For your toddler’s breakfast, choose bread that is clearly labelled as wholemeal. Seeded bread is an option if your child can chew the texture comfortably; if you’re unsure, smooth wholemeal bread is more practical. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information, and ask about the school or childcare setting’s policy if you’re packing a sandwich.
You’re looking for bread for the breakfast of a child aged 1 to 3. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread as an option for young children; with seeded bread, first check that it is actually wholemeal.
Your child doesn’t find every type of bread easy to eat, or struggles with coarse pieces. A smoother wholemeal option may be more practical; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that children eat sitting calmly and under supervision.
You want to know which allergens the bread contains and what rules apply at the setting. Check the latest packaging: according to the European Union, allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted in the ingredients list.
First, check whether the bread is wholemeal. Then see if the texture suits your toddler, and check the allergens, especially if the sandwich is going to school or childcare.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal ingredients and nutritional value | Check that the bread is labelled wholemeal. Compare fibre and other nutritional values on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | I want the sandwich to be genuinely wholemeal, even if it contains seeds. For around 45% of consumers, choosing wholemeal comes first. |
| Texture and chewing | Check whether the bread contains coarse seeds, kernels or a topping. If you’re unsure, choose a smoother option and serve it in suitable pieces. | If my toddler struggles with coarse pieces, I’d rather choose bread that’s easier to chew. For around 33% of consumers, texture is the deciding factor. |
| Allergens and packed lunches | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information. Ask the school or childcare setting what rules apply. | If the sandwich is going to childcare, I want to know which allergens it contains and what’s allowed there. For around 22% of consumers, checking this is the top priority. |
A name that mentions several grains or seeds doesn’t, by itself, mean the bread is wholemeal.
First, look for the wholemeal label on the packaging. Then compare the seeds, texture and nutritional information.
Recipes vary. Jumbo lists several gluten-containing grains and soya among the ingredients in its Volkoren Meergranen; another bread may contain different allergens.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen information every time you buy, especially if you’re packing the bread to take away.
At home, you can see whether your toddler can chew the texture comfortably. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that young children eat sitting calmly and under supervision.
Let your child try new bread with coarse seeds or kernels at home first. If you’re unsure about the texture, choose smooth wholemeal bread.
The ingredients and allergen information for bread can change.
Check the packaging of the specific bread when you buy it, even if you’ve bought it before.
AH Volkoren heel is an example of a smoother wholemeal option whose ingredients and nutritional information you can compare.
At Jumbo, you can compare smooth wholemeal bread with multigrain bread and varieties containing kernels.
ALDI describes Boeren volkoren meergranen as a bread made with grains and seeds.
At PLUS, you can compare a range of wholemeal and multigrain breads side by side.
Dirk’s bread range includes wholemeal bread, multiseed bread and bread with sunflower seeds.
For freshly baked bread, Lidl refers customers to an ingredients and allergen list.
If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check that it is clearly labelled as wholemeal. ‘Seeded’ and ‘multigrain’ describe other characteristics and don’t, by themselves, confirm that the bread is wholemeal.
Smooth wholemeal bread is a practical choice if your toddler is still getting used to the texture of bread or struggles with coarse pieces. Let your child eat sitting calmly and under supervision, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Check the latest allergen information and ask about the rules at the school or childcare setting in question. According to the European Union, allergens in prepacked foods must be highlighted in the ingredients list, so the product name alone isn’t enough.
Iodised salt means the salt used contains iodine. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Volkoren heel. If you want to compare the salt content of different breads, use the latest nutritional information per 100 g for the specific products.
