For a guest with coeliac disease, choose bread whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’, and keep it separate from ordinary bread during preparation and serving. A whole or half loaf is convenient if you’re shopping ahead or setting out a buffet; bake-at-home rolls need oven space just before the meal. If gluten-free bread is also a regular part of your diet at home, fibre content and whether baker’s salt is listed are useful details to compare on the label.
It’s not just a matter of finding bread labelled ‘gluten-free’: you’ll also need a separate space, clean utensils and separate toppings. The Dutch Coeliac Society points out that even crumbs can cause cross-contamination.
A mini baguette or another type of roll can be a good choice if you want to serve one per guest. If you choose a bake-at-home option, you’ll also need to allow time and oven space just before serving.
As well as the type of bread, you may want to compare the nutritional information, such as the fibre content. Check whether baker’s salt is on the ingredients list too: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use it.
If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, start by checking that the packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and plan how to avoid cross-contamination. Then choose a type of bread that suits the occasion.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Read the current packaging and plan to use clean, separate utensils and toppings when serving. | If I’m hosting someone with coeliac disease, I want to make sure crumbs from ordinary bread don’t get onto their food. Around 36% of consumers would put safe serving first. |
| Type of bread and preparation | Check how many rolls are in the pack and read the preparation instructions if you plan to bake them. | For a herring roll, I want something I can serve individually, without having to use the oven at an awkward time. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise the serving style. |
| Nutritional information and baker’s salt | Compare the fibre content in the nutritional information and check whether baker’s salt is on the ingredients list. | If gluten-free bread is also a regular feature at home, I want to look beyond the type that suits the celebration. Around 21% of consumers would look at the nutritional information first. |
| Availability | Check whether your chosen type of bread is available at your shop; an online range doesn’t guarantee it’s in stock. | If I’m shopping shortly before Vlaggetjesdag, I want to know whether I can actually pick up the bread I’ve chosen. Around 14% of consumers would consider how easy it is to find the most important factor. |
Ordinary bread can come into contact with gluten-free bread through crumbs, hands, knives or shared toppings. Even after you’ve bought the right bread, this is still something to consider when catering for a guest with coeliac disease.
Keep the bread wrapped for as long as possible and serve it separately with clean utensils and separate toppings.
Wheat-free products aren’t automatically free from other gluten-containing grains, such as rye and barley. Nor does an artisan look mean a product is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
For that guest, choose a product whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’.
Breads can vary in their nutritional value and ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also says that using baker’s salt is not compulsory.
If you buy gluten-free bread regularly, compare the nutritional information and check the ingredients list for baker’s salt.
A supermarket may list a type of bread on its website without having it in every branch when you need it.
Check that your chosen product is available in good time, and think about which other type of bread, clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’, would work with your serving plans.
Albert Heijn lists a range of breads and rolls under AH Glutenvrij. This gives you options to compare a loaf for the buffet with individually served portions.
Schär offers both bread and mini baguettes in the supermarket ranges mentioned. These options suit different buffet plans or individual servings.
Jumbo lists several Consenza products, including frozen brown bread, rolls, bagels and pitta breads. Check the specific type and preparation method when choosing.
No. Choose bread whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’. Wheat-free products aren’t automatically free from gluten in other grains, including rye and barley.
Keep the gluten-free bread separate and wrapped for as long as possible. Wash your hands and use a clean work surface, separate utensils and toppings that haven’t been touched by a knife with crumbs from ordinary bread on it.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unwrapped bread, ask the baker which type of salt they use.
Set aside oven space just before serving and follow the instructions on the packaging of the mini baguettes you’ve chosen. PLUS gives a baking time of 5–7 minutes at 200 °C for Schär Gluten-Free Mini Baguette; those instructions won’t necessarily apply to other rolls.
