Brunch hosts who care about presentation
You’re looking for rolls with a rustic appearance that you can bake shortly before serving. Check that the variety you choose is actually a bake-at-home product and find out how much preparation it requires.
Who are you choosing rolls for?
Shoppers comparing ingredients and fibre
You want to know which flour the rolls contain and how much fibre they provide per 100 g. The term ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t tell you that.
Brunch shoppers checking for allergens
You need to be able to check which allergens a roll contains and what warnings about possible traces appear on the packaging. This applies to spelt, sourdough and multigrain rolls too.
What should you look for when buying?
Decide which quality matters most for your brunch. Then compare the ingredients, nutritional information and preparation instructions for the rolls that fit the bill.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and crust | Check the ingredients and preparation method listed for the specific rustic or sourdough product. | If I want to bake the rolls just before serving, how they look on the table matters a lot. Around 33% of consumers prioritise presentation. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, including any warnings about possible traces. | If a guest needs to avoid certain allergens, I want to know which roll I can offer them. Around 17% of consumers put this check first. |
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Compare the proportion of wholemeal flour in the ingredients list and the fibre per 100 g. | I don’t want to rely on the name ‘multigrain’ alone; I want to compare the nutritional information for the rolls. This is a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Quantity and preparation | Check how many rolls are in each pack and whether they need to be stored, defrosted or baked. | For a larger brunch, I want to serve enough rolls without several baking batches slowing things down. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this kind of planning. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming multigrain or rustic means wholemeal
A product name doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour or fibre a roll contains. As a result, two rolls with similar names can still have different ingredients.
Read the product description and ingredients list, then compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutrition table.
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Assuming spelt or sourdough is gluten-free
PLUS’s spelt rolls list spelt flour and sourdough made with wheat and spelt. So the words ‘spelt’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t tell you whether a product is suitable for someone avoiding gluten.
Check the latest allergen information for the product you choose for every guest, including for unwrapped bakery rolls.
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Leaving storage instructions until brunch day
A frozen roll needs different preparation from one you buy in store on the day. PLUS says its frozen brown multigrain sourdough rolls should be stored at −18 °C and must not be refrozen after defrosting.
Before buying, check how many rolls you can bake at once and follow the storage and preparation instructions on the pack you choose.
If you find you don’t need all the defrosted rolls, the instructions say you can’t refreeze them.
Brands and ranges to compare
Albert Heijn
A useful benchmark if you want to compare the nutritional values of a brown multigrain sourdough roll.
- For its AH Desem pistolet bruin meergranen, Albert Heijn lists 5.4 g of fibre and 0.98 g of salt per 100 g.
- Albert Heijn notes that ingredients and nutritional information may change, so check the pack you buy.
Jumbo
A range that includes white, mixed-seed, spelt and sourdough rolls.
- SlooOW Bio Organic Rustic Crispy Rolls list organic ingredients and 20% sourdough.
- This SlooOW variety contains gluten-containing cereals and warns that it may contain, among other things, nuts, oats and sesame.
PLUS
A useful benchmark for spelt and multigrain sourdough rolls, as well as a frozen brown variety.
- The spelt and multigrain sourdough rolls are listed in 300 g packs; PLUS provides baking instructions for the bake-at-home varieties.
- Check each variety for gluten-containing cereals and any additional allergen information.
Dirk
A useful benchmark if you want to compare packs for serving several guests.
- Dirk lists white and rustic multigrain rolls in packs of four and 300 g.
- The word ‘rustic’ doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour a roll contains or what it tastes like, so read the product information for the pack you choose.
Lidl
An option if you want to pick up a white bakery roll on the day of your brunch.
- Lidl lists a white roll in its freshly baked range, available in store only.
- Lidl says its fresh range varies by store, so check what’s available at the branch where you shop.
ALDI
A useful benchmark if you’re looking for a simple white roll sold individually.
- ALDI describes its individual rolls as white rolls.
- That product description doesn’t make it a sourdough or wholemeal roll. Compare the ingredients if that matters for your brunch.
Joybuy rolls for Easter brunch
These white rolls, described as rustic, are an option if you want to serve this style of roll at your brunch table. Check the pack for preparation instructions and any information that matters to your guests.
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g'woon white rustic rolls, pack of 4
A pack of four white rolls for a brunch where you’re looking for rolls described as rustic.
Check the pack for preparation instructions, allergens and nutritional information before choosing them for your guests.
Frequently asked questions
Are spelt or sourdough rolls gluten-free?
No, those descriptions don’t mean a roll is gluten-free. For example, PLUS’s spelt rolls list spelt flour and sourdough made with wheat and spelt. If you need to avoid gluten, check the current packaging for the specific product and look for information about possible traces too.
How should I plan baking rolls around serving time?
Follow the storage instructions and baking time on the pack you choose, and check how many rolls will fit in your oven at once. PLUS says its bake-at-home spelt and multigrain rolls take 6–8 minutes at 220 °C in the oven; its frozen brown multigrain sourdough rolls have different storage and preparation instructions.
Does multigrain mean a roll is wholemeal?
No, multigrain and wholemeal don’t mean the same thing. Check the flour in the ingredients list and compare the fibre per 100 g: PLUS lists 34% wholemeal wheat flour and 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g for its multigrain sourdough rolls.
How can I tell if a roll contains iodised salt?
Check the ingredients list on the roll you buy. PLUS’s spelt and multigrain sourdough rolls list iodised salt, but that doesn’t tell you what’s in other rolls.