If you’re buying bread for someone with coeliac disease, choose a loaf clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ and keep it separate from ordinary bread when storing and serving it. Then choose a loaf or rolls to suit the number of guests. If you eat it regularly, you can also compare the fibre, allergens and whether the packaging mentions iodised salt.
You want to be able to eat bread without it coming into contact with ordinary bread or its crumbs. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
You’re serving a gluten-free option alongside ordinary bread and want to keep it clearly identifiable and separate when storing, slicing and topping it.
As well as checking the gluten-free label, you compare the nutritional information, allergens and ingredients of products you buy regularly.
If someone with coeliac disease is joining you, start by checking that the bread is labelled gluten-free and avoid contact with ordinary bread. Then compare the size for coffee time and, if you eat it regularly, the nutritional information.
| What to look for | What to check before buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label and separate serving | Check the current packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ label. Keep the bread away from ordinary bread and crumbs when storing, slicing and topping it. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining me, I want to be able to identify which bread is gluten-free and avoid contact with ordinary bread. For around 50% of consumers, confidence that a product is gluten-free comes first. |
| Size and portions | Compare the pack size and number of pieces. If you’re buying bake-at-home rolls, check the cooking instructions too. | For a small gathering, I don’t want to open more bread than we’ll eat at coffee time. For around 30% of consumers, portion size is the main consideration. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare fibre per 100 g, read the allergen information and check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | When I buy gluten-free bread regularly, I want to know what else it contains and whether it has iodised salt. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this information. |
Bread without wheat isn’t automatically gluten-free: rye and barley also contain gluten. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, crumbs from ordinary bread can also cause problems for someone with coeliac disease.
Check that the bread is labelled gluten-free and use clean utensils when serving it.
Baker’s salt is iodised, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it. So you can’t tell whether bread contains it just by looking at the type of bread.
Check the ingredients on the packaging. For bread that isn’t pre-packed, ask the baker which salt has been used.
A gluten-free label doesn’t mean that bread is free from other allergens. Ingredients and allergen declarations vary from product to product.
If you have another allergy, check the full allergen information on the current packaging of the bread you’re going to serve.
The online ranges at these supermarkets offer different types of bread to compare. When buying, always check the label on the product you’ve chosen and its availability at your local store.
Albert Heijn lists its own gluten-free bread online, as well as bread from brands including Schär.
Jumbo lists gluten-free bread from its own Lekker Vrij brand and other brands online.
PLUS lists options including white, brown and multiseed bread in its gluten-free category.
Dirk’s search results include gluten-free bread and mini baguettes from Schär.
Lidl describes a standard range and an additional gluten-free selection, depending on availability.
ALDI includes gluten-free bread and rolls in its bakery range.
Not necessarily: wheat-free doesn’t mean gluten-free, as rye and barley also contain gluten. Choose bread with a clear gluten-free label and check the current packaging.
Store, slice and top the gluten-free bread separately. Use clean utensils and make sure crumbs from ordinary bread don’t get onto the gluten-free bread, toppings or plate.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the packaging for ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’, or ask which salt has been used if the bread isn’t pre-packed.
Compare the nutritional information for each product, including fibre per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information. Also check whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed; don’t assume all gluten-free bread has the same ingredients.
