Only choose a croissant for after school as a wholemeal option if the specific product is labelled as such and the ingredients support that claim; ‘multiseed’ is not a substitute for ‘wholemeal’. Check the allergen information too, along with any rules set by the school or childcare provider. If the croissant shape isn’t essential, a roll specifically labelled as wholemeal could be an alternative.
If you want to give your child a croissant after school and are choosing wholemeal, you’ll need to look beyond a name such as ‘multiseed’ or a brown colour. The product’s labelling and ingredients are what will tell you.
If a child has an allergy or intolerance, or the school or childcare provider has specific rules, it’s important to check the up-to-date allergen information for the particular croissant.
If you have little time to prepare something after school, check whether the croissant is ready to eat or needs finishing in the oven. If a wholemeal option matters more than the croissant shape, a wholemeal roll is also worth considering.
First, check the wholemeal labelling and ingredients of the croissant you’ve chosen. Then look at the allergen information and decide whether the preparation suits when you need the snack.
| What to look for | What to check | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely wholemeal | Check that the specific product is explicitly labelled as wholemeal and look at its ingredients. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, all the grain ingredients in a product labelled as wholemeal must come from wholemeal flour. | If I’m looking for a different croissant specifically because it’s made with wholemeal grain, I don’t want to rely on seeds or colour. Around 40% of consumers demonstrably give wholemeal the highest priority. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the latest allergen information. If the croissant is sold loose, ask which gluten-containing cereals it includes. Also check the rules set by the school or childcare provider. | If I’m packing something for a child with an allergy, I want to know what ingredients are in this croissant and what they’re allowed to bring. For around 30% of consumers, allergens and school rules matter most. |
| Preparation after school | Check whether the croissant is ready to eat or needs baking, and follow the preparation instructions on the packaging if necessary. | If the snack needs to be ready straight away, it makes a difference whether it still needs time in the oven. For around 30% of consumers, having it ready quickly or preparing it quickly comes first. |
Seeds, a dark colour or a multigrain name don’t tell you by themselves which flour has been used. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority has also found that some products were wrongly labelled as wholemeal.
So check both the wholemeal labelling and the ingredients on the packaging or product page of the croissant you’re buying.
Ingredients can vary from one croissant to another. Allergen information must be shown on the label of pre-packed foods. For unpackaged products, the seller must make this information available, according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
Check the latest information for the specific product, and if you’re buying a loose croissant, ask which gluten-containing cereals it includes. Check the school or childcare provider’s rules too before packing anything.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains more iodine than table salt, but bakers aren’t required to use it. So don’t assume every croissant is made with baker’s salt.
If you want to know which salt is used in a particular croissant, check the ingredients or ask the seller.
These retailers offer croissants or separate wholemeal bread products that may be relevant to your choice. Check each croissant individually to see whether it really is labelled as wholemeal.
Albert Heijn offers an AH Multiseed croissant alongside other croissants.
Jumbo offers a range of croissants, as well as separate wholemeal rolls that you can bake at home.
Lidl sells a butter croissant in store and provides information about ingredients and allergens.
ALDI includes croissants in its bake-at-home range and wholemeal rolls in its wider bread range.
PLUS offers wholemeal bread and breakfast crackers as alternatives to croissants.
Dirk has a category for rolls and croissants, as well as separate wholemeal bread products.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, all the grain ingredients in a product labelled as wholemeal must come from wholemeal flour. For a croissant, check the labelling and ingredients of the specific product.
Not necessarily: ‘multiseed’ doesn’t tell you whether all the grain ingredients come from wholemeal flour. Check the wholemeal labelling and ingredients before making your choice.
Ask the seller for the allergen information before choosing the croissant. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, it must be clear which gluten-containing cereals are present in unpackaged foods. For a pre-packed product, check the label.
No, you can’t tell from the type of product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For a particular croissant, check the ingredients or ask the seller.
