If you’re looking for a stepping stone between white and wholemeal bread for a fussy eater, choose a multigrain loaf whose ingredients include both wholemeal flour and white flour. If fibre is your priority, look for a multigrain loaf explicitly labelled wholemeal and compare the nutritional information per 100 g. Whichever you choose, don’t rely on a dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone.
If you’re not ready to choose a strongly flavoured wholemeal loaf, check the ingredients list for a combination of wholemeal flour and white flour. This lets you check what’s in the bread without trying to guess its taste from its colour.
For this choice, the ‘wholemeal’ label and the amount of fibre per 100 g are more useful than the number of different grains alone. Compare the nutritional information for the loaves you’re actually considering.
Half loaves or rolls may be a better fit if you don’t get through much bread. If you plan to freeze it, check the storage instructions for the product you choose.
First, decide whether the ingredients, fibre content or quantity of bread matters most to your household. Then check the label on the specific variety.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether the bread is labelled wholemeal and compare the fibre per 100 g. | If I’m mainly looking for wholemeal flour and fibre, I don’t want to judge by the colour of the bread. This is the top priority for around 44% of consumers. |
| Blend of flours | Check whether both wholemeal flour and white flour are listed in the ingredients; also check which grains and seeds are included if they matter to the person eating it. | For a fussy eater, I want to try a bread with a clearly stated blend, without making assumptions about its taste. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this mix of ingredients. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare whole and half loaves or rolls, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | If a whole loaf is too much for my household, I want to choose a quantity we can use. This is the biggest consideration for around 23% of consumers. |
Multigrain bread can also contain white flour. So the name or colour alone doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour or fibre the bread contains.
Check the product name and ingredients list, and compare the fibre per 100 g.
According to the Voedingscentrum, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. If you want to know whether your chosen loaf contains this iodised salt, you can’t tell from the type of bread alone.
For packaged bread, check the label; for unwrapped bread, ask about the ingredients.
Multigrain products differ in their grains and other ingredients. The allergens in one variety don’t automatically apply to another, even within the same brand.
Check the current allergen information for the loaf you choose every time you buy it.
For a small household, the quantity of bread can determine what’s practical to store.
Compare a half loaf with rolls, and check the packaging instructions before freezing.
These brands give you a starting point for comparing the ingredients, nutritional information and sizes of individual loaves.
An example of a clearly stated blend of wholemeal flour and white flour.
Offers multigrain and wholemeal multigrain products that you can compare by name and nutritional information.
Distinguishes between multigrain and wholemeal bread in its fresh bread range.
Its range includes Boeren volkoren meergranenbrood.
Offers multigrain varieties in different sizes, including half loaves and rolls.
Offers both multigrain and wholemeal multigrain varieties, including half loaves.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. Check the product name and ingredients list: multigrain bread can contain white flour as well as wholemeal flour.
Look for both types of flour in the ingredients list for the specific loaf. For example, according to Albert Heijn, AH Vloerbrood meergranen heel contains 31% wholemeal wheat flour and 30% wheat flour; other multigrain loaves may have a different composition.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients on the packaging or, for unwrapped bread, ask which salt was used.
A half loaf or rolls may be a better fit if you don’t use much bread. If you want to freeze it, follow the instructions for the product you choose: PLUS says to freeze PLUS Korenlanders Volkoren meergranenbollen on the day of purchase and use them within one month.
