If you’re hosting a guest with coeliac disease, choose bread or rolls whose current packaging explicitly states that they are gluten-free, rather than relying on the name or crust of tiger bread. Under the EU rule published by EUR-Lex, the claim ‘gluten-free’ may be used if the finished product contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Gluten-free rolls, ciabatta or bread made from a gluten-free mix can all take the place of tiger bread at the table. If you’re baking it yourself, check the added ingredients too, and serve the bread separately from regular bread.
You want to be able to check which bread your guest will be served and how it’s presented. The Dutch Nutrition Centre explains why people with coeliac disease need to avoid gluten, so be mindful of crumbs and shared serving utensils too.
You’re looking for bread to serve with soup, a starter or a drinks platter that you can clearly set out separately. Jumbo lists gluten-free mini baguettes, ciabatta and rolls in a range of shapes for this kind of presentation.
You want to choose the shape of the dinner bread yourself and have time to prepare it and use clean kitchen utensils. If you’re using a gluten-free bread mix, check which ingredients you need to add yourself, as listed on the packaging.
First, check the gluten-free claim on the specific bread. Then choose a shape that suits your Christmas dinner and the time you have available to prepare it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Most important for |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Read the current packaging for the specific product. If buying unpackaged bread, ask for allergen information before you buy. | If I’m serving bread to a guest with coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to rely on the name or appearance. For around 42% of consumers, being able to check that a product is gluten-free comes first. |
| Shape and portions | Choose between sliced bread and individual rolls, mini baguettes or ciabatta. If you’re buying bread to bake at home, check the preparation instructions. | If we’re sharing a bread basket, I want to be able to present the gluten-free portion separately and clearly. For around 25% of consumers, presentation is the most important consideration. |
| Preparation | Check what’s available locally and the use-by date. For a bread mix, read which ingredients and preparation steps are needed. | When dinner already involves a lot of preparation, I look for bread that fits my schedule. Around 17% of consumers prioritise convenience above all else. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt, and compare the nutritional information for the products you’re considering. | If I’m replacing regular bread more often, I want to know what’s in the alternative and whether iodised salt has been used. For around 16% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
‘Tiger bread’ doesn’t tell you whether a product is gluten-free. The EU rule published by EUR-Lex allows the claim ‘gluten-free’ only when the finished product contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
First check the gluten-free claim on the specific bread, then choose the shape you want.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, as Albert Heijn also notes in its product information. That’s why the packaging on the bread you receive matters when making your final choice.
Check the current packaging just before serving, even if you’ve bought the product before.
Crumbs from regular bread, shared knives or dips can end up on gluten-free bread.
Set the bread out separately and use separate serving utensils and toppings.
According to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains iodine, but bakers aren’t required to use it. A gluten-free claim doesn’t tell you anything about the salt used.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt.
If you’re looking for individual rolls or sliced bread for the Christmas table, Jumbo lists a range of gluten-free options from Schär, including mini baguettes, ciabatta, Meesterbakker Classic and multigrain rolls.
Albert Heijn lists Consenza gluten-free white and brown bread, as well as seeded bread and a brown bread baking mix.
Albert Heijn lists Genius brown bread and multiseed bread as sliced options to serve at the table.
Jumbo lists 500 g white and brown loaves in its Lekker Vrij van Gluten range for anyone looking for a sliced bread option.
No. The absence of wheat from a product description isn’t enough to determine whether it’s suitable. Choose bread whose current packaging explicitly states ‘gluten-free’. Under the EU rule on EUR-Lex, this claim applies to a finished product containing no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.
You’ll need specific information about the bread before buying it. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must be available for unpackaged products. However, allergen information alone doesn’t confirm that a product is gluten-free. If in doubt, choose a pre-packed product whose gluten-free claim you can check.
Serve the gluten-free bread separately and use a separate knife, toppings and dips. This helps prevent crumbs from regular bread being transferred to your guest’s portion via the bread basket or serving utensils.
No, the gluten-free claim doesn’t tell you that. According to the Dutch Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains iodine, but bakers aren’t required to use it. Check the ingredients list for the bread you choose.
