If someone with coeliac disease is coming to your Friday afternoon drinks, first choose bread or rolls that are explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. ‘Multigrain’ on its own tells you nothing about whether a product is gluten-free. Part-baked rolls can be served individually, while a sliced loaf lets you prepare your own sharing portions. Keep both separate from regular bread during preparation and serving.
You’re looking for bread that’s explicitly labelled gluten-free and want to keep it separate from crumbs, knives and utensils used for regular bread and toppings. According to the Voedingscentrum, even a stray bread crumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease.
You want to bake individual portions shortly before your guests arrive. Albert Heijn gives a baking time of 6–7 minutes for AH Glutenvrij Meerzaden broodjes; Jumbo says to bake Schär Meergranenbroodjes for 5–7 minutes at 200 °C. Follow the instructions on the pack you buy.
As well as checking for a gluten-free label, you compare the nutritional information. The Voedingscentrum points out that cutting out bread can reduce your iodine intake. Check the ingredients on the pack you choose, including whether it contains iodised salt, and compare fibre per 100 g.
Start by checking for a gluten-free label and making sure you can prepare the bread separately. Then compare the portions, preparation method and nutritional information that matter for your drinks get-together.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free bread | Check the pack for a ‘gluten-free’ label and any other allergens. Use clean utensils that are kept separate for preparation and serving. | If a guest has coeliac disease, I want to prevent gluten-free bread from coming into contact with regular bread through crumbs or shared utensils. This precaution is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Warm portions | Compare the number of rolls and the baking instructions with your oven space and serving time. | I want to serve warm rolls to each person just before drinks, without having to slice a loaf first. These individual portions come first for around 29% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre per 100 g and check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If I replace regular bread more often, I want to be able to compare the ingredients and nutritional value of different gluten-free breads. Around 21% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Shop and packaging | Check which specific gluten-free product is available and whether the pack size suits the number of guests. | I want to do all my shopping for drinks in one shop and avoid coming home with more rolls than I need. For around 14% of consumers, the choice of shop and pack size are the deciding factors. |
The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a product contains gluten. The Voedingscentrum also notes that oats can come into contact with gluten during production.
If you’re shopping for a guest with coeliac disease, look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the specific product. Don’t rely on the type of grain or the way the bread looks.
According to the Voedingscentrum, even a small amount of gluten can matter for someone with coeliac disease. Crumbs on a chopping board or shared utensils for toppings make it important to keep the two types of bread separate.
Prepare the gluten-free bread with clean utensils and serve it on a separate platter with its own serving utensils.
Breads and rolls vary in their recipes and in the allergens listed on the label. The use of iodised salt also varies from product to product.
For the pack you choose, check the ingredients and allergen information as well as the nutritional information per 100 g, especially if you often replace regular bread.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Meerzaden broodjes as a part-baked option for individual portions to serve with drinks.
Jumbo stocks various gluten-free Schär products, including multigrain rolls.
PLUS stocks Schär Glutenvrije Meesterbakker Mehrkorn as sliced multigrain bread and also lists PLUS Meerzaden glutenvrij.
Dirk’s search results include both Schär Mehrkorn glutenvrij and Schär Meergranenbroodjes glutenvrij.
Lidl lists a gluten-free range and also sells multigrain bread.
ALDI lists gluten-free options among its part-baked rolls and snacks.
No. ‘Multigrain’ isn’t a gluten-free label. If you’re buying for a guest with coeliac disease, check the specific pack for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label rather than relying on the grains or seeds in the name.
Prepare and serve the gluten-free bread separately, using clean utensils and its own platter. Keep the toppings and serving utensils separate too, so crumbs from regular bread can’t get onto it. The Voedingscentrum points out that even a stray bread crumb can matter for someone with coeliac disease.
Not necessarily. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Glutenvrij Meerzaden broodjes may contain egg, milk, soya, almonds and hazelnuts. Jumbo lists soya and possible traces of lupin, mustard and sesame for Schär Meergranenbroodjes. Always check the latest label.
If you replace regular bread more often, the ingredients list is worth checking: the Voedingscentrum points out that cutting out bread can reduce your iodine intake. Check whether the gluten-free product you choose lists iodised salt; don’t assume it’s used in every loaf.
Choose part-baked rolls if you want to serve individual warm portions and can fit the baking time into your plans. With sliced bread, you can choose the size of the topped portions yourself. Use a clean, separate work surface if regular bread is also being served.
