For lunch at nursery, start by choosing crispbread labelled ‘wholegrain’. Then check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens, and compare fibre, salt and portion size. Whether your child can take it in also depends on the arrangements agreed with you and the nursery. Don’t assume the crispbread contains iodine based on a general rule about baker’s salt.
If you want to choose wholegrain crispbread for your child’s nursery lunch, don’t rely on its brown colour or a label such as ‘with wholegrain cereals’. Check the product description and ingredients list. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) explain the difference between wholegrain and partially wholegrain cereal products.
If you need to agree on gluten or other allergens, check the packaging of the product you’re actually packing. Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements, and make sure they fit the arrangements agreed for your child and the nursery.
If you’re comparing packs for several lunches, check the fibre and salt per 100 g, the stated portion size and the storage instructions. You should also be able to store an opened pack properly sealed.
Start with the wholegrain label and any allergen arrangements. Then compare the nutritional information of products suitable for lunch.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain labelling | Look for the label ‘wholegrain’ and read the ingredients list. ‘With wholegrain cereals’ does not mean the same as a product that is entirely wholegrain. | I want to choose genuinely wholegrain crispbread for lunch, not just a product made partly with wholemeal flour. An estimated 38% of consumers put this first. |
| Allergens and nursery arrangements | Check the current ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ statement. Make sure they fit the arrangements agreed for your child and the nursery. | If there are arrangements in place for gluten or other allergens, I want to know whether the product I pack is suitable. An estimated 38% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Nutritional information and storage | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and check the portion size. Read how to store the pack once opened. | For several lunches, I want to be able to compare portions and keep an opened pack from losing its quality. An estimated 24% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the NVWA, for a product to be labelled ‘wholegrain’, its cereal ingredient must consist entirely of wholegrain flour. A mention of wholegrain cereals as an ingredient does not offer the same assurance.
For this lunch choice, first look for the label ‘wholegrain’ on the pack. Only then compare other features.
Wholegrain crispbread may contain wheat, rye, sesame or other relevant allergens. A product’s ingredients may also change.
Check the pack you’re putting in your child’s lunch, and if there are individual dietary arrangements, discuss which products are allowed at the nursery.
A general rule about baker’s salt does not confirm that a particular crispbread is made with salt containing added iodine.
If iodine matters to your choice, check the information for the specific product on the label or ask the manufacturer.
Crispbread can lose its quality after opening if it is stored somewhere damp or left unsealed.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing crispbread in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed pack. Also follow the instructions on the packaging.
Albert Heijn lists AH Knäckebröd volkoren as one of its own-brand products.
Jumbo lists an own-brand wholegrain crispbread made with wheat and rye flour.
Lidl lists a product called Volkoren knäckebrod.
Look for the label ‘wholegrain’ on the packaging and check the ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the NVWA, this label means that the cereal ingredient consists entirely of wholegrain flour; ‘with wholegrain cereals’ is not the same label.
Crispbread containing wheat or rye is not suitable if your child’s dietary arrangements exclude these gluten-containing cereals. Check the current packaging and the arrangements with the nursery for your child. Assess any alternative separately by checking its ingredients and allergens.
No. That does not follow from the rules about baker’s salt. If iodine matters to your choice of product, check the label on the crispbread you’ve chosen or ask the manufacturer which ingredients it uses.
Store it in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed pack, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also check the storage instructions on the packaging, especially if you’re using the pack for several lunches.
