If you want to cater for both soft-bread fans and wholemeal enthusiasts at your drinks gathering, it’s better to choose two suitable options than to rely on a single dark loaf based on its appearance. Fine wholemeal bread can be your wholemeal option; if you like, serve it alongside a softer loaf or some small rolls. According to the Voedingscentrum, the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean a loaf is wholemeal, so compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g if that matters to your choice.
You’re looking for something that will appeal to guests who prefer soft bread, without serving only white bread. Fine wholemeal alongside a softer type of bread gives guests a choice; plan how much of each type you’ll need to avoid leftovers.
You want to serve bread with dips or toppings and compare what it contains. Look for the wholemeal label and check the fibre per 100 g, rather than relying on a dark crust or the name ‘multigrain’. The Voedingscentrum distinguishes between wholemeal and multigrain.
You want to prepare bread rolls shortly before your drinks gathering and can use an oven or air fryer to do so. Check the instructions for your chosen product and whether the type of bread you want is available at your shop.
First decide whether the ingredients, your guests’ tastes or serving time is the deciding factor. Then choose a size that suits your group.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If I want to serve wholemeal bread with dips, I don’t want to judge by colour alone. For around 36% of consumers, choosing wholemeal and fibre is the top priority. |
| Taste and texture | Consider whether fine wholemeal, a softer bread or a combination of the two will suit your guests. | When my guests have different preferences, I don’t want everyone to be limited to one coarse type of bread. For around 29% of consumers, broad appeal comes first. |
| Serving and preparation | For bake-at-home bread, check the preparation instructions and the equipment you’ll need. | If I want to bake bread just before serving at a drinks gathering, I need to allow time for preparation. Serving it crisp is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Suitable quantity | Compare the number of pieces or the size of the loaf with how much you expect to serve. | For a small group, I don’t want to be left with lots of unused bread. Quantity and what to do with leftovers matter most to around 14% of consumers. |
A dark colour and names such as brown, waldkorn or multigrain don’t, by themselves, confirm that a loaf is wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain refers to the use of at least three types of grain.
If wholemeal is essential for you, look for that label and compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
With unpackaged bread, the information isn’t always shown on packaging you can read yourself. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information must also be available for unpackaged products.
Read the label on packaged bread, and ask for allergen information before buying unpackaged bread.
A whole loaf may leave you with portions after a small drinks gathering. The Voedingscentrum says you can freeze bread, although its quality may deteriorate over time.
Consider a half loaf or individual rolls, and freeze any unused portions promptly.
Bread that isn’t eaten or frozen in time may go to waste.
Bake-at-home rolls need to be prepared before they can be served. ALDI also says its freshly baked range is available in shops with an in-store bakery.
Read the instructions for your chosen bread, and check your shop’s range if you’re relying on it for your drinks gathering.
Albert Heijn offers a range of wholemeal and multigrain breads, including rustic loaves.
Jumbo offers fine and coarse wholemeal bread, multigrain bread and sourdough bread, among other options.
Lidl lists white, brown, multigrain and wholemeal as separate bread categories.
Aldi offers wholemeal and multigrain bread, as well as rolls to bake at home.
Plus offers multigrain bread and wholemeal baguettes for a drinks platter, among other options.
Dirk offers wholemeal, multigrain and rustic loaves, among other options.
These products offer wholemeal and multigrain options to serve with drinks. Choose according to the ingredients you’re looking for, the number of pieces and how much preparation is involved: some breads are ready to serve, while others need baking first.
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A wholemeal flatbread to serve with dips. The product description lists wholemeal wheat flour and says it can be served as it is or warmed for a different texture. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens, as the available product information isn’t consistent on these details.
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Four multigrain baguettes to share at your drinks gathering. The product description says they need to be defrosted before baking. Check the baking time on the packaging, as the times given in the descriptions vary. The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t confirm that these baguettes are wholemeal.
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A round wholemeal loaf to serve in portions. The preparation instructions say to defrost, bake and cool it before slicing. Check the packaging for the baking time, as the product descriptions give different timings.
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Four multigrain rolls for individual portions at your drinks gathering. The listed ingredients include wheat flour, so don’t treat ‘multigrain’ here as a wholemeal label. If you’re catering for guests with allergies, check the current label.
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A round multigrain loaf to share on a drinks platter. To achieve the serving result described, it needs to be defrosted, baked and cooled first. The listed ingredients also include wheat flour; check the packaging if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread or want to compare nutritional values.
No, not automatically. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain refers to at least three types of grain; the word itself doesn’t mean that the flour used is wholemeal. Look for the wholemeal label if that’s what you want.
Colour alone isn’t a reliable way to choose. The Voedingscentrum distinguishes wholegrain products from those made with white flour. Compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g of the breads you’re considering.
Before buying, ask the seller for the allergen information for the specific bread. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must be given this information for unpackaged products in a way other than on packaging.
Freeze any unused portions promptly if you want to eat them later. The Voedingscentrum’s storage guide recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months; its quality may deteriorate after that time in the freezer.
