For a school lunch, only choose a currant bun if the packaging actually says ‘wholemeal’; an ordinary currant bun with raisins or currants is not automatically wholemeal. Then check the allergens and compare the nutritional information per 100 g. Before buying, check that your chosen variety is available and suits your lunch plans.
If you’re looking for a currant bun for a packed lunch and want it to be wholemeal, start by checking the wording on the packaging. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal products contain more fibre than comparable products made with white flour.
For a school lunch, your child’s allergens and the school or class rules may determine what you choose. Read the information on the current packaging; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, gluten is relevant, for example, for coeliac disease and wheat allergy.
If you’re shopping for more than one school day, you’ll want to know how many buns are in a pack and how to store them. Also check current availability: Lidl says its mini wholemeal raisin buns are only available in store.
Start by checking for ‘wholemeal’ and looking at the allergens on the packaging. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g and decide whether the pack size and storage instructions suit the number of lunches you’re planning.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ on the packaging and compare fibre per 100 g. | For a packed lunch, I want to know whether the currant bun is genuinely wholemeal rather than judging by its colour. Around 36% of consumers prioritise wholemeal status and fibre. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and take the school or class rules into account. | If allergens are a concern, I need to know before packing which ingredients matter for the child or class. For around 29% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
| Availability and storage | Check where the variety is available and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | When planning for several school days, I want to be able to plan without relying on an old product listing. Current availability and storage are the top priorities for around 21% of consumers. |
| Portion size | Check the number of buns and the pack weight; compare nutritional values per 100 g, not across different portion sizes. | For a small packed lunch, I want to know how many buns to pack each time and how many will be left over. Around 14% of consumers give portion planning top priority. |
The colour and the presence of currants or raisins do not confirm that a bun is wholemeal. For example, PLUS describes the currant bun it reviewed as a white wheat, raisin and currant bun.
Use the word ‘wholemeal’ as your first selection criterion, then check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
Other allergens vary from product to product. So simply checking the type of product isn’t enough when you need to avoid specific allergens in a packed lunch.
Read the full allergen information on the packaging you buy and check the school or class rules.
Jumbo says that the mini wholemeal raisin and currant buns and wholemeal buns it reviewed are no longer available online. An old listing therefore doesn’t tell you whether you can plan a lunch around them now.
Check availability just before buying and read the information on the current packaging.
Lidl lists mini wholemeal raisin buns in a 360 g pack, available in store only.
Jumbo has listed mini wholemeal raisin and currant buns, as well as separate wholemeal buns.
PLUS lists currant buns made with white wheat flour, as well as separate wholemeal rolls.
Albert Heijn lists several types of currant bun. The AH raisin currant buns reviewed are made with white wheat flour.
Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the packaging; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread labelled this way is genuinely wholemeal. If you’re choosing between packs, also read the ingredients and compare fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g.
A wholemeal currant bun made with wheat is not gluten-free. If you need a gluten-free diet, check the full allergen information for the specific product and don’t rely on the word ‘wholemeal’.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you choose. For the currant buns and separate wholemeal rolls it reviewed, PLUS says they can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should then be used within one month. Don’t assume this advice applies to other varieties.
