If you have coeliac disease, don’t buy ordinary wholemeal bread made with wheat, spelt, rye or barley. Instead, start with bread labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol. Then compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g in gluten-free brown, seeded and wholemeal varieties. Check separately for iodised salt, as a dark colour or seeds tell you nothing about this.
Ordinary wholemeal bread made with wheat, spelt, rye or barley isn’t suitable. The Voedingscentrum recommends looking for ‘gluten-free’ wording or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Check the label again, even if you’ve bought the product before.
If you’re used to buying wholemeal bread, you’ll want to compare fibre levels across gluten-free options. The nutritional information per 100 g and the ingredients tell you more than a brown colour or the name ‘seeded’.
The Voedingscentrum points out that bread can be an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, but bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So, when buying packaged gluten-free bread, check whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed in the ingredients.
First, check that the bread is clearly labelled as gluten-free for people with coeliac disease. Then choose based on the nutritional information, ingredients and pack size that suits how much you’ll actually use.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol, and read the ingredients and allergen information. | When I buy bread for someone with coeliac disease, I first need to know whether it’s suitable for a gluten-free diet. Around 36% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Fibre and ingredients | Compare fibre per 100 g and check which ingredients form the base; ‘seeded’ doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal. | If you usually choose wholemeal bread, you’ll want to compare the fibre levels of gluten-free options. Around 29% of consumers put this comparison first. |
| Iodised salt | Check whether the ingredients list mentions iodised salt or baker’s salt; don’t assume it’s included based on the type of bread. | If bread is often on the table, I want to know how my choice may affect my iodine intake when switching to gluten-free bread. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Pack size | Compare the weight with how much you use, and consider whether you want to freeze the bread in portions. | In a household that doesn’t eat much bread, I don’t want to buy more than we can eat or store. For around 14% of consumers, choosing the right pack size is the main buying priority. |
Ordinary wholemeal bread made with wheat, spelt, rye or barley contains gluten. The Voedingscentrum says these grains are therefore unsuitable for a gluten-free diet for coeliac disease, regardless of the bread’s colour or how many seeds it contains.
Use ‘gluten-free’ wording or the Crossed Grain symbol as your first filter. Only then compare the fibre and ingredients of the remaining products.
Oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains during production and processing. The Dutch Coeliac Association also points out that some people with coeliac disease react to pure oats.
Choose an oat product explicitly labelled gluten-free or bearing an appropriate certification symbol. If you experience symptoms after eating gluten-free oats, speak to your doctor or specialist dietitian.
The Voedingscentrum identifies bread as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, but bakers don’t have to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether gluten-free bread contains it from the name alone.
Check the ingredients list on packaged bread, or ask a baker which salt they use. If changing your bread could affect your diet, ask a specialist dietitian for personalised advice.
A pack size that doesn’t suit how much bread you eat could mean some goes unused. Albert Heijn and Jumbo offer gluten-free bread in different pack sizes.
Choose a size you can use up, and freeze portions if needed, following the storage instructions on the packaging.
These bread ranges show some of the different product names and pack sizes available. Check the current label for each variety; a brand name is no substitute for checking the packaging.
Albert Heijn lists light and dark seeded bread in this range, including a 480 g loaf.
This range includes brown bread weighing 500 g and a seeded loaf, according to Jumbo.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list gluten-free Schär breads, including Meisterbäcker Vital and Meisterbäcker Mehrkorn.
Jumbo includes Céréal Gluten Free Lactose Free Wholemeal Bread, 240 g, in its list of gluten-free breads.
Jumbo and PLUS include Yam Desem in their lists of gluten-free breads.
These options are mini baguettes and a bread mix for home baking, not ready-to-eat gluten-free wholemeal loaves. If you have coeliac disease, always check the gluten-free labelling on the packaging. Compare fibre and type of salt separately if these matter to your choice.
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An option if you’re looking for small rolls to bake at home. The product name states that the pack contains 7 pieces; check the current packaging for gluten-free labelling and nutritional information. This bread isn’t explicitly labelled as wholemeal.
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A gluten-free bread mix for making and baking your own bread, not a ready-made wholemeal loaf. The pack weighs 1 kg; check the current ingredients and preparation instructions, including any additions you plan to use.
No. Ordinary wholemeal bread made with wheat, spelt, rye or barley isn’t suitable for a gluten-free diet for coeliac disease. Choose bread labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 only allows food sold to the final consumer to be labelled ‘gluten-free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
Not necessarily: colour and seeds don’t prove that gluten-free bread is wholemeal. Read the ingredients and compare fibre per 100 g. For example, Jumbo describes its gluten-free seeded bread as being made with a tapioca starch base, plus kernels and seeds.
For packaged gluten-free bread, check whether the ingredients list includes iodised salt or baker’s salt. The Voedingscentrum advises checking for iodine in bought or home-baked gluten-free bread; bakers in the Netherlands aren’t required to use baker’s salt.
If you have coeliac disease, only choose oat bread that’s explicitly labelled gluten-free or bears an appropriate certification symbol. Oats can come into contact with gluten-containing grains; according to the Dutch Coeliac Association, some people with coeliac disease also react to pure oats. Discuss any symptoms with your doctor or specialist dietitian.
Store and prepare gluten-free bread separately from ordinary bread, and avoid contact with any crumbs left behind. For example, use a separate chopping board or thoroughly cleaned utensils; the Voedingscentrum points out that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
