If you have coeliac disease, start with bread labelled gluten-free on the packaging or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol, and avoid contact with gluten-containing bread at home. Then choose a type of bread the eater is willing to try. If you’re replacing regular wholemeal bread, also compare the fibre per 100 g and check whether the bread is made with iodised salt.
A gluten-free label is the first thing to look for when shopping. After that, colour, seeds, texture and portion size all matter: suitable bread is of little practical use if it goes untouched. When preparing it, also avoid contact with crumbs from gluten-containing bread.
Gluten-free bread isn’t automatically comparable to the wholemeal bread you usually buy. Check the gluten-free label, fibre per 100 g and iodised salt separately. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, but bakers aren’t required to use it.
Once one variety has been accepted, it’s useful to know another suitable option for your next shop. Check the packaging each time: Albert Heijn and PLUS note that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
If you have coeliac disease, first check for a gluten-free label and take care to avoid cross-contamination at home. Only then compare the type of bread and its nutritional information: a dark colour or visible seeds won’t tell you how much fibre it contains.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol. At home, keep your knife, board, toaster and toppings free from gluten-containing crumbs. | If we also have regular bread at home, I want to be able to prepare the gluten-free bread without it coming into contact with those crumbs. For around 33% of consumers, this safety check matters most. |
| Taste and type of bread | Look at the colour, visible seeds, texture and portion size. Try one suitable type before buying several packs. | My fussy eater leaves bread with an unfamiliar texture, even when it’s gluten-free. That’s why around 27% of consumers put acceptance first. |
| Fibre and iodine | Compare the fibre per 100 g on the label and check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | When I replace regular wholemeal bread, I want to know how much fibre the new bread offers and whether it’s made with iodised salt. Around 20% of consumers give this nutritional information top priority. |
| Being able to buy it again | Check which suitable variety you can buy and keep an alternative in reserve. Read the packaging again when you buy it next time. | Once the eater has finally accepted a bread, I don’t want to be left without a suitable alternative if that variety is unavailable. For roughly 20% of consumers, having a reliable way to buy it again is the main consideration. |
Spelt contains gluten. Neither the way regular bread is made nor its colour makes it suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Use the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging as your first check.
Multiseed bread may visibly contain lots of seeds, but its name doesn’t tell you how much fibre it has. When replacing wholemeal bread, compare the nutritional values of the variety you’ve chosen.
Compare the fibre per 100 g and choose a texture the eater is willing to try.
The Voedingscentrum describes bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, but bakers aren’t required to use this salt.
Check the ingredients on the pack you’ve chosen. If the diet is very restricted or you’re replacing bread for a long time, consider speaking to a specialist dietitian.
Even suitable gluten-free bread may go uneaten if its taste or texture isn’t accepted. Product ingredients can also change.
Try a small portion first, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging for any bread left over.
The types of bread below may help you find a variety the eater is willing to try. If you have coeliac disease, always check the specific packaging; a brand or shop name isn’t a substitute for a gluten-free label.
Under its AH Glutenvrij range, Albert Heijn offers options including light and dark multiseed bread, rolls and bread buns.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread selection includes light and dark multiseed bread, sourdough, ciabattas and bread rolls, as well as products from Jumbo Lekker Vrij.
PLUS offers its own gluten-free bread products as well as Schär Meisterbäcker Vital.
Dirk shows Schär Meisterbackers Classic and Vital in its search results for gluten-free bread.
Lidl provides information about gluten-free products, including items outside its standard range.
This mini baguette option may be worth considering if you’re looking for a smaller type of bread. Before buying, check whether the packaging labels it gluten-free and what preparation it requires; the product description could refer to either part-baked rolls or a bread mix.
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The mini baguette format may be a good option if the eater prefers to try smaller portions. Check the current packaging for a gluten-free label, and find out before buying whether you’ll receive part-baked rolls or a bread mix.
Regular spelt bread isn’t a gluten-free alternative: spelt is a type of wheat and contains gluten. Choose bread whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or bears the Crossed Grain symbol.
No. Colour and visible seeds don’t prove that bread has a particular fibre content or is wholemeal. Compare the fibre per 100 g on the packaging of the varieties the eater is willing to try.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, even though bread made with iodised baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. Check the ingredients list of your chosen bread for iodised salt or baker’s salt.
Store gluten-free bread separately and prevent it from coming into contact with crumbs on knives, bread boards, toasters and toppings. Use clean equipment if you also prepare gluten-containing bread in the same household.
