If you have coeliac disease, start by choosing multigrain bread or rolls that are explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check the other allergens on the packaging too. Sliced bread is handy when you don’t have access to an oven; part-baked rolls need an oven, while frozen rolls also need to be kept properly frozen. Check the storage instructions for your chosen option before you set off.
Check that the bread you buy is labelled gluten-free on the packaging. The words ‘multigrain’ or ‘wheat-free’ alone don’t confirm this. Also check for any other allergens that are relevant to you.
Sliced bread that’s ready to eat is a better fit for a stay without an oven than part-baked rolls. Check how to store your chosen pack and how soon you need to use the bread once it’s opened.
If you want to know whether your chosen bread is made with iodised salt, check the ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt.
A good choice if: you want to eat slices while travelling without having to bake the bread first.
Bear in mind: the storage instructions once opened, and that allergens may vary between options.
A good choice if: you have an oven at your destination and want to bake the rolls before eating them.
Bear in mind: the cooking time. For Schär Meergranenbroodjes, Albert Heijn recommends 5–7 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 °C.
A good choice if: you can store the product according to the freezer instructions while travelling and during your stay, and can bake it before eating.
Bear in mind: Jumbo’s instructions for the Schär option mentioned: store at -18 °C and don’t refreeze once thawed.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for an explicit gluten-free label on the exact product packaging; ‘multigrain’ and ‘wheat-free’ aren’t a substitute. According to Glutenvrij.nl, ‘gluten-free’ means less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product. | If I’m choosing gluten-free food because of coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the label on the bread itself. For around 36% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
| Storage and preparation | Check whether you need an oven or freezer, and read the instructions for storing the product once opened or thawed. | When I’m staying somewhere without an oven or freezer, I want to be able to eat bread without relying on that equipment. Around 29% of consumers are most concerned about ease of storage and preparation. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information for your chosen option and compare nutritional information, such as fibre, on the same basis—for example, per 100 g. | If other allergens matter to me too, I want to know what’s in the bread before comparing seeds or nutritional values. Around 21% of consumers give priority to checking the ingredients. |
| Iodised salt | Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. | If I eat different bread on holiday from the bread I have at home, I want to be able to check whether my chosen option is made with iodised salt. For around 14% of consumers, this is the most important thing to check. |
Multigrain describes the bread, but doesn’t confirm that it’s gluten-free. ‘Wheat-free’ isn’t the same as ‘gluten-free’ either.
First, check that the packaging explicitly says gluten-free, then compare the other features.
Gluten-free bread may also contain allergens such as soya, or carry a warning about other allergens. These details vary by product.
Read the allergen information for the exact option, even if you’re already familiar with another product from the same brand.
Jumbo says to store the Schär frozen rolls at -18 °C and not to refreeze them once thawed.
Choose this option only if you can arrange transport, frozen storage and preparation. Otherwise, consider bread that doesn’t need to be kept frozen.
If the rolls thaw while you’re travelling, you may no longer be able to store them according to the original freezer instructions.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Its presence therefore varies from one loaf to another.
Check the ingredients list if iodised salt matters to your choice.
The product pages mentioned include Schär’s sliced Meesterbakker Mehrkorn and gluten-free multigrain rolls, including a frozen option.
Albert Heijn describes its dark gluten-free multiseed bread in a 480 g half-loaf pack as suitable for freezing on the day of purchase.
Jumbo describes its gluten-free multiseed bread as being made with tapioca starch, linseed, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t confirm that bread is gluten-free. Check that the packaging explicitly says gluten-free; according to Glutenvrij.nl, this means less than 20 mg of gluten per kg of product.
Sliced bread that’s ready to eat is a good fit for a stay without an oven. The part-baked Schär Meergranenbroodjes listed on Albert Heijn’s product page, on the other hand, need 5–7 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 °C. If you choose sliced bread, check the storage instructions once it’s opened.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If you want to know whether your chosen bread contains iodised salt, read the ingredients list.
Consider iodine as part of your overall diet, rather than looking at just one type of bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists foods such as sea fish, dairy products and eggs as sources of iodine.
