Choose rustic sourdough if flavour and texture are your priorities. If wholemeal flour or fibre matters more to you, compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g. If you want to serve the bread warm, choose a bake-at-home loaf for which you have the time and equipment needed. Check the label of every loaf for allergens and, if it matters to you, iodised baker’s salt.
You’re looking for bread with a distinct flavour and texture of its own to complement the soup. Rustic sourdough or hearth-baked bread is worth considering. Check each loaf’s crust and crumb to see if they suit the meal you have in mind.
You don’t want to judge a loaf on its rustic appearance alone. The ingredients and fibre content per 100 g make it easier to compare loaves on a like-for-like basis.
You’re planning to bake the bread shortly before serving the soup. You’ll need to consider the preparation instructions, the equipment you have available and whether the bread needs to be defrosted.
First decide whether flavour and texture, the bread’s ingredients or serving it warm matters most to you. Then compare the label and preparation instructions for the specific loaf. Rustic, multigrain and bake-at-home describe different qualities, which can also occur together.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and texture | Look at the type of bread and the description of its crust and crumb. Also check whether it needs slicing or preparing. | When I serve Dutch split pea soup as a substantial meal, I want bread with a distinctive character rather than a plain side. An estimated 42% of consumers who choose bread for this meal put flavour and texture first. |
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Read the ingredients and compare the stated fibre per 100 g. The word ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. | When the ingredients are a key factor in my choice of bread, I want to know how much wholemeal flour and fibre the product contains. For an estimated 33% of these consumers, this is the top priority. |
| Serving warm | Check whether the bread needs baking and read the defrosting and preparation instructions on the packaging. | I want to serve the bread warm just before the soup, so I need to fit baking it into my preparations. For an estimated 25% of these consumers, the convenience of serving it warm comes first. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, there is no requirement in the Netherlands to bake bread with baker’s salt. So you can’t tell which type of salt has been used from the type of bread alone.
For packaged bread, read the ingredients. If it matters to you, ask which type of salt has been used in unpackaged bread.
The term ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains or how much fibre is listed per 100 g.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the loaves you’re considering, rather than relying on the name on the front of the pack.
Bake-at-home bread takes time and suitable equipment. If it’s frozen, you may also need to allow time for it to defrost.
Before buying, read the instructions for that specific loaf. Choose bread that’s ready to eat if you can’t fit in time to bake it.
Recipes, allergen information and the range at an individual store can change. Lidl, for example, says that its fresh bread range may vary from store to store.
Check the current label when you buy, and make sure the bread you want is available at your store.
The Liefde & Passie range is a good place to look for rustic sourdough, such as the Emmer variety described by Albert Heijn.
Jumbo describes a range of rustic sourdough loaves, including wholemeal pumpkin, mixed-seed and spelt varieties.
Lidl is an option to consider for oven-fresh and packaged bread to serve with soup.
ALDI’s fresh daily bread range includes hearth-baked bread, as well as wholemeal and multigrain varieties.
A PLUS multigrain sourdough baguette to bake at home is a good choice if you want to prepare warm bread just before serving Dutch split pea soup.
At Dirk, you can compare different types of bread, including hearth-baked loaves and rustic baguettes to bake at home.
These products offer a choice between rustic multigrain bread to bake at home and multigrain baguettes to serve with your meal. For bake-at-home bread, first check whether defrosting and oven baking fit your schedule. If you have questions about the ingredients, compare the current label.
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A rustic multigrain baguette for anyone who wants to bake their bread just before serving. Allow time to defrost it first. Check the packaging for baking instructions and, if it matters to you, the type of salt used.
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A 550 g round multigrain loaf for anyone who wants to serve a whole loaf with Dutch split pea soup. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling, and follow the packaging for the baking time. Check the label if allergens or the type of salt used matter to you.
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Two multigrain baguettes for anyone who wants to serve smaller loaves alongside the soup. If wholemeal flour or fibre is a deciding factor, compare the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g on the current packaging.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt is not compulsory. For packaged bread, check the label. If it matters to you, ask which type of salt has been used in unpackaged bread.
Compare the ingredients and the stated fibre content per 100 g of the specific loaves. Terms such as ‘rustic’ or ‘multigrain’ don’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains.
Yes, as long as the baguette is intended for baking at home and you follow the instructions on the packaging. PLUS says its multigrain sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in the oven. For other loaves, check their own baking time and any defrosting instructions.
Check the full allergen information for the exact loaf you’re buying. For example, the PLUS multigrain sourdough baguette described here contains wheat, rye and spelt. You can’t assume another loaf has the same ingredients.
