If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, start by choosing bread clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol. Keep it separate from regular bread and crumbs, and use separate utensils when preparing and serving it. Then check separately whether the bread is labelled wholemeal too: gluten-free seeded bread isn’t automatically wholemeal. For antipasti or soup, a gluten-free bread roll or mini baguette could be a suitable choice, as long as you check the label and preparation instructions for those too.
You’re looking for bread to serve with an Italian meal that may also include pasta, sauce or regular bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, coeliac disease requires a gluten-free diet. That means it’s not just the bread label that matters, but also how you prepare and serve the meal.
You want to check whether a bread is actually labelled wholemeal, as well as gluten-free. If you’re comparing products by fibre content, look at the nutritional information per 100 g and check the ingredients.
You’re looking for a type of bread to serve with antipasti or soup, for example, and want to be able to find the gluten-free products you need while shopping. Bread rolls, mini baguettes and sliced bread each call for a different way of serving.
If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, start with the gluten-free label and separate preparation. Then choose based on the type of bread, whether it’s labelled wholemeal and what’s available.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free preparation and serving | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. If you’re also serving regular bread or pasta, plan to use clean, separate utensils. | If I’m serving bread to a guest with coeliac disease, I want to make sure regular bread crumbs don’t come into contact with their food. For around 36% of consumers, serving gluten-free food safely would be their main concern. |
| Type of bread | Choose between sliced bread, rolls and a mini baguette, depending on when you’ll be serving it. Check the preparation instructions for bake-at-home products. | For antipasti, I want to serve bread in small pieces without putting a whole loaf on the table. For around 22% of consumers, the type of bread would come first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal label if that’s what you want. To compare fibre, check the nutritional information per 100 g; ‘multigrain’ and ‘seeded’ don’t in themselves confirm that a product is wholemeal. | I want to be able to see whether the bread is actually labelled wholemeal or, if not, compare the fibre content of gluten-free options. For around 21% of consumers, the ingredients and nutritional content would be the main consideration. |
| Availability | Check the current product status at your chosen retailer, and have another clearly labelled gluten-free product in mind as a back-up. | If I’m shopping just before the dinner, I don’t want to rely on a product listed in an old range guide. For around 21% of consumers, availability would be the main concern. |
These labels answer different questions: one tells you about gluten, the other about the flour used. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. A gluten-free seeded loaf isn’t automatically labelled wholemeal.
Check both labels separately. If fibre content is particularly important to you, compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
An Italian meal may also include pasta, sauces and other processed ingredients that contain gluten. Regular bread crumbs or shared kitchen utensils could also come into contact with the gluten-free food.
Check every processed ingredient and use clean, separate utensils for the gluten-free part of the meal.
A loaf that was available previously may no longer be in stock when you shop. Jumbo reported that a Céréal wholemeal loaf was no longer available online; Lidl said the same about its additional gluten-free products at the time of its range update.
Check the current product status before you set off. If necessary, choose another loaf or roll with a clear gluten-free label.
Finding a last-minute replacement could mean an extra trip to the shops.
A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you which other ingredients or allergens a particular loaf contains. This matters if your guest needs to avoid anything else as well as gluten.
Read the full ingredients and allergen information on the packaging for each product you choose.
These retailers offer different ways to find gluten-free bread. Choose a specific product based on its label and the type of bread you need.
Albert Heijn has an online gluten-free category that includes bread.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread category includes seeded bread, sourdough and ciabattas.
PLUS has an online category for gluten-free bread, including seeded bread.
Dirk’s online search results show gluten-free bread products, including Schär Mini Baguette.
ALDI mentions gluten-free bread in its information about bread and bakery products.
Not based on the colour or seeds alone. Choose bread clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol, and check the packaging. Regular bread made with gluten-containing grains isn’t a suitable substitute.
No. Check ‘gluten-free’ and ‘wholemeal’ separately. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; the words ‘multigrain’, ‘seeded’ or ‘brown’ don’t confirm this.
Prepare and serve the gluten-free bread using clean, separate utensils, away from regular bread and crumbs. Check processed ingredients such as pasta and sauce separately too, and make sure crumbs don’t get into shared serving dishes or dips.
