If you’re looking for a less coarse sandwich for a fussy eater’s university lunch, start by considering fine wholemeal bread. Bread made with both wholemeal flour and white flour is another option: check the ingredients and nutritional information rather than judging by the colour or a name such as ‘multigrain’. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called ‘wholemeal’ if all the grain ingredients are wholemeal.
If you want to pack a familiar sandwich without immediately opting for white bread, see whether fine wholemeal bread has the texture you’re looking for. Check the texture and nutritional information of the bread you’re actually buying.
If you want to compare bread by its wholemeal status and fibre content, read the product name and nutritional information. A brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ won’t tell you whether all the grain ingredients are wholemeal.
If you don’t take bread with you every day, a smaller loaf or freezing it in lunch-sized portions may suit your plans better. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides separate storage advice for bread kept in a kitchen cupboard and in the freezer.
First decide whether you’d rather have clearly labelled wholemeal bread or a familiar texture. Then compare the packaging of the breads you’re considering, looking at fibre, salt, allergens and a size that suits your lunch plans.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre per 100 g shown on the packaging. | I want to know whether my lunch bread is genuinely wholemeal and how much fibre it contains. For around 36% of shoppers, this is the top priority. |
| Texture and taste | See if fine wholemeal bread has the texture you want; even with a soft variety, check the product name and ingredients. | If I don’t like coarse bread, I look for a finer texture that I’ll enjoy taking with me. An estimated 29% of shoppers give this the highest priority. |
| Packing and buying | Choose a practical size, such as sliced bread or rolls, and check what the shop currently has in stock. | On a busy day of lectures, I want to be able to prepare and pack my lunch quickly. Around 21% of shoppers consider this practical convenience their top priority. |
| Portions and storage | Choose a whole or half loaf to suit how often you have bread for lunch, and read the storage advice on the packaging. | If I only eat bread on a few days, I want to avoid leaving the rest uneaten. Around 14% of shoppers prioritise reducing waste. |
The colour and the name ‘multigrain’ don’t prove that all the grain ingredients are wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this is a requirement for using the term ‘wholemeal’.
Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name. If a loaf is made with both wholemeal flour and white flour, read the ingredients and compare its stated fibre and salt content with a fine wholemeal alternative.
‘Fine’ or ‘soft’ doesn’t in itself tell you how much fibre or salt a loaf contains. Nor can you assume that information about one loaf applies to other soft varieties.
Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per 100 g for the exact product.
If your timetable varies, you might not use all the slices before the bread starts to go stale.
Choose a size that suits your lunch plans, or freeze portions after buying. Throw away mouldy bread.
Freezing portions takes freezer space and a little preparation.
The front of a pack doesn’t provide all the information you need to check for allergens. For unpackaged bread, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be available in another way.
For packaged bread, read the ingredients list for the product you’ve chosen. Before buying unpackaged bread from a canteen, ask for the allergen information.
Albert Heijn lists various wholemeal breads, including round loaves and options in other styles. This gives you a choice of sizes and textures to compare.
Jumbo’s bread category lets you compare fine wholemeal bread with white bread and other wholemeal varieties.
Lidl offers different types of bread and, according to its own information, uses a fibre meter on packaged loaves.
ALDI lists fine wholemeal bread and white bread, among other options, so you can compare the two types within its range.
PLUS lists fine wholemeal bread and other wholemeal varieties, with product information you can compare side by side.
Dirk’s bread category includes white, wholemeal and multigrain bread in a range of sizes.
This Lebanese bread labelled ‘Whole Wheat’ is a different lunch option from a standard sliced sandwich loaf. Check its own packaging if you’re specifically looking for fine wholemeal bread or a loaf made with both wholemeal and white flour.
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A Lebanese-style bread to consider for lunch if you’re not looking for a standard sliced sandwich loaf. The name includes ‘Whole Wheat’; check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging, and assess separately whether this bread meets your needs for fine wholemeal bread or a white-and-wholemeal blend.
No. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called ‘wholemeal’ if all the grain ingredients are wholemeal. Check the product name and ingredients; colour and the name ‘multigrain’ are no substitute.
Fine wholemeal bread is one option if you’re looking for a finer texture while still wanting wholemeal bread. Check for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre and salt in the specific products you’re considering; a soft texture won’t predict those values.
You can’t assume that this is true of every loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread through the use of baker’s salt. If baker’s salt is relevant to your choice, check the ingredients of the bread you’re considering.
If needed, freeze bread in lunch-sized portions after buying and take out what you need. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. For a sealed pack, also follow the instructions on the label.
If the allergen information isn’t visible, ask for it before buying unpackaged bread from the canteen. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must be made available in another way for unpackaged products. For packaged bread, read the ingredients list on the current packaging.
