal bread, including whole and half loaves.
Product pages for specific breads list ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
Provides an overview of ingredients and allergens for its fresh-from-the-oven bread range.
Offers wholemeal bread, including a variety called Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood.
Provides nutritional information, allergen details and storage advice for specific wholemeal breads.
Offers different types of bread, including white, wholemeal, multigrain and sourdough.
These two wheat breads are worth considering if you’re looking for wholemeal bread for after school. The flatbread needs different preparation from the loaf, which must first be defrosted and baked. If allergens are a concern, check the current packaging for both.
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A wholemeal wheat flatbread to consider if you want to serve a bread snack after school without baking it first.
This is not a gluten-free alternative. Check the current ingredient and allergen information before use, including any possible traces if these are relevant to your child.
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A 550 g wholemeal wheat loaf for anyone who can defrost, bake and cool the bread before snack time.
Bear this preparation in mind if you need a quick snack. Check the fibre per 100 g and the latest allergen information on the packaging; this bread contains wheat gluten.
Not necessarily, but if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread, the product name is a good place to start. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible, and lists a slice of wholemeal bread as a possible snack for children. Also take into account the texture your child likes to eat.
No. According to Albert Heijn’s explanation, the term ‘wholemeal’ is used for bread made from 100% wholemeal flour. So don’t rely on the colour or the word ‘multigrain’; check the product name instead.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be clearly identifiable and that the specific grain must be named when gluten-containing cereals are present. If your child needs to avoid gluten, look for the ‘gluten-free’ label; if they have a wheat allergy, also check separately for wheat.
Baker’s salt is relevant if you want to know whether salt with added iodine has been used in the bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights bread made with baker’s salt as a source of iodine. Don’t assume that every loaf contains the same amount of iodine; check the ingredients and nutritional information for the product you choose.
