When choosing bread for lunch, first look for a product explicitly labelled wholemeal; a dark colour, seeds or sourdough don’t confirm that it is. Then compare fibre, salt and allergens on the label, and choose a bread format that suits the number of lunches you want to prepare and how much preparation you’re willing to do.
You want to be able to tell whether bread really is wholemeal, rather than relying on a dark colour or words such as multigrain and sourdough. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as a type of bread that is high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
You’re looking for sourdough, grains or seeds to give your bread a particular character, but you also want to be able to check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens. Product information from Albert Heijn and PLUS shows what you can compare when looking at specific wholemeal sourdough breads.
You’re buying bread for a few lunches and considering a smaller size, freezing it or baking it at home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it; for frozen or bake-at-home bread, also follow the product instructions.
First, check that it is labelled wholemeal. Then use the nutritional information and ingredients to compare breads, and decide which quantity and preparation method best suit your lunches.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal base | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name or description, and check which types of grain are listed in the ingredients. Don’t assume a bread is wholemeal because of its colour, sourdough or seeds. | I want to be sure the bread I choose for lunch is wholemeal, even if another loaf looks just as dark. Around 31% of consumers put this assurance first. |
| Flavour and texture | Check whether sourdough, grains or seeds are mentioned, and also look separately for a wholemeal claim. | When choosing bread for lunch, I’m mainly looking for sourdough or seeded bread that suits my taste. This preference is the deciding factor for around 25% of consumers. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare the values per 100 g for the breads you’re considering. If a claim is relative, check what the manufacturer is comparing it with. | When I’m choosing between specific breads, I mainly want to compare their fibre and salt values. This is the first thing around 25% of consumers consider. |
| Allergens and storage | Read the current allergen information and check the size, storage instructions and baking instructions. | I need to take allergens into account, or I want to avoid leaving a large loaf uneaten. This practical consideration comes first for around 19% of consumers. |
Multigrain tells you about the types of grain used, while sourdough refers to how the bread is made. Neither term on its own confirms that a bread is wholemeal.
Check for a wholemeal claim before weighing up flavour, seeds and bread format.
A claim such as ‘less salt’ only means something in relation to the stated reference. ALDI compares its Extra High Fibre Wholemeal Bread with standard wholemeal bread and cites NEVO-Online 2021 7.0 as its reference; this isn’t a comparison with every bread you could buy.
Check the reference and compare the fibre and salt values per 100 g on the current packaging to make your own choice.
The Korenlanders Kleintje wholemeal sourdough bread with poppy seeds described by PLUS lists wheat, rye and barley, and may also contain oats, soya, sesame and lupin. A familiar product name doesn’t replace checking the current allergen information.
Check the ingredients and allergen information every time you buy it if they’re important to your choice.
A smaller loaf, a whole loaf and bake-at-home bread don’t all require the same planning. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you’re not going to use it straight away.
Choose an amount that suits your planned lunches and follow the specific storage and preparation instructions on the packaging.
With bake-at-home bread, you’ll also need to set aside time to defrost and bake it.
These brands offer a range of breads to explore. Always assess the specific product: a brand name or rustic appearance won’t tell you which ingredients or nutritional values your bread has.
The Liefde & Passie range includes Nederlands sourdough wholemeal bread, 600 g.
Jumbo’s bakery range includes wholemeal bread and rustic sourdough breads, including a sourdough variety made with wholemeal rye.
Lidl describes, among other products, a 600 g organic rustic multigrain sourdough bread with seeds.
ALDI stocks Fijn Volkoren as well as a separate Extra High Fibre Wholemeal Bread.
The Korenlanders range includes a 300 g Kleintje wholemeal sourdough bread with poppy seeds.
At Dirk, Bakker van der Akker Boeren Extra vezels volkoren heel is a wholemeal option for anyone looking for a whole loaf.
This selection includes a wholemeal flatbread, a rye bread product and two packs of wholemeal country bread. Choose between bread that’s ready to use and bread you want to defrost and bake, and check the current packaging for each variety.
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A flatbread option for anyone who’d rather have individual breads with lunch than a whole sliced loaf. Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging if they’re important to your choice.
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An option to consider if you’re looking for a rye bread product for lunch. Check whether the format shown on the packaging suits your needs: the product name refers to a bread roll, while the description also mentions sliced rye bread. Only compare nutritional values when the quantity they refer to, such as per 100 g, is clear.
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A single loaf for anyone looking for wholemeal country bread and who has time to prepare it for lunch. Allow time to defrost and bake it, following the instructions on the packaging; check the allergen information there too.
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The pack of two loaves suits anyone planning several lunches who has enough storage space. Allow time to defrost and bake them before use; check the current packaging for preparation instructions and allergen information.
No. Sourdough describes how the bread is made and doesn’t in itself confirm that it has a wholemeal base. Check whether ‘wholemeal’ appears in the product name or description, and look at the ingredients if needed.
Compare the values per 100 g for the specific products. Albert Heijn lists 6.5 g of fibre and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g for Liefde & Passie Nederlands sourdough wholemeal bread; PLUS lists 7.3 g of fibre and 1.02 g of salt per 100 g for Korenlanders Kleintje wholemeal sourdough bread with poppy seeds. Check the current packaging when you buy them.
Check the ingredients for iodised salt or iodised baker’s salt. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in its Liefde & Passie Nederlands sourdough wholemeal bread; don’t assume this applies to every loaf.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and, if you like, freeze ordinary bread in portions as soon as you buy it, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For the PLUS Kleintje mentioned above, PLUS specifically advises storing it frozen at −18 °C; bake-at-home bread also needs preparing before you eat it.
No. Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wheat, rye and barley among the cereals that contain gluten; the PLUS bread mentioned above also carries warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
