If soft bread that’s easy to dip is your priority, choose a flatbread. If you’d rather have a wholemeal option, look for fine wholemeal bread. If people have different preferences, you can serve both. Check the ingredients, nutritional information, allergens and any baking instructions for each product.
If you prefer to avoid a coarse texture, soft bread that’s easy to tear and dip can be an appealing choice. Albert Heijn describes its Turkish bread as suitable for dipping; check the texture of other products individually.
They want a bread with a wholemeal base alongside the bread for dipping. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre identifies fibre as a feature of wholemeal bread. Check the wholemeal description and nutritional information for your chosen variety.
If someone needs to avoid certain ingredients, bread colour and shape aren’t enough to help you choose. Read the current label and take care to avoid cross-contamination when slicing and serving.
First decide whether dipping, a wholemeal base or checking ingredients for dietary reasons is your priority. Then compare the packaging of the breads that meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Soft texture and dipping | Check the shape of the bread and any baking instructions. | If I’m serving bread with dips, I want to be able to tear it easily without a coarse texture. For around 42% of consumers, a soft bread that’s easy to dip is the priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the wholemeal description and compare fibre content on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | I also want to be able to choose a bread with a wholemeal base for this meal, even if it’s less suitable for dipping. Around 33% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current label and consider whether separate preparation and serving are needed. | If someone at the table needs to avoid an ingredient, I put that ahead of the shape of the bread. For around 25% of consumers, checking ingredients is the first thing they do when choosing. |
If wholemeal is the main reason for your choice, colour or a general product name alone won’t tell you enough.
Check the exact wholemeal description, ingredients and nutritional information for the bread.
The Turkish bread described by Albert Heijn contains wheat, sesame and soya. A bread that’s suitable for dipping won’t necessarily suit everyone at the table.
Check the ingredients and allergens against what your guests need to avoid, and take care to prevent cross-contamination when serving if necessary.
Bread that needs to be baked before serving requires a little preparation beforehand.
Read the instructions for the exact product and allow time to bake it before the meal.
Offering soft bread and a wholemeal option gives people a choice, but it can also leave you with leftovers. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that bread is often wasted.
Choose an amount to suit the number of people eating and consider whether smaller packs or half loaves would work.
Albert Heijn offers both wholemeal bread and Turkish bread, so you can compare a wholemeal option with a flatbread.
Jumbo offers several types of wholemeal bread, including fine and coarse varieties.
ALDI offers white bread and fine wholemeal bread, among other options.
PLUS offers wholemeal bread in different shapes, including round loaves and tiger bread.
Dirk offers types of bread such as wholemeal, white and multigrain, as well as rolls and part-baked products.
Lidl offers freshly baked and pre-packed bread, and publishes ingredients and allergen information for its freshly baked range.
These bread options suit dipping, a wholemeal choice or both. If you’re looking for bread to serve with sauces, compare the shape and preparation instructions in particular.
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This wholemeal flatbread is described as suitable for tearing and dipping.
The product information lists wholemeal wheat flour and 6 g of fibre per 100 g.
It contains wheat and gluten; soya and milk may also be present. Check the current packaging for allergen information.
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This rye bread is an option to consider if you’re not choosing bread primarily for dipping.
The product description lists 56% wholegrain cracked rye, but refers to both a ‘bun’ and sliced rye bread. If the shape matters for serving, check the packaging.
It contains cereals containing gluten, including wheat and rye.
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This round loaf gives you a wholemeal option alongside bread chosen mainly for dipping.
It contains wholemeal wheat flour. The frozen loaf needs to be thawed before serving, baked at 220°C and then left to cool.
The ingredients list wheat and gluten. Check the current packaging if allergens are important to your choice.
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This pack of two round wholemeal loaves is a good fit if you want to serve more than one loaf; choose an amount to suit the number of people eating.
The loaves contain wholemeal wheat flour and need to be thawed, baked at 220°C and then left to cool.
The ingredients list wheat and gluten. Check the current packaging for allergen information.
Soft flatbread is a practical choice if guests want to tear and dip their bread. Albert Heijn describes its Turkish bread as suitable for this; if you choose a part-baked variety, follow the instructions for that product.
No. Don’t choose based on colour or the name ‘multigrain’ alone. Check that the specific bread is labelled wholemeal, and read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging.
Read the current label for each bread and avoid cross-contamination if someone needs to avoid certain ingredients. For example, the Turkish bread described by Albert Heijn contains wheat, sesame and soya; this information doesn’t automatically apply to other flatbreads.
Choose amounts of soft and wholemeal bread to suit the number of people eating, and consider smaller packs or half a loaf. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for any leftovers.
