Parents of toddlers under 2
Wholemeal naan can be part of a varied breakfast, but the NHS advises that wholegrain foods should not be the only starchy foods offered at this age.
Who is choosing?
Parents of children aged 2 to 4
If you are adding more wholegrains, keep other foods in the rotation too. NHS guidance cautions against giving only high-fibre foods before age 5 because they can fill small stomachs before children get enough calories and nutrients.
Parents packing food for nursery or school
Check the naan’s wheat and gluten declaration and the setting’s food-allergy policy before packing it. Requirements depend on the individual setting; in England, Department for Education guidance requires schools to publish an allergy safety policy.
What matters when choosing?
Wholemeal naan
When it fits: Use it as one starch in a varied breakfast, rather than choosing it solely because it says ‘wholemeal’.
Bear in mind: The NHS cautions that high-fibre foods can fill young children’s small stomachs before they get enough calories and nutrients.
Plain naan or another starch
When it fits: Keep other starchy choices alongside wholemeal foods, particularly for a child under 2.
Bear in mind: Plain naan still needs a salt and allergen check; its name does not tell you what a toddler-sized portion contains.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for wholemeal flour in the ingredients, then read the fibre value per 100g and the portion information. The NHS advises against offering only wholegrain starches to under-2s or only high-fibre foods to under-5s. | I want to include wholemeal foods without making them the only starchy choice at breakfast. |
| Salt | Compare salt per 100g and in the portion served. The NHS recommends no more than 2g of salt a day for children aged 1 to 3. Tesco Plain Naans list 0.48g per half naan (65g); Waitrose Plain Naan lists 0.95g per naan. Those serving sizes differ. | A small serving may be enough for my toddler, so I need the salt figure for the amount I will serve, not just the figure for a full naan. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredients and highlighted allergens. Tesco and Waitrose identify wheat or cereals containing gluten in their plain naan examples. Check the nursery or school’s own policy before packing food. | If food is going to nursery or school, I need to know what the pack declares and what that setting permits. |
| Size and storage | Compare mini and standard formats, pack quantity, and the particular product’s opened-pack, freezing and reheating instructions. | For an occasional breakfast, I would rather choose a pack I can use and store according to its instructions than rely on serving a full naan each time. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Assuming wholemeal is the automatic choice
According to the NHS, high-fibre foods can fill a young child’s stomach before they get enough calories and nutrients.
Keep a variety of starchy foods available. For children under 2, do not make wholegrain starches the only option.
-
Assuming wholemeal means less salt
Flour type and salt content are separate label details. Tesco Plain Naans list 0.48g salt per half naan, while Waitrose Plain Naan lists 0.95g per naan; the portions are not the same size.
Use the current pack’s per-100g and serving figures to work out the amount in the portion offered.
-
Overlooking the pack and the lunch setting
The Tesco and Waitrose plain naan examples declare wheat or cereals containing gluten. A nursery or school may also have its own food-allergy arrangements.
Read the physical pack before serving or packing naan, and check the individual setting’s policy.
-
Buying more naan than you can use as directed
A larger pack may be less practical when breakfasts call for small portions and the product has specific storage instructions.
Check pack size and follow that product’s instructions for opening, freezing, defrosting and reheating.
Brand and retailer references
These retailer examples help with label and format checks; a plain or mini listing does not establish that a wholemeal version is available.
Tesco
Tesco’s Plain Naans provide a product-specific example for checking ingredients and portion-based nutrition.
- The Tesco product page lists wheat flour and 0.48g salt per half naan (65g).
- This example is plain naan; check the ingredients of any product you are considering for wholemeal flour.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s naan category includes plain, mini plain and flavoured formats.
- Mini plain naan offers a format to consider when a standard naan is more than you intend to serve.
- Check the particular pack for flour, salt and allergens rather than applying one variety’s details to another.
Waitrose
Waitrose Plain Naan offers another product-specific label example.
- Waitrose lists wheat flour, wheat gluten and 0.95g salt per naan.
- Its per-naan salt figure should not be compared directly with a half-naan serving without accounting for portion size.
M&S
M&S lists mini plain naan alongside other naan formats.
- The mini format gives shoppers a pack-size alternative to standard naan.
- Use the individual product’s pack to check nutrition and allergens before choosing it for a child.
Lidl
Lidl provides general information about its in-store bakery range.
- Its bakery information directs shoppers to Customer Care for ingredient and additive details.
- Lidl says it cannot guarantee that other allergens are absent from its bakery range; check the details of the specific bread before buying.
Joybuy naan and flatbread options
These options are plain and flavoured naan, plus a plain paratha if you are considering a different flatbread. The paratha is not naan, and none of these products is a wholemeal naan.
No image available
Humza Plain Naan Family Pack 900g (12 pieces)
A plain naan option for a household planning several servings. It is not a wholemeal choice; check the pack’s salt, allergens and storage instructions when deciding how much to serve and keep.
No image available
Humza Plain Tandoori Naan 300g (4 pieces)
This four-piece plain naan pack is an alternative to the larger family pack for occasional use. It is not wholemeal; read its own salt and allergen declaration before serving.
No image available
Humza Original Plain Paratha Family Pack 1.6 kg
This is a paratha, not a naan, for shoppers considering a different plain flatbread. With a young child, check its fibre, salt, allergens and portion information rather than assuming it has the same recipe as plain naan.
No image available
Humza Garlic and Coriander Tandoori Naan 300g (4 pieces)
This flavoured four-piece naan pack is distinct from the plain choices and is not wholemeal. Check the particular pack’s salt and allergen information rather than assuming the recipe matches a plain naan.
Common questions
Should wholemeal naan be a toddler’s everyday breakfast starch?
It can be one choice, but it should not be the only starchy food offered to a child under 2. The NHS also advises against giving only high-fibre foods before age 5, as they can fill small stomachs before children get enough calories and nutrients.
How do I compare salt in naan for a child aged 1 to 3?
Read the salt figure on the current pack and account for the portion you will serve. The NHS recommends no more than 2g of salt a day at ages 1 to 3. Tesco Plain Naans list 0.48g per half naan (65g), while Waitrose Plain Naan lists 0.95g per naan, so compare serving sizes as well as the figures.
Does naan contain gluten?
Recipes vary, but the Tesco and Waitrose plain naan examples declare wheat or cereals containing gluten. Check the current pack’s ingredients and highlighted allergens for the exact product, particularly where wheat or gluten must be avoided.
Can I pack naan for nursery or school?
Check the individual setting’s food-allergy policy and the naan’s allergen label before packing it. Department for Education guidance requires schools in England to publish an allergy safety policy; that does not establish a single packed-lunch rule for every UK nursery or school.
Can I freeze naan for occasional breakfasts?
Check the instructions for the exact product before freezing it. The Tesco Plain Naans and Waitrose Plain Naan product information includes freezing guidance, but storage and defrosting directions should not be assumed to apply to another naan.