If you’re choosing for someone with coeliac disease, start with multigrain bread or rolls that are explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this claim may only be used if the food contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram for the final consumer. Then choose between bread that’s ready to top and rolls that need baking before serving. Check the label for other allergens too, and keep the food separate from regular bread during the procession.
You’re looking for bread explicitly labelled gluten-free and want to prevent it coming into contact with crumbs from regular bread when it’s topped or handed out. The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) points out that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease.
You want to be able to take portions with you and keep them separate. Bread that’s ready to eat saves you having to prepare it just before you leave; bake-at-home rolls are a good choice if you have the time and equipment to prepare them beforehand.
Compare the number of portions, shelf life and any preparation needed. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging when you buy, especially if someone has a food allergy as well as coeliac disease.
Start by checking for a gluten-free claim and making sure you can serve the bread separately. Then decide whether you want bread that’s ready to take with you or rolls to bake beforehand.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free and served separately | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ claim on the packaging. Plan to use clean, separate equipment for storage and topping. | If I’m taking bread for someone with coeliac disease, I also want to avoid contact with regular bread crumbs when handing it out. For around 36% of consumers, confidence that the food is gluten-free comes first. |
| Take with you or bake beforehand | Compare the number of pieces or portions with the preparation instructions and storage advice. | I want to hand out the bread at the procession without preparing anything there, or bake the rolls at home beforehand. For around 29% of consumers, convenience matters most. |
| Ingredients and salt | Read the allergen information if there are additional allergies. Check the label to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used, if this matters to you. | When I’m buying for someone with an additional food allergy, I need to look beyond ‘gluten-free’; the ingredients can also affect my choice. For around 21% of consumers, the ingredients are the top priority. |
| Stock and preparation | Check availability at your chosen retailer and look at the use-by date and storage advice before buying. | If I’m buying ahead for several people or want to bake the bread myself, I need time to prepare the portions before the procession. For around 14% of consumers, this planning takes priority over the other selection criteria. |
Bread made with several grains or seeds isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease. The term ‘multigrain’ tells you nothing about whether it’s gluten-free.
First, check that ‘gluten-free’ appears on the packaging. Only then choose the type of bread you want.
A gluten-free product may also contain soya or other allergens. The ingredients and warnings on product pages may differ from those on the packaging you buy.
Read the current label every time you buy, especially if someone also has another food allergy.
The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) says that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease. So even suitable bread won’t stay separate automatically when you serve it.
Keep the gluten-free bread separate and use clean, separate utensils and toppings.
The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) explains that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So don’t assume that bread contains iodised salt based on the type of bread.
Check the ingredients list if the use of baker’s salt or iodised salt is important to your choice.
Albert Heijn lists gluten-free multiseed rolls that you can bake before heading out.
Jumbo describes a gluten-free multiseed bread made with tapioca starch, seeds and kernels.
PLUS lists gluten-free multiseed rolls for anyone who wants to take individual rolls with them.
Schär offers multigrain products as both loaves and rolls; the specific variety determines what you’re buying.
Dirk’s search results list Schär Mehrkorn gluten-free bread and Schär Meergranenbroodjes gluten-free rolls.
For a specific gluten-free multigrain product at these retailers, check the current range.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a bread is suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ claim on the packaging. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the food must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram for the final consumer.
Yes, as long as you prevent the gluten-free bread from coming into contact with regular bread or its crumbs. The Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre) warns that even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms in someone with coeliac disease, so keep the packaging, knife and toppings separate.
Yes, if the person you’re buying for has another food allergy. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t mean that bread is also free from ingredients such as soya, milk, egg or nuts. Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the product you choose.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list if you want to know whether your chosen bread contains baker’s salt or iodised salt.
