If you want wholemeal bread but prefer a finer texture, look for fine wholemeal bread and check the label to make sure it suits your taste. If you prefer the flavour of white bread, you could compare white bread with added fibre, without assuming it is wholemeal. If you only eat a few slices at a time, you could also choose a half loaf or freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it.
You’re looking for a mild flavour and a texture you enjoy. White bread with added fibre and fine wholemeal bread are different options worth considering. Try and compare them rather than assuming they taste the same.
If you only need a few slices at a time, a half loaf may suit the way you eat better. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you won’t eat it quickly.
You want bread labelled wholemeal, but don’t necessarily want a variety with lots of visible seeds. Check the product description and ingredients: a fine texture alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre the bread contains.
Choose this if: you’re looking for bread labelled wholemeal but would rather avoid a coarse texture.
Bear in mind: fine wholemeal bread still tastes different from white bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends giving yourself time to get used to wholemeal bread.
Choose this if: you’re looking for white bread and want to take its fibre content into account.
Bear in mind: adding fibre doesn’t make white wheat bread wholemeal. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the products available to you.
Choose this if: the familiar taste of white bread is your priority.
Bear in mind: a smaller pack doesn’t change the type of bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the product description for wholemeal and compare the fibre content per 100 g in the nutritional information. | I want to choose wholemeal, but I’m looking for a texture I’ll enjoy eating. For around 38% of consumers, choosing wholemeal and fibre is the biggest priority. |
| Flavour and texture | Check whether the bread is white wheat bread or fine wholemeal bread, and look at the ingredients and allergens for the specific product. | If I’m used to white bread, I don’t want to assume another type of bread will taste the same. Around 31% of consumers put flavour and texture first. |
| Portions and storage | Check whether a half loaf is available and read the storage instructions if you want to freeze portions. | I only eat a few slices at a time and want to be able to keep the rest. The right pack size is the main concern for around 31% of consumers. |
The Jumbo product description we reviewed still classifies bread with added fibre as white wheat bread. Colour, seeds and fibre content alone don’t tell you whether a product is sold as wholemeal bread.
If wholemeal is what you’re after, check the product description and ingredients list of the bread you’re buying.
If you only eat a few slices at a time, you may have some of an opened whole loaf left over. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you won’t eat it quickly.
Compare a half loaf with a whole loaf that you can portion and freeze yourself.
The Jumbo Wit Brood met Extra Vezels - Half page we reviewed said that this product was no longer part of its online range. A product description therefore doesn’t guarantee that you can order the bread now.
Check the current range or shop stock just before you buy, and have another suitable type of bread in mind as a backup.
Brood.net professionals describes differences in the use of iodised baker’s salt, including in imported bread and some organic products.
If this ingredient matters to you, check the ingredients list for the specific loaf.
These supermarket examples can help you focus on the type and size of bread you’re looking for. Check the current product and packaging before you choose.
Its online bread range includes white bread, wholemeal bread and sourdough, among other options.
The category page lists products including Fijn Volkoren - Half and Rond Fijn Volkoren - Half.
Lidl Netherlands listed Tijger volkoren, 800 g, as an in-store product.
Aldi listed a half wholemeal loaf as an in-store product.
According to the product page, PLUS Boeren volkoren half is a 400 g loaf, with wholemeal wheat flour as its first ingredient.
Dirk listed Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren half in its bread range.
No. Adding fibre doesn’t automatically make bread wholemeal. Jumbo described its Wit Brood met Extra Vezels - Half as white wheat bread, so check the product description if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread.
Freeze bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you won’t eat it quickly, so you only take out what you need. For opened fibre-enriched white bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping it in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for around one month. Follow the storage instructions for your own bread too.
Check the ingredients list for the bread you want to buy. Brood.net professionals notes that the use of iodised baker’s salt can vary, for example in imported bread and some organic products.
First compare the type of bread and its ingredients, then check the nutritional information per 100 g, allergens and storage instructions. This will help you decide which loaf best suits your preference for white or wholemeal bread and the portion size you need.
