If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose ordinary tiger bread for your lunch at home just because of its crust or a maize ingredient. Instead, look for bread or rolls clearly labelled gluten-free on the packaging. Whole loaves can be topped straight away, while bake-at-home rolls need time to prepare. When making either, keep them away from crumbs and shared kitchen utensils.
You’re looking for bread that’s clearly labelled gluten-free, and you want to prepare it in a shared kitchen without gluten-containing crumbs. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
You want to choose between gluten-free bread you can top straight away and rolls that need baking first. Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS offer a range of gluten-free bread options.
If gluten-free bread is a regular part of your meals, compare not only the type of bread but also the fibre information and whether the packaging lists baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label and preparing your food on a clean surface. Then compare what matters most for your lunch at home: the ingredients in bread you eat regularly, or the time you have to prepare it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and prepared safely | Check the packaging for a gluten-free label; at home, use a clean work surface and clean or separate utensils. | If I’m making lunch with coeliac disease in a kitchen where ordinary bread is also handled, I want to stop crumbs getting on my bread. For around 50% of consumers, this is the main priority. |
| Ingredients for regular use | Compare fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information and check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed among the ingredients. | If I often replace my usual lunch bread, I want to know how the alternatives differ in composition. An estimated 30% of consumers say this comparison is their top priority. |
| Type of bread and preparation time | Choose between bread you can top straight away and bake-at-home rolls, for which you’ll need time and suitable equipment; check the packaging of the product you choose. | During a short break from working at home, I want to know whether I can eat straight away or need to bake rolls first. For around 20% of consumers, convenience matters most. |
The crust and the name of the bread don’t tell you what’s in the finished product. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, maize bread often contains wheat too.
If you have coeliac disease, choose a product with a clear gluten-free label on the current packaging rather than relying on its name or crust.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, crumbs and shared kitchen utensils can transfer gluten to gluten-free bread.
Clean the work surface, use clean hands and clean or separate utensils, and keep the bread wrapped until you need it.
Whether the bread is white or brown, and whether its crust is crisp, won’t tell you how much fibre it contains.
If you eat the bread regularly, compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information on the packaging.
Baker’s salt can contribute to your iodine intake, but the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use it.
Check the ingredients list if you want to know which salt has been used in a particular loaf.
These shops offer a range of gluten-free bread options. Always check the specific product and its packaging before choosing bread for lunch at home. A gluten-free range doesn’t make ordinary tiger bread gluten-free.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free range includes options such as multiseed bread and white rolls.
Jumbo offers gluten-free whole loaves and other gluten-free bread options, as well as regular tiger bread.
PLUS offers gluten-free bread and gluten-free bread rolls.
Dirk’s gluten-free bread selection includes products from Schär.
Lidl describes a gluten-free range that includes additional products for a limited time.
ALDI lists gluten-free options in its bakery and bake-at-home range.
This option is for anyone who wants to bake rolls for lunch while working from home. Before buying, check the exact variant and look for a gluten-free label on the packaging.
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A possible choice if you have time to bake rolls for lunch. The product title says 7 pieces, while a 1 kg bread mix is also described. Before buying, check which variant you’ll receive and whether the packaging is labelled gluten-free.
A maize ingredient or a tiger-striped crust doesn’t automatically make ordinary tiger bread gluten-free. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, maize bread often contains wheat too, so check the packaging of the specific bread for a gluten-free label.
Only if you make sure gluten-containing crumbs don’t get onto the gluten-free bread. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises preventing cross-contamination: use clean hands, a clean work surface and clean or separate utensils.
Baker’s salt can be a source of iodine in bread, but not every baker uses it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says its use isn’t compulsory; check the ingredients list if this difference matters when choosing your bread.
