If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, start by looking for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Then prepare and serve the bread separately from bread containing gluten. Individual rolls are handy for serving separate portions at brunch, while sliced bread is a better choice if you’re making several sandwiches. Always check the current label for both types, as ‘multigrain’ alone tells you nothing about gluten or the ingredients.
As well as checking the bread’s label, you’ll need to prevent crumbs, knives or shared spreads from transferring gluten to the gluten-free portion. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
You’re looking for a type of bread you can set out separately. Individual rolls can be handy, while sliced bread may be a better choice if you’re making several sandwiches.
You want to compare the ingredients and nutritional information as well as the type of bread. Don’t assume a bread makes a contribution to your iodine intake based on its name alone.
First, check that the bread is labelled gluten-free and consider how you’ll prepare it separately. Then choose between slices and individual rolls based on how you plan to serve them at Easter brunch.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing and serving gluten-free bread | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Use clean utensils and keep spreads separate. | When I’m preparing bread for someone with coeliac disease, I also want to prevent contact with crumbs while adding toppings; this is the top concern for around 39% of consumers. |
| Type of bread and portions | Compare slices with individual rolls; if you’re choosing bake-at-home rolls, check the preparation instructions too. | When there are different toppings on the table, I want to be able to serve gluten-free portions separately; for around 23% of consumers, ease of serving is the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Read the ingredients list and nutritional values per 100 g. If iodine matters to your choice, check which type of salt is listed. | When I buy gluten-free bread beyond Easter, I want to compare the ingredients of specific products; this is the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Availability | Before planning your brunch, check that your chosen shop stocks the type of bread you want. | I want to know in advance whether I can buy enough suitable portions; availability is the main concern for around 15% of consumers. |
A bread’s name or dark colour doesn’t confirm that it’s gluten-free. For someone with coeliac disease, this distinction is crucial when choosing bread.
Read the label of the specific product and look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
The Dutch Coeliac Society says that crumbs and shared utensils can cause cross-contamination, even if the bread you’ve bought is gluten-free.
Keep the bread separate and use clean knives and a clean chopping board. Serve spreads from a separate dish, too.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands because baker’s salt contains added iodine. Not every baker uses baker’s salt, so you can’t assume that a particular gluten-free bread will provide iodine.
Check the product’s ingredients list. If you have questions about following a gluten-free diet long term, speak to a dietitian who specialises in this area.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list gluten-free bread products from Schär, including multigrain bread and rolls. These are different types of bread, not interchangeable portions.
This range at Albert Heijn includes dark and light multiseed bread, as well as multiseed rolls. ‘Multiseed’ is a product description and shouldn’t automatically be taken to mean ‘multigrain’.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread range includes its own white and brown bread, alongside products from other brands. White or brown bread isn’t automatically a multigrain alternative.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t mean gluten-free. Choose bread labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol, and always check the packaging of the option you choose.
Use clean hands and clean or separate utensils, and keep the bread and its toppings separate from products containing gluten. Don’t share knives, butter or dips where crumbs could end up.
Choose individual rolls if you want to serve gluten-free portions separately; sliced bread is a better choice if you’re making several sandwiches. If you’re choosing bake-at-home rolls, check the preparation instructions too, and keep both types of bread separate from bread containing gluten while preparing them.
No, don’t assume this for an individual product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that bread in the Netherlands can provide iodine through baker’s salt with added iodine, but bakers aren’t required to use this salt. So check the ingredients list of the bread you choose.
