Choose fine wholemeal bread if you’re looking for a finer texture and bread made entirely from wholemeal flour. Brown bread can be a stepping stone if a picky eater turns down wholemeal bread, but it also contains white flour. For a small late-night snack, half a loaf or bread portioned and frozen as soon as you buy it may be a better fit for what you actually eat.
If someone turns down coarse wholemeal bread, try fine wholemeal instead. If they won’t eat that either, brown bread could be a stepping stone; according to the Voedingscentrum, it’s made from a mix of wholemeal flour and white flour.
If bread made from 100% wholemeal flour matters more to you than a particular crust or texture, look for the ‘wholemeal’ label. Check the label rather than judging by the colour, advises the Voedingscentrum.
For an occasional late-night snack, half a loaf, an individual bread roll or bread portioned and frozen as soon as you buy it may be a better choice than leaving a whole loaf open.
First, decide whether the person eating it prefers an easy-to-enjoy texture or bread made entirely from wholemeal flour. Then choose a size that suits how often you eat bread.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Whether it will be eaten | Compare fine wholemeal with brown bread as a stepping stone; check the name if you want bread made entirely from wholemeal flour. | If a picky eater turns down coarse bread, I look for a texture they’ll be happy to eat. Around 42% of consumers put acceptance first. |
| Made entirely from wholemeal flour | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label; a dark colour or a multigrain name alone doesn’t prove that it is. | For my late-night slice of bread, I want to be sure it’s made from 100% wholemeal flour. Around 33% of consumers put that certainty first. |
| Quantity | Compare a whole loaf, half a loaf and individual rolls, or freeze slices in portions as soon as you buy them. | If I only eat bread late at night now and then, I want to avoid leaving a whole loaf uneaten. Getting the right amount is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, brown bread is a mix of wholemeal flour and white flour. Albert Heijn says that waldkorn bread can also be made from wholemeal flour, white flour or both.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label if your goal is bread made entirely from wholemeal flour; don’t choose by colour or name alone.
A whole loaf may go uneaten if you only have a slice late at night now and then. The Voedingscentrum lists bread as one of the foods that is often wasted.
Choose half a loaf or rolls if that better suits how much you eat, or freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you buy it.
According to PLUS, the half-size PLUS Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren comes with baking instructions. That means it isn’t as ready for a late-night snack as bread you can eat without using the oven.
Before you buy, check whether the bread needs to be baked and whether you’ll have time to do that when you want to eat it.
The name ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you which allergens a particular loaf contains. PLUS lists wheat and barley, among other ingredients, for its half-size Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren.
Read the allergen information for the product you’ve chosen, and ask about it if the bread is sold loose.
Compare the label, ingredients, quantity and any preparation instructions for each loaf. A retailer’s range won’t tell you which option is right for your late-night snack.
Albert Heijn’s bread range includes AH Tijger volkoren heel and AH OerDesem volkoren, among other options.
Jumbo includes Boeren Tijger Volkoren in its bread range, among other options.
Lidl describes a kids’ wholemeal loaf made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour. It also lists Fijn volkoren in an 800 g size.
ALDI offers fine wholemeal bread in half and whole loaf sizes, as well as wholemeal rolls and tiger wholemeal bread.
PLUS stocks Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren in a half-size loaf, among other options.
Dirk’s bread range includes wholemeal bread, as well as white, multigrain and sourdough options.
This Joybuy pick is Lebanese flatbread for a late-night snack. If bread made entirely from wholemeal flour matters to you, check the label on the packaging.
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An option if you’d like Lebanese flatbread rather than sliced bread for a small late-night snack.
The pack contains six pieces. Check the packaging for the ‘wholemeal’ label, ingredients, allergens and storage advice after opening.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread is a mix of wholemeal flour and white flour. Brown bread can be a stepping stone for someone who isn’t ready to eat wholemeal bread, but it isn’t the same choice.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label rather than judging by the colour or number of grains. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread with this label is made from 100% wholemeal flour; if you’re unsure, you can also check the ingredients.
Check the allergen information for the specific bread on the packaging, or ask if it’s sold loose. For example, PLUS lists wheat and barley for Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren 1/2. Don’t assume another loaf has the same ingredients.
Ideally, freeze wholemeal bread in portions as soon as you buy it, so you only take out what you need. The Voedingscentrum recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months.
