Don’t serve a guest with coeliac disease regular tiger bread containing wheat. Instead, choose bread whose packaging explicitly says it is gluten-free. Gluten-free ciabatta works well for dinner if you want to serve warm bread; sliced gluten-free bread doesn’t need baking. Neither is the same as tiger bread, and you’ll need to prepare and serve the gluten-free bread separately from regular bread.
You’re looking for bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free and want to prevent it coming into contact with crumbs from regular bread when it’s cut or served. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
You want to serve warm bread with your meal. Gluten-free ciabatta can do the job, but it doesn’t have the crust or texture of tiger bread.
You want to be able to slice or top the bread without having to plan time for baking. Sliced gluten-free multiseed bread is a different option from bake-at-home ciabatta.
For a guest with coeliac disease, first choose a product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, then decide which type of bread and preparation method will work best for your dinner.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free bread | Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label or a gluten-free certification mark on the packaging. If you’re also serving regular bread, use separate, clean utensils for cutting and serving. | If my guest has coeliac disease, I want to choose and serve bread without it coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten. This precaution is a priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Warm bread at the table | Check the baking instructions and the number of rolls in the pack, and make sure you have enough oven space. | With a starter, I want to be able to share warm bread, even if gluten-free ciabatta isn’t tiger bread. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this type of bread. |
| Ready to serve | Check whether the bread is ready to eat and how many slices or portions the pack contains. | If the oven is already in use, I want to serve the bread or prepare toppings in advance without having to plan time for baking. This convenience is a priority for around 17% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information on the packaging you choose. Compare nutritional values, such as fibre and salt, on the same basis: per 100 g or per equal portion. | If a guest also needs to avoid other allergens or ingredients, I don’t want to rely on the words ‘gluten-free’ alone. This is the first consideration for around 16% of consumers. |
‘Tiger’ describes the style of bread, not whether it is gluten-free. The AH Extra lang lekker tijger volkoren heel described by Albert Heijn contains wheat and wheat gluten.
For a guest with coeliac disease, choose a separate loaf with an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label or a gluten-free certification mark on the packaging.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, even crumbs can cause cross-contamination.
Use a clean, separate chopping board and a clean knife. Keep butter, dips and the serving area separate from regular bread too.
The gluten-free Schär Ciabatta and Ciabatta Rustica described by Jumbo contain soya and may contain lupin, mustard and sesame.
Ask which allergens are relevant to your guests and check the current packaging for the exact variety you’re serving.
The label ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you what type of salt was used in the bread.
Check the ingredients list if the type of salt used is important to your choice.
A brand of packaged gluten-free bread products. Jumbo lists, among other options, a standard ciabatta and a Schär Ciabatta Rustica.
AH Glutenvrij Brood licht meerzaden half is a sliced bread option for anyone who doesn’t want to bake it.
The range described includes both regular bread and gluten-free Schär ciabattas.
Not if the tiger bread contains ingredients with gluten, such as wheat. The AH Extra lang lekker tijger volkoren heel described by Albert Heijn contains wheat and wheat gluten. Choose bread explicitly labelled gluten-free for a guest with coeliac disease.
No. If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, don’t rely on ‘wheat-free’ alone. Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the packaging or a gluten-free certification mark. According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, ‘gluten-free’ means less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product.
Prepare and serve the gluten-free bread separately, using clean utensils and avoiding shared butter or dips that regular bread has been dipped into. The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that crumbs can also cause cross-contamination.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information should be on the label of packaged bread. For unpackaged bread, the seller must provide this information to consumers in another way. Ask before choosing bread for a guest with an allergy.
No. The label ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you whether iodised salt was used. Check the bread’s ingredients list if the type of salt used is important to your choice.
