For children aged 1 to 3, wholegrain breakfast cereals can be an alternative to bread, provided they contain no added sugar or salt, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Choose porridge or flakes based on the texture your child finds easy to eat. For both, check the ingredients and, where relevant, the allergens on the current packaging.
For a toddler who sometimes likes to swap bread for porridge or yoghurt with cereal, especially when breakfast is a struggle. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholegrain breakfast cereals as one possible alternative.
For anyone who looks beyond the word ‘wholegrain’ and wants to check whether sugar or salt has been added to their chosen option.
For anyone who needs to check for wheat and other relevant allergens before serving or packing breakfast, and confirm any arrangements with school or childcare.
First, check that the wholegrain option contains no added sugar or salt. Then choose a texture your child finds easy to eat, and read the allergen information if it is relevant to your situation.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar and salt | Check the ingredients list for items such as sugar, syrup, honey and salt; don’t rely on ‘wholegrain’ on the front of the pack alone. | I want a breakfast cereal for my toddler that offers an alternative to bread without added sugar or salt. For around 42% of consumers, checking the ingredients comes first. |
| Texture and breakfast routine | See whether your child enjoys porridge, soft cereal in yoghurt or flakes; don’t offer too much at once. | If my child has little appetite in the morning, I’m mainly looking for something they can eat easily and without fuss. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and childcare arrangements | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and ask about school or childcare arrangements if needed. | Before packing breakfast cereal for my child, I want to know which grains and allergens it contains and what arrangements apply. For around 25% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
Wholegrain tells you something about the grain used, not whether anything has been added. For children aged 1 to 3, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt as an alternative to bread.
Use ‘wholegrain’ as your first filter, then read the full ingredients list.
The ingredients listed by Albert Heijn for Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt and AH Volkoren graanontbijt include salt. Jumbo lists salt in its Ontbijtpap Volkoren.
Check the ingredients for the specific option on the packaging again, even if the porridge is mostly made from wholegrain cereals.
A product name doesn’t give you the full list of ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that the specific type of grain must be named in the ingredients list.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and take into account any arrangements that apply to your child and their childcare setting.
A large breakfast can be difficult for a toddler who has little appetite in the morning. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends a calm mealtime and not offering too much at once.
Start with a suitable portion and choose a texture your child finds easy to eat.
These examples show why the ingredients in a specific product matter more than the brand name.
Brinta Volkoren graanontbijt is a porridge made with wholegrain wheat.
The own-brand range includes AH Volkoren graanontbijt.
Jumbo Ontbijtpap Volkoren is a wholegrain wheat porridge in the own-brand range.
Lidl includes wholegrain breakfast cereals and porridge oats in its wholegrain range.
ALDI lists a 500 g pack of Golden Bridge 7-granen volkoren ontbijt.
According to Kellogg's, Special K Original contains rice, wholegrain wheat and barley.
This porridge oat option may be worth considering if you’re looking for an alternative to bread. The product name includes ‘Whole Wheat’, while the available product description mentions oats. Check the packaging to confirm which grain you’re buying.
No image available
If you’re considering porridge as an alternative to bread, first check that the grain listed on the pack is the one you’re looking for, as the name and product description differ.
Before serving this option to a toddler, also check the current ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions.
For a child aged 1 to 3, choose wholegrain breakfast cereals with no added sugar or salt, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends for an alternative to bread at breakfast. The same guidance says the child should have two slices of bread at another time of day.
No. ‘Wholegrain’ doesn’t tell you whether sugar or salt has been added to the flakes or porridge. So, as well as checking the front of the pack, read the ingredients list for the option you’ve chosen.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that, for cereals containing gluten, the specific type of grain must be listed in the ingredients.
First, check the label and ask the school or childcare setting about its arrangements for food brought from home and allergens. The ingredients list tells you what is stated for the product, but it doesn’t replace those arrangements.
