If you want wide, thick slices for generously topped barbecue snacks, choose a whole, unsliced loaf and cut it yourself. If wholemeal is your priority, check for it separately in the product name and on the packaging. If you mainly want to serve warm bread, bake-at-home bread or rolls may fit your plans better, but remember to allow time to prepare them.
If you want to match the slices to burgers, grilled vegetables or spreads, a whole, unsliced loaf lets you choose how thick to cut them. For example, Jumbo uses oven-baked bread that you slice thickly yourself in one of its barbecue recipes.
You want to be able to choose wholemeal bread without losing sight of the shape you need for your barbecue snack. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white varieties; the wholemeal label alone tells you nothing about the thickness of the slices.
If warm bread works for your serving plans, consider bake-at-home bread or rolls. Just allow enough time and oven space, and follow the preparation instructions on the packaging.
First decide whether you want to cut wide slices yourself or serve the bread warm. Then check the type of bread and how much you need separately.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Slice thickness and shape | Check that the loaf is whole and unsliced, and that its shape suits your toppings. | For generously topped snacks, I want to decide how thick and wide the slices are myself. Around 33% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Serving warm | Check the preparation instructions and allow time and oven space just before eating. | If the bread needs to be served warm, I plan to bake it around serving time. For around 25% of consumers, serving it warm comes first. |
| Choosing wholemeal | Check for the wholemeal label in the product name and on the packaging; assess the shape separately. | I want to choose wholemeal bread, even if that means looking separately for a suitable shape for my snacks. This is the most important factor for around 25% of consumers. |
| Availability and quantity | Check your shop’s range and whether you’re choosing a whole loaf, half a loaf or individual rolls. | For my barbecue, I mainly want to be able to buy a type of bread in a quantity that suits the number of guests. Around 17% of consumers put this first. |
Grain type, colour and how the bread is sliced are separate characteristics. Dark or multigrain bread isn’t automatically wholemeal or cut into thick slices.
If you want to cut your own slices, look for a whole, unsliced loaf. Check separately for a wholemeal option on the packaging.
Bread that still needs baking has to be prepared just before you eat. This may clash with other demands on your oven.
Read the preparation instructions in advance. If you don’t want to set aside time or oven space, choose bread that you can serve without baking.
Lidl says its fresh bread range can vary between stores. So the loaf you’ve chosen in advance may not be available at your local shop.
Check the local range shortly before your barbecue and have an alternative in mind, such as another whole loaf you can slice yourself.
The Dutch Commodities Act Decree describes baker’s salt as iodised table salt used to make bread. This does not mean that every individual loaf has the same iodine content.
If the ingredients matter to your choice, check the information for the specific product.
A place to compare whole farmhouse loaves with sliced varieties.
Worth considering if you want to compare whole or half loaves with rolls and bake-at-home bread.
Worth considering if you want to compare fresh, packaged and bake-at-home bread.
An option for comparing bread, baguettes and rolls to bake at home.
Worth considering if you want to compare wholemeal bread with individual wholemeal rolls.
Worth considering if you want to explore different types of bread, including farmhouse loaves and baguettes.
These round loaves suit anyone who wants to slice their own bread for barbecue snacks. The varieties listed also need preparing before serving, so check the packaging instructions if you want to fit baking them into your plans.
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For anyone who wants to slice their own bread and is looking for two round loaves. Whole Wheat appears in the product name; allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling. Check the preparation instructions, ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
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For anyone who wants one round loaf to slice themselves. Whole Wheat appears in the product name. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling; follow the packaging for baking time, and check the ingredients and allergens there, too.
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For anyone who wants to slice a round multigrain loaf themselves. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling. Multigrain doesn’t confirm that the bread is wholemeal; check the packaging for this, as well as for ingredients and allergens.
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For anyone looking for two round loaves to prepare and slice themselves. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling. If wholemeal matters to you, check for this on the packaging, along with the ingredients and allergens.
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For anyone looking for one round loaf and wanting to choose the slice thickness themselves. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling. Rustic says nothing about whether the bread is wholemeal; check the packaging if this, the ingredients or the allergens matter to your choice.
Yes, if you want to choose the thickness yourself, a whole, unsliced loaf gives you that option. Just check that the loaf is genuinely unsliced and that its shape is large enough for your toppings.
No, it depends on which type of bread you prefer. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white varieties. For thick snacks, you’ll also need to consider the shape and slice thickness separately.
Follow the storage instructions for the bread you choose. The Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you’ll need it later. For bake-at-home bread, also check the packaging for storage and preparation instructions.
No, don’t assume that all bread has the same iodine content. The Dutch Commodities Act Decree describes baker’s salt as iodised table salt used to make bread. If the ingredients matter to your choice, check the information for the individual product.
Keep perishable toppings chilled until you’re ready to serve them. The Voedingscentrum recommends taking perishable food out of the fridge in small amounts and throwing it away if it has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours.
