For a small Christmas breakfast or a brunch with plenty of other dishes, half a loaf may be a better fit for how much you’ll actually eat. Then choose the type of bread based on how you plan to serve it: go for wholemeal if fibre is your priority, or choose another half loaf if flavour and texture matter more. If you’d rather buy a whole loaf, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing it in portions as soon as you get home.
If you’re serving plenty of other dishes alongside the bread, half a loaf may be a better fit for one to three people. If you do expect to have slices left over, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing them in portions as soon as you get home.
If you’re also looking for bread for everyday breakfasts or lunches around Christmas, compare the nutritional information for half loaves of wholemeal bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible.
If you’re serving bread with a brunch board or soup, the crust, shape and seeds may influence your choice. Jumbo and Lidl list different half loaves, so check whether the variety you want is available when you shop.
Work out how much bread you’ll need alongside the other Christmas dishes. Then compare the types of bread, and if you have an allergy or intolerance, check the label on the exact variety.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and leftovers | Count the planned meals and see whether half a loaf will be enough. Can you freeze any leftovers in portions as soon as you get home? | If there are lots of other dishes for a small gathering, I don’t want to be left with a whole loaf. Around 36% of consumers put portion size first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether your chosen variety is wholemeal and compare the fibre per 100 g on the current packaging. | For the meals around Christmas, I mainly want to know which half loaf suits my preference for fibre. Around 29% of consumers put this first. |
| Flavour and texture | Choose a type of bread that goes well with the dish, and check that your preferred half loaf is available. | If I’m serving bread with a brunch board or soup, the crust or flavour I want matters most. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact loaf you’re buying. | If I have a relevant allergy or intolerance, I need to be able to check what’s in the bread before serving it. Around 14% of consumers put this check first. |
If fibre is your main reason for choosing a loaf, its colour or the word ‘multigrain’ won’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.
Look for the wholemeal label and compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the exact half loaves.
You may still have slices left over from half a loaf if little bread is eaten during the Christmas meal.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you get home and taking out only what you need.
Breads that look similar can contain different ingredients and allergens. Product information can also change.
If you have a relevant allergy or intolerance, check the current packaging of the loaf you’re actually buying.
A particular half loaf may only be available at certain shops. Lidl, for example, says its fresh bread selection can vary by store.
Check your local store or delivery slot before planning the rest of your Christmas menu around that type of bread.
These examples can help you compare types of bread. Before you shop, check the current packaging and availability of your preferred variety.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Vloerbrood volkoren half.
Jumbo lists whole and half loaves in its bread category.
Lidl lists products including a half loaf of sesame multigrain bread for in-store purchase.
ALDI lists half loaves of wholemeal bread in its fresh daily bread range.
PLUS lists products including Grof volkoren half.
Dirk lists half and whole loaves, including Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren half.
Not necessarily. Half a loaf may suit a small gathering, but a whole loaf is also an option if you use the leftover slices. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you get home and taking out only what you need each time.
Half a loaf of wholemeal bread is a good choice if you want a smaller amount and fibre is a priority. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as much as possible. Compare the nutritional information for the exact variety before buying.
Check the current packaging of the exact loaf you’re buying. For AH Vloerbrood volkoren half, Albert Heijn lists sesame and cereals containing gluten, among other allergens. For Grof volkoren half, PLUS lists wheat, barley and soya, among others. Ingredient information can change.
Don’t assume that every loaf contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that, for bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products, iodine compounds may only be present through added baker’s salt, with a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. This doesn’t tell you how much iodine is in a particular loaf. If this matters for your purchase, check the information for the variety you’ve chosen.
