For your child, choose bread labelled wholemeal, then check separately whether the slice thickness suits your child and their lunchbox. A more finely milled loaf may be worth trying if they are not keen on a coarser crumb. Check the allergen information with every purchase, and ask about your school or childcare provider’s policy before packing bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also advises looking for bread made with baker’s salt if iodine from bread is relevant to your child’s diet.
For a child’s everyday lunch, it helps to have familiar wholemeal bread that’s easy to fill and pack. If iodine from bread is a consideration, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking whether the bread is made with baker’s salt.
A finely or extra-finely milled wholemeal loaf is an option if your child doesn’t like a coarse texture. Check that the type of slice and ingredients are suitable for each loaf.
If your child has a relevant allergy, check the bread’s current ingredients and allergen information. Also ask the school, after-school club or childcare provider what rules they have for food brought in from home.
Start by checking that the bread is labelled wholemeal. Then check the allergen information and whether the slice and crumb are right for your child.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and, if needed, compare the fibre per 100 g on the current packaging. | If I want to pack wholemeal bread every day, I don’t want to rely on a brown colour or a ‘multigrain’ name. For around 42% of consumers, choosing wholemeal comes first. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings. Ask the school or childcare provider about their own rules. | If the bread is going to school and allergens or rules about food brought from home are relevant, I want to know whether this particular loaf is suitable before packing it. An estimated 33% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Crumb and slice thickness | Check that the bread is medium-sliced and consider whether a finer crumb would better suit your child’s preference. | My child sometimes leaves a coarse slice uneaten, so I look for a texture and size that are comfortable to eat. This matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
The colour and a multigrain name don’t, on their own, tell you whether bread is wholemeal.
Look for the wholemeal label and read the ingredients list rather than judging by appearance alone.
A finer crumb doesn’t tell you anything about the slice thickness, type of salt or allergens in that particular loaf.
Check the packaging for the wholemeal status, slice thickness, ingredients and nutritional information separately.
Wholemeal bread made with wheat contains gluten. Other ingredients and warnings can vary between products, and schools or childcare providers may have their own rules.
Check the current allergen information when you buy the bread, and ask about the rules at its destination before sending it in.
You’ll need to check each product to see whether it is made with baker’s salt or iodised salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking for bread made with baker’s salt if iodine from bread is relevant.
To check, read the ingredients list of the bread you want to buy.
Albert Heijn stocks sliced petit wholemeal bread, among other options.
Jumbo lists several wholemeal breads, including bus fijn volkoren and tijger volkoren.
Lidl describes a kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
The wholemeal label helps you identify bread made from the whole grain. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains fibre. Check the current packaging for the nutritional values of the bread you’re considering.
No. Medium-sliced describes how the bread is cut, not its ingredients or allergens. Check that the bread is wholemeal, that the slice suits your child and their lunchbox, and that the allergen information is right for your situation.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and look out for cereals containing gluten, such as wheat. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergens must be listed on the label, so don’t rely on the product name alone.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises looking for baker’s salt if iodine from bread is relevant to your child’s diet. Don’t assume every loaf contains the same type of salt.
