Hosts who want bread to take centre stage
You might be looking for a sourdough baguette or a seeded loaf to serve alongside dips and grilled dishes. Albert Heijn and Jumbo offer these types of bread in their ranges.
Which bread is right for you?
Hosts who want to serve warm bread
You want to bake the bread shortly before serving, so you’ll need space in your oven or air fryer. The instructions for your chosen bread will determine your timings.
Barbecue planners comparing labels
You’re checking whether bread is wholemeal, its nutritional information, whether it contains iodised salt and which allergens it includes, because this information matters to you or your guests. Always check the packaging of the bread you’re actually buying.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether the bread should add flavour and visual appeal, be served warm or meet specific label requirements. Then check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and presentation | Compare sourdough, rustic breads and seeded varieties; read the ingredients for the variety you choose. | If bread is going to take pride of place alongside dips and grilled dishes, I want to choose a flavour and shape that work well with them. Around 42% of consumers put this first. |
| Serving warm | Check the cooking time and temperature, and make sure you have the oven or air-fryer space you need. | If the bread needs to be served warm just before eating, I want to fit baking it in around the other dishes. For around 33% of consumers, getting the timing right is the main concern. |
| Nutritional information and labelling | Check the product description to see whether it’s wholemeal, and check the nutritional information, allergens and, if relevant, whether it contains iodised salt. | If I have specific requirements around fibre, ingredients or allergens, I want to be able to check the packaging before choosing bread for my guests. Around 25% of consumers put checking the label first. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming all bread contains baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So, the fact that a loaf is made in the Netherlands doesn’t tell you whether it contains iodised salt.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt. For unpackaged bread, ask which ingredients have been used.
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Assuming multigrain or sourdough means gluten-free
The type of bread alone doesn’t tell you which allergens it contains. For example, a multigrain sourdough baguette from PLUS lists wheat, rye and spelt.
If a guest has an allergy or needs to eat gluten-free, check the allergen information and labelling on the exact product packaging. Don’t rely on the name of the bread.
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Choosing bake-at-home bread without planning when to serve it
Baking bread requires equipment and attention at a time when you may be preparing other dishes too. Cooking times vary from one bread to another.
Read the instructions before you buy and decide whether you can prepare the bread in time. If not, choose bread that doesn’t need baking just before you eat.
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Relying on one shop’s range
Lidl says its fresh bread range can vary by store. ALDI offers some of its oven-fresh range in stores with an in-store bakery.
Check the range at the shop where you plan to do your shopping, especially if you need a particular type of bread.
Brands to compare
These ranges feature different types of bread for a barbecue. Compare each product individually for its ingredients, cooking instructions and availability.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s baguette range includes sourdough, organic and wholemeal varieties.
- There are different styles to compare, including a sourdough baguette with roasted seeds.
- Albert Heijn notes that some products are only available in store.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range includes white and multigrain sourdough baguettes, wholemeal baguettes and rustic bake-at-home baguettes.
- You can compare different types of bread and cooking methods across the baguette range.
- Check the ingredients and product description for each variety: multigrain and wholemeal aren’t interchangeable.
Lidl
Lidl offers bread from its in-store bakery as well as bake-at-home bread, including a variety of rolls.
- The range includes both oven-fresh bread and bread you can bake at home.
- Lidl says its fresh bread range may vary by store.
Aldi
ALDI’s range includes Turkish bread, focaccia, flatbreads and baguettes to bake at home.
- These types of bread offer different ways to share or top your bread.
- ALDI says its oven-fresh Bakkersgoud range is available in stores with an in-store bakery.
Plus
PLUS offers a multigrain sourdough baguette, with nutritional information and cooking instructions available.
- For this variety, PLUS lists 35% wholemeal wheat flour, 5,8 g of fibre per 100 g and iodised salt.
- This variety contains gluten-containing cereals. Check the full allergen information on the packaging.
Dirk
Dirk offers a 250 g rustic multigrain baguette to bake at home.
- Its size and baking instructions are useful points to consider when planning what to serve.
- Check the ingredients and cooking instructions on the packaging you choose.
Bread options on Joybuy
These breads are a good fit for a barbecue where you want to serve rustic baguettes or a multigrain loaf to share. As well as the shape and pack size, compare the cooking instructions and label.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 4 × 135 g
Four rustic multigrain baguettes, each weighing 135 g, to serve at a barbecue. If you want to serve them warm, check the baking instructions on the packaging. Multigrain on its own doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Natural Rustic Baguette, 4 × 135 g
Four 135 g rustic baguettes for serving individually alongside your barbecue. If you’re baking them at home, allow time and oven space according to the packaging, and check the label if allergens are a concern.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Country Bread Round, 550 g
A 550 g round multigrain loaf to slice and share at the table. If you’re serving it warm, allow for the cooking time and any cooling time stated on the packaging. Check separately whether the product description says it’s wholemeal.
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G'woon White Rustic Baguette, 250 g
A 250 g white rustic baguette to serve with dips or grilled dishes. Check the packaging to see whether it needs baking, and read the ingredients and allergen information before serving it to guests.
Frequently asked questions
Does bread for a special barbecue always have to be sourdough?
No, the type of bread you choose depends on what you want to do with it. Sourdough or rustic baguettes are a good choice if you’re prioritising flavour and presentation. If fibre matters more, check whether the bread is wholemeal and read the nutritional information; if you want to serve warm bread, consider a bake-at-home variety.
How should I plan to bake bread alongside the barbecue?
Keep space free in your oven or air fryer around the time you want to serve the bread, and follow the instructions on the packaging. For example, PLUS says its multigrain sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C. Those timings won’t apply to every bake-at-home bread.
Does all bread in the Netherlands contain iodised salt?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt. For unpackaged bread, ask which ingredients have been used.
How can I take allergens into account when choosing bread for a barbecue?
Read the allergen information for the exact bread you’re buying, even if you choose a sourdough or multigrain variety. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights the need to declare key allergens. Gluten-containing cereals and, depending on the variety, ingredients such as sesame may be relevant.
Can I expect every store to have the same bread range?
Not for every range. Lidl says its fresh bread range can vary by store, while ALDI offers some of its oven-fresh range in stores with an in-store bakery. If you’re looking for a particular type of bread, check the range at the shop where you plan to do your shopping.