For a guest with coeliac disease, choose bread whose current packaging clearly says ‘gluten-free’; ‘multigrain’ or ‘with several seeds’ does not, by itself, tell you anything about gluten. Part-baked rolls are a good choice if you want to serve warm portions, while sliced bread is handy for a cold buffet. A bread mix takes more preparation time, oven space and care to keep your work area clean. For every option, check the allergens and the storage and preparation instructions too.
You’re looking for bread labelled gluten-free on the packaging and want to prevent it coming into contact with regular bread or crumbs when it’s served. The Voedingscentrum advises checking the gluten-free label on the packaging.
You want to serve individual warm portions and have time and oven space to finish baking the rolls just before dinner. Check whether the pack includes any additional storage and defrosting instructions.
You’re looking for slices to serve at a buffet and want to be able to store any leftover bread. Instructions for sealing, storing and possibly freezing it vary by product.
First, check that the bread is labelled gluten-free for your guest and read any information about other allergens. Then choose a format that suits the way you’ll serve it: warm rolls to finish baking, slices for a buffet or a mix if you’d like to bake your own.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and allergens | Check the current gluten-free label, ingredients and allergen information. Keep the bread separate from regular bread when serving. | If I’m hosting a guest with coeliac disease, I want to be able to identify suitable bread and prevent crumbs getting onto it. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Warm rolls | Check whether the rolls need to be baked and follow the preparation and defrosting instructions on the pack. | For warm, individual portions, I want to make room in the oven and time the serving carefully. Around 29% of consumers give this top priority. |
| Buffet and storage | Compare the pack size and check how to store the bread after opening or whether it can be frozen. | For a buffet, I want to set out enough slices without forgetting about any bread left over. This matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Nutrition information and salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If I’m taking nutrition information into account, I want to compare products on the same basis and not assume that every loaf contains iodised salt. This is the most important consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether bread contains gluten. Wheat-free doesn’t mean gluten-free either: other grains used in the bread may contain gluten.
For a guest with coeliac disease, choose a product with a current ‘gluten-free’ label and check the ingredients and allergen information too. The Voedingscentrum says to look for the label or the crossed-grain symbol.
The Voedingscentrum says that even a bread crumb can cause problems for someone with coeliac disease. Using the same board or knife can make even carefully chosen bread difficult to serve safely.
Set the gluten-free bread apart and use clean, separate utensils for cutting and serving.
The Voedingscentrum states that bread does not have to be baked with baker’s salt. Whether iodised salt is used therefore depends on the product.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt rather than making assumptions based on the type of bread.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. This is especially important if your guest has other food allergies as well as coeliac disease.
When you buy the bread and before you serve it, read the information on the packaging of the product you’re actually using.
These product ranges and shops offer a starting point for comparing bread formats, ingredients and packaging. Always check the specific product you’re buying.
Schär offers packaged gluten-free multigrain bread and gluten-free multigrain rolls, giving you a choice between sliced bread and rolls to finish baking.
The dark multiseed bread is worth considering if you’re looking for slices to serve at a cold buffet.
According to Jumbo, the multiseed bread reviewed is gluten-free and made with tapioca starch, kernels and seeds.
The gluten-free multiseed bread from PLUS reviewed here is a 500 g packaged loaf containing linseed and sunflower seeds.
Dirk is a shop to check if you’re looking for Schär multigrain rolls to serve instead of sliced bread.
No. ‘Multigrain’ is not a gluten-free label. For a guest with coeliac disease, choose bread whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ and keep it separate from regular bread when serving.
Serve the gluten-free bread separately, using clean utensils for cutting and serving. Don’t use the same board, knife or basket for regular bread; the Voedingscentrum warns that even a bread crumb can cause problems for someone with coeliac disease.
No, it varies by product. The Voedingscentrum says that bread does not have to be baked with baker’s salt, so check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt.
Not if the instructions on your pack advise against it. For the Schär multigrain rolls described, in a pack of 5 and weighing 250 g, Jumbo says not to refreeze them after defrosting and to eat them within one day. For any other pack, follow its own storage instructions.
No, a gluten-free label does not rule out other allergens. If your guest has additional allergies, check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ statements on the current packaging too.
