For your child’s school lunch, start with bread labelled as wholemeal that they enjoy eating. A finer texture may help if coarse slices are left uneaten. If you’re considering a variety that’s extra high in fibre, compare the nutrition information too, and check the allergens and your school or after-school club’s rules for any bread you choose. If iodine from bread is a consideration, check the label to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used.
Sliced wholemeal bread is a good starting point if your child likes the texture. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread as part of children’s lunches; check the ingredients and nutrition information on the pack you choose.
If firm grains or a coarse texture put your child off, you could try more finely milled wholemeal bread. Lidl, for example, describes a kids’ variety made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour; check the current label for the variety you choose.
Before packing lunch, read the bread’s allergen information and ask about the rules at school or at your child’s after-school club. The wholemeal products described by Albert Heijn and PLUS list cereals containing gluten; don’t assume this applies to every other wholemeal bread.
Start with the wholemeal labelling. Then consider whether the texture suits your child and check the label and any school rules before packing lunch. The size of the loaf also affects whether you’ll use it all at home.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal content and fibre | Check the product name and compare the fibre per 100 g on the nutrition information for the breads you’re considering. | If I’m looking for an everyday sandwich for school lunch, I want to be sure I’m choosing wholemeal bread. For around 36% of consumers, wholemeal content comes first. |
| Flavour and texture | Check whether the bread is fine or coarse and see how its description compares with what your child usually eats. | If coarse slices are left uneaten, I want to be able to try a finer texture. Flavour and texture matter most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information, and ask the school or after-school club about its rules. | If there are allergy rules in the class, I want to know whether the bread I choose meets them. Allergens and school rules take priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Loaf size | Check whether a whole or half loaf suits how much bread you eat at home and whether your chosen variety is available. | If we only eat a few slices at home, I want to choose a size we can finish in time. For around 14% of consumers, this is the main practical consideration. |
The word ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you which allergens a particular bread contains. The products described by Albert Heijn and PLUS list cereals containing gluten; for other breads, check the packaging itself.
When buying a new bread, check the ingredients and allergen information, and ask the school or after-school club about its lunch rules.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine may be present in bread through baker’s salt. That doesn’t mean every loaf is made with it.
If iodine from bread is important to your choice, check the label to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients.
ALDI’s comparison for Extra High Fibre Wholemeal Bread is specific to that bread and ordinary wholemeal bread, using NEVO-Online 2021 7.0 as its stated reference. It says nothing about the flavour, allergens or ingredients of other varieties.
Compare the nutrition information per 100 g for the breads you’re actually considering, and check the ingredients and allergens separately.
A product description may refer to a bread that is no longer stocked. Albert Heijn marked the coarse wholemeal variety described as discontinued.
Choose based on the packaging of the bread you can actually buy, and check that the size suits how much you use at home.
An example for anyone looking to compare the ingredients and nutritional values of a coarse wholemeal variety.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a finer wholemeal texture for school lunch.
Worth considering if you want to compare an everyday wholemeal variety with a specific high-fibre bread.
An example to check when comparing the ingredients and allergens of a wholemeal variety.
Worth considering if you’re looking at a whole wholemeal loaf for several lunches.
A lunch portion isn’t the same as a daily amount. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends 90–210 g of wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals per day for children aged 4 to 12; this range isn’t a set portion for one lunchbox.
No. Don’t use the product name as a substitute for allergen information. The breads described by Albert Heijn and PLUS list cereals containing gluten; check the latest ingredients and allergen information for the bread you’re buying, and follow the rules at school or at your child’s after-school club.
No, the Dutch rule described doesn’t require this for every loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may only be present in bread through baker’s salt, at a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients of the bread you choose.
Follow the storage instructions for the specific bread. The AH Farmer’s Coarse Wholemeal Bread, Whole Loaf variety described stated that it could be frozen at home and should be used within one month; those instructions don’t automatically apply to other breads.
