Who is this choice important for?

A guest with coeliac disease

The bread must be gluten-free for this guest, and it must also be kept separate from ordinary bread during preparation and serving. The Voedingscentrum advises checking the label on gluten-free products.

Organising a mixed Christmas brunch

If you serve gluten-free and ordinary bread side by side, use separate knives, breadboards and spreads to avoid contact with crumbs.

Someone who often replaces ordinary bread

If you regularly swap ordinary bread for an alternative, check more than just the gluten-free label: look at the fibre, ingredients and whether iodised baker’s salt has been used.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check for a gluten-free label and consider how to prevent contact with ordinary bread. Then compare the type of bread, nutritional information and availability for your Christmas meal.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this most important for?
Gluten-free and served separately Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label. Set aside clean, separate utensils for preparing and serving the bread. If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to serve bread that is gluten-free and does not come into contact with ordinary bread. Gluten safety is the top priority for around 36% of consumers.
Type of bread and preparation Choose sliced bread for sandwiches, or check the cooking instructions and number of rolls in a pack of bake-at-home bread. For Christmas brunch, I want to serve bread in suitable portions without losing track of the oven schedule. The way it is served is the top priority for around 29% of consumers.
Fibre and iodine Compare the fibre per 100 g and check the label to see whether iodised baker’s salt has been used. If I regularly replace ordinary bread, I also want to know how much fibre the alternative contains and what type of salt has been used. This nutritional information is the top priority for around 21% of consumers.
Availability Check what your local shop or delivery area has in stock shortly before buying, and decide on an alternative in advance. If I’m relying on a particular loaf for the Christmas table, I want to know whether I can buy it locally. Availability is the main concern for around 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming wholemeal means gluten-free

    According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. If it is wheat flour, the bread contains gluten. So the term ‘wholemeal’ does not mean it is suitable for someone with coeliac disease.

    For that guest, check for an explicit gluten-free label, regardless of the colour or number of grains shown on the packaging.

  • Forgetting about crumbs at the table

    Gluten-free bread can still come into contact with ordinary bread when it is spread or served.

    Use clean or separate knives and breadboards, and make sure spreads have not come into contact with ordinary bread first.

  • Looking only for a gluten-free label

    Gluten-free and wholemeal describe different qualities. The Voedingscentrum also points out that bakers are not required to use iodised baker’s salt.

    If you regularly replace ordinary bread, compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g too. Check the label to see what type of salt has been used.

  • Assuming online listings reflect local stock

    A product range on a shop’s website does not necessarily tell you which breads will be available at your local shop or in your delivery area when you do your Christmas shopping.

    Check availability shortly before buying. Lidl says on its page for additional gluten-free products that these are currently unavailable, so don’t rely on finding them without checking with your local shop first.

Brands and shops to explore

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s gluten-free shop page features its own bread and bread from Schär.

  • The online range includes multiseed bread and bake-at-home options.
  • Before doing your Christmas shopping, check which products are available at your local shop or in your delivery area.

Jumbo

Jumbo has an online gluten-free bread category featuring its own products, Schär options and Céréal Wholemeal Bread.

  • The category includes both sliced bread and rolls.
  • Check the packaging for each product: ‘dark’ and ‘multigrain’ do not automatically mean wholemeal.

PLUS

PLUS’s gluten-free range includes brown bread, multiseed bread and pistolets.

  • The choice of bread types makes it easy to find something for breakfast or brunch.
  • Always check the label of the product you choose for its ingredients and nutritional information.

Dirk

Search results for gluten-free bread on Dirk’s website include Schär Meisterbackers Classic, Vital and mini baguettes.

  • The results feature examples of both loaves and smaller portions of bread.
  • Check local availability before counting on a particular product.

ALDI

ALDI includes gluten-free bread in its range of bread and bake-at-home products.

  • The range includes gluten-free options as well as ordinary bread.
  • The wholemeal and gluten-free options mentioned are not necessarily the same product. Check the individual packaging.

Lidl

Lidl has a page about gluten-free products, as well as a separate range of ordinary bread.

  • The gluten-free page is a useful starting point when exploring this product category.
  • Lidl says that the additional gluten-free products listed there are currently unavailable. Check with your local shop if you need gluten-free bread.

Mini baguettes for Christmas brunch

These mini baguettes are a good choice if you want to serve individual portions of bread at Christmas brunch. If someone with coeliac disease is joining you, check for a gluten-free label and the preparation instructions before buying.

Gv Baguette Mini 7 Pieces

Gv Baguette Mini 7 Pieces

For a Christmas brunch with individual portions of bread, take a look at this pack of seven mini baguettes. Before buying, check the packaging to see whether it contains rolls or a mix, how to prepare the product and whether it is explicitly labelled gluten-free.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can someone with coeliac disease eat ordinary wholemeal bread?

Not if it is made from wheat, rye or barley, as these grains contain gluten. Choose bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and prevent it from coming into contact with ordinary bread during preparation and serving.

What does ‘gluten-free’ mean on a bread packet?

Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may be used when the finished product contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the bread you buy.

Are dark bread and multigrain bread also wholemeal or gluten-free?

Not automatically. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. The colour and the term ‘multigrain’ alone confirm neither that the bread is wholemeal nor that it is gluten-free. Check both qualities separately on the packaging.

Why should I check the baker’s salt in gluten-free bread?

If you regularly replace ordinary bread, the type of salt used may be relevant to the sources of iodine in your diet. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers are not required to use iodised baker’s salt, so check the label on the bread you choose.

Is allergen information for individual rolls enough for someone with coeliac disease?

No. Allergen information alone does not confirm that an individual roll is gluten-free or has been kept separate during preparation. Ask the bakery or fresh food counter specifically whether it is labelled gluten-free and whether it may have come into contact with ordinary bread.