If you have coeliac disease, choose multigrain bread with an explicit gluten-free statement or a trusted gluten-free certification mark on the current packaging; the words ‘multigrain’ alone aren’t enough. If you don’t have access to a suitable oven, ready-to-eat bread is more practical for lunch. Bake-at-home rolls are only an option if you can prepare them as instructed without contact with crumbs containing gluten. Also compare the nutritional information and check for other allergens and whether iodised salt is listed.
As well as checking the gluten-free statement on the packaging, consider how the bread is handled in the canteen. The Dutch Coeliac Society recommends preparing gluten-free food separately, so crumbs aren’t transferred to your lunch from items such as a chopping board, knife or oven rack.
You can fill ready-to-eat, packaged multiseed bread at home and take it with you. Bake-at-home rolls need to be prepared before lunch; also check the packaging to see whether each product can be frozen at home.
Alongside the gluten-free statement, fibre and salt per 100 g, other allergens and iodised salt in the ingredients list can all affect your choice. These details vary from one loaf to another.
For a university lunch, first check the gluten-free statement and how the bread will be handled. Then choose between ready-to-eat bread and bake-at-home rolls, and compare the labels of products that suit your needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Eating gluten-free without cross-contamination | Check the current gluten-free statement or certification mark. If the bread will be prepared in the canteen, ask whether clean, separate equipment will be used. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to avoid my lunch coming into contact with crumbs containing gluten while it’s being filled or heated. For around 42% of consumers, gluten-free safety comes first. |
| A lunch that’s ready on time | Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs baking, and read the preparation and freezing instructions if necessary. | Without a suitable oven in the canteen, I want to be able to prepare my bread at home and take it with me. For around 33% of consumers, convenience is the main consideration. |
| Nutritional value and other allergens | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the allergen information and ingredients list, including any mention of iodised salt. | If gluten-free bread is a regular part of my lunch, I want to compare the ingredients and other allergens in each product. Around 25% of consumers give this label information top priority. |
Bread made with several grains or visible seeds can still contain gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises that the gluten-free statement or certification mark on the label is what matters.
Check the current packaging every time you buy, including the ingredients and allergen information.
Even bread that is gluten-free when packaged can come into contact with crumbs containing gluten when it’s sliced, filled or heated.
Fill your bread at home, or ask the canteen whether it can use clean, separate equipment and prepare your food without contact with bread containing gluten.
Gluten-free bake-at-home rolls must be prepared according to their own instructions. If you’re using a shared oven, you’ll also need to consider crumbs and contact with the oven rack.
If you don’t have a suitable way to prepare them, choose ready-to-eat bread instead. Only take bake-at-home rolls if you can follow the instructions and prevent cross-contamination.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you’ll need to check whether each loaf contains iodised salt.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt, especially if gluten-free bread is a regular part of your diet.
Schär offers packaged gluten-free bread and bake-at-home rolls, including Meesterbakker Mehrkorn and Meergranenbroodjes.
Albert Heijn lists both ready-to-eat dark multiseed bread and multiseed rolls for baking under this own-brand range.
Jumbo’s gluten-free bread range includes various types of bread, such as multiseed bread, sourdough bread and ciabatta.
PLUS lists gluten-free multiseed bread and gluten-free multiseed rolls under its own brand online.
No. The word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether the bread is suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Check the current packaging for an explicit gluten-free statement or a trusted gluten-free certification mark, as recommended by the Dutch Coeliac Society.
Only if the canteen can prevent contact with food containing gluten and crumbs. Ask how hands, cutlery, chopping boards and ovens are used; the Dutch Coeliac Society recommends preparing gluten-free food separately. If you’re buying an unpackaged roll, also ask about the allergens present.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’, or ask the baker; don’t assume based on the type of bread alone.
This varies by product, so read the current allergen information. The product information we looked at lists soya and possible traces of allergens including lupin, sesame and mustard for Schär products. For AH Glutenvrij Brood donker meerzaden half, it lists possible traces of egg, milk, soya and nuts, among others.
