Choose a whole sourdough or stone-baked loaf if presentation is your priority; if you specifically want wholemeal bread, check the product name and nutritional information rather than relying on a rustic appearance. Bake-at-home bread lets you choose when to bake it, but remember to allow time for preparation. If you’re buying bread for guests, also check the allergen information and whether the exact product is available.
You’re looking for a whole loaf whose shape, crust and crumb go well with your toppings and the way you plan to serve it. Sourdough and stone-baked loaves are two options; treat retailers’ descriptions of taste as product information, not as an independent taste test.
You want to compare the type of grain and fibre content as well as the appearance. Check whether a loaf is explicitly labelled wholemeal and, where available, compare the nutritional information per 100 g. Multigrain and rustic don’t automatically mean wholemeal.
You’re taking allergens, preparation time and access to a shop with freshly baked bread into account. Check the information for the exact product and, if you’re buying bake-at-home bread, plan when to bake it before serving coffee.
First decide whether presentation, wholemeal status, allergen checks or serving time is your top priority. A sourdough, wholemeal or bake-at-home loaf may meet more than one of these requirements, so assess each product individually.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and taste | Look at the shape of the loaf and check whether you can serve it whole or unsliced. Assess claims about crust and taste for the specific loaf. | If I want to make the bread a feature of the table, I focus on its shape and whether it goes with the toppings. Around 33% of consumers prioritise presentation and taste. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether the bread is explicitly labelled wholemeal and, where available, compare the fibre content per 100 g. | For me, the type of grain matters more than a rustic name or packaging. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this choice. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the allergen information for the exact product; ask about it if the bread is unwrapped. Don’t rely on labels such as spelt or sourdough. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know which bread is suitable before buying it. Checking allergens and ingredients is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Serving time and availability | Check the range at your local shop or the available ordering options. If you’re buying bake-at-home bread, read the preparation instructions. | If coffee is being served at a set time, I want to plan my shop visit or baking around it. This is the top priority for around 17% of consumers. |
Those words alone don’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white bread; a rustic appearance doesn’t tell you anything about that.
Look for the wholemeal label, then compare the nutritional information for the loaves you’re considering.
According to the Voedingscentrum, iodine is added to bakers’ salt, but bakers aren’t required to use it. So you can’t tell which type of salt a loaf contains from the type of bread alone.
If this matters to you, check the ingredients list on packaged bread or ask which salt has been used if the bread is unwrapped.
Sourdough, spelt and artisan are not allergen declarations. If you’re choosing bread for a guest with a food allergy, you’ll need information about the exact loaf and how it will be served.
Check the label or ask for the allergen information if the bread is unwrapped. Keep bread intended for a particular guest separate when serving it.
Jumbo says its in-store-baked sourdough loaves can’t be ordered online. ALDI links its oven-fresh range to shops with a bakery section.
Before planning your coffee time, check whether the bread you want is available at your local shop or through your chosen ordering option.
A necessary trip to the shop or choosing an alternative loaf takes extra planning.
These bread ranges offer different options for the coffee table. Check the type of bread, ingredients and availability for each product; descriptions of how it’s made and how it tastes come from the retailers concerned.
AH Liefde & Passie and OerDesem include sourdough, spelt, seeded and wholemeal loaves.
Jumbo’s rustic sourdough loaves include multiseed, spelt and wholemeal varieties.
PLUS Korenlanders includes sourdough loaves in several varieties, including multigrain and wholemeal.
Bakkersgoud and Bakkersgoud Rustiek include rustic white, wholemeal, spelt and multiseed loaves.
Lidl offers oven-fresh bread and displays a fibre meter on its packaged loaves.
Bakker van der Akker is Dirk’s bread range, with wholemeal options among its products.
Below you’ll find round loaves for serving whole, as well as ciabattas and ciabattinas for a different presentation or to serve in portions. If you’re planning to bake a product at home, follow the packaging instructions when planning your timings.
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A round loaf for anyone wanting to serve a whole loaf and specifically looking for wholemeal bread.
Check the instructions for defrosting, baking and cooling before deciding when to serve it.
If you’re serving guests with allergies, read the information on the exact packaging.
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A round multigrain loaf to serve whole with coffee.
Multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal; check the label and nutritional information if that distinction matters to you.
Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling according to the product instructions.
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Four individual ciabattas for anyone who wants to serve bread one piece at a time.
The product is listed as 4 × 135 g. Allow time for defrosting and baking, and check the packaging for the correct baking time.
Check the allergen information for your guests.
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A ciabatta for anyone wanting to slice one loaf to serve with coffee.
The stated weight is 250 g. Check the packaging to see whether and how you need to prepare the loaf before serving.
If you’re choosing it for guests, read the allergen information for the exact product.
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Ciabattinas for anyone who would rather serve bread rolls than one whole loaf.
The packaging states 240 g. Check the preparation method and baking time on the packaging before planning to serve them at a set coffee time.
If you’re serving guests with allergies, refer to the information on the exact packaging.
No. Sourdough refers to a method of preparation and spelt is a type of grain; neither label confirms that a loaf is wholemeal or gluten-free. For wholemeal bread, check the product label. If you need a gluten-free option, rely only on the information for the exact product.
Ask the retailer before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says consumers must be given allergen information for non-prepacked products in a way other than on packaging.
Check the ingredients list on packaged bread or ask about it if the bread is unwrapped. The Voedingscentrum explains that iodine is added to bakers’ salt, but bakers aren’t required to use it.
Follow the preparation instructions for the exact product and allow time for defrosting or cooling too, if the packaging specifies it. Decide when you want to serve the bread before you start baking, so you can plan the steps around it.
It depends on the bread and the retailer. Jumbo says its in-store-baked sourdough loaves can’t be ordered online, while PLUS also mentions delivery for Korenlanders. Before planning your coffee table, check the ordering options for the exact product and your location.
