Choose a whole sourdough loaf if the flavour and crust of the specific bread are your priority and you can freeze it in portions after buying. A small loaf or bake-at-home rolls are a better fit if you want to open less bread for each meal. Whatever you choose, check whether it’s wholemeal and read the ingredients, allergen information and storage or preparation instructions.
You want bread to go with soup, a salad, a toastie or a dinner with toppings, but don’t want to eat the same thing for days. A smaller loaf, bake-at-home portions or bread you can freeze in portions straight away will suit how often you use it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it.
You choose a loaf whose flavour, crumb or crust will complement your meal. Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe these qualities in their own sourdough ranges. Check the description of the specific loaf and think about what you’ll do with any leftovers.
You want to know whether the bread is wholemeal and compare things such as fibre and salt per 100 g. If you have an allergy or need to avoid another ingredient, also check the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the specific product.
First, work out how much bread you use with your meals and whether you can freeze any leftovers. Then compare the type of bread, nutritional information and ingredients of products available in a suitable size.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and leftovers | Compare the weight or number of rolls with how much you use, and read the storage instructions. Can you freeze a whole loaf in portions straight away? | If I don’t eat bread every day, I only want to open what I’ll use with my meals. For around 36% of consumers, reducing leftovers is the main priority. |
| Flavour and crust | Check the description of the specific loaf and choose between sliced and unsliced. If you’re buying a whole loaf, remember you’ll need to portion it. | For a special meal, I want the bread’s flavour and crust to complement the rest, even if I need to store some. Around 29% of consumers prioritise the overall meal experience. |
| Wholemeal and nutritional information | Look for the wholemeal label. Compare fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | When bread is often part of my meal, I want to know what the wholemeal label and nutritional information say about the specific product. This matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warning that the product may contain other ingredients. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I can’t rely on the word sourdough or the way the bread looks. This is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
A bread range can include different grains and varieties. The colour, packaging and sourdough label don’t tell you whether the loaf you’ve chosen is wholemeal.
Look for the wholemeal label on the specific product, then read the ingredients and nutritional information.
If you’re eating alone, you might have bread left over before you next want it. A whole loaf is most practical if you can store the remaining portions straight away.
Freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, or choose a smaller size if you rarely eat bread. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging too.
PLUS Korenlanders Kleintje sourdough bread contains, among other things, gluten-containing cereals and soya. The sourdough-making process doesn’t tell you whether a product is suitable for a specific allergy.
Every time you buy bread, check the ingredients, allergen information and any warning that the product may contain other ingredients.
Jumbo says its fresh sourdough loaves, baked in store, can’t be ordered online. Lidl says its fresh bread range varies by store, while ALDI’s oven-fresh range is available in stores with an in-store bakery.
Before visiting a store, check which bread range that particular branch stocks and whether you can order the loaf you want online.
An extra trip takes time if you’re going out for a specific bread range.
These bread ranges give you an idea of the sizes and types you can compare. Always check the ingredients and availability of each individual product.
The Liefde & Passie and OerDesem ranges include sliced and unsliced loaves, as well as varieties made with spelt, extra seeds or wholemeal flour.
The rustic sourdough range includes varieties with extra seeds, wholemeal pumpkin, dark sesame and spelt.
Alongside its oven-fresh range, Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
ALDI lists daily-fresh bread and Bakkersgoud Rustiek varieties, including loaves made with spelt, extra seeds or wholemeal flour.
The Korenlanders range includes sourdough loaves in various sizes, including the 300 g Kleintje brown multigrain sourdough loaf. PLUS also lists bake-at-home rolls.
Dirk lists wholemeal, multigrain, sourdough and spelt bread among its range.
No. Sourdough tells you nothing about whether the bread is wholemeal. Look for the wholemeal label on the specific product and check the ingredients and nutritional information. A dark crust or premium packaging isn’t proof either.
Freeze it in portions as soon as you buy it, and take out only what you need, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also follow the storage instructions and use-by date for the specific loaf.
Check the ingredients, allergen information and any warning that the bread may contain other ingredients, even if you’ve bought it before. Sourdough isn’t automatically gluten-free; the type of bread alone won’t tell you whether it meets your dietary requirements.
They can be, if the portion size suits you and you have an oven and time to prepare them. The pumpkin rolls described by PLUS come in packs of four portions, with oven instructions of 6–8 minutes at 220 °C. Once opened, that product should be kept chilled at a maximum of 7 °C and eaten within two days. Check the instructions on the pack you buy.
Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf for iodised baker’s salt; don’t rely on the type of bread alone. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the use of baker’s salt as a source of iodine in bread, but that doesn’t tell you which salt has been used in an individual product.
