If you have coeliac disease, choose bread that is clearly labelled gluten-free for your lunch at home; ordinary multigrain bread is not a suitable alternative. Then compare the pack size and storage instructions with how often you have lunch at home, and check the fibre, salt and other allergens on the label. Don’t assume that every loaf contains iodised baker’s salt.
If you want a quick sandwich for lunch, you need to look for a clear gluten-free label. The Voedingscentrum advises people with coeliac disease to avoid gluten strictly. When preparing your lunch, watch out for crumbs from ordinary bread too.
If you have lunch at home several days a week, you’ll want to know whether you can freeze the loaf in portions and how to store it once opened. This helps you choose a pack size that suits how much you’ll actually use.
As well as gluten, you may need to check for soya, sesame, milk, eggs or nuts. The nutritional information also helps you compare fibre and salt per 100 g, rather than relying on the word ‘multiseed’ in the name.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label. Then compare which safe option best suits your lunch routine and what other information on the label matters to you.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten safety | Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging; ‘multigrain’ or ‘wheat-free’ alone isn’t enough. | With coeliac disease, I want to choose bread without having to rely on its name or the visible seeds. For around 36% of consumers, gluten safety comes first. |
| Stocking up and convenience | Compare the pack size and number of portions, as well as the instructions for freezing and storing the bread once opened. | If I only have lunch at home on some working days, I want to have bread ready without ending up with too much left over. Around 29% of consumers give stocking-up convenience top priority. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Check the fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and separate allergen statement. | I want to compare gluten-free options and check whether they contain ingredients such as soya or sesame. For around 21% of consumers, this label information matters most. |
| Iodised salt | Check whether the ingredients list mentions iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If I don’t eat much ordinary bread, I want to know whether the bread I choose contains iodised salt. This is the main additional consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Multigrain describes the grains used, not whether the bread is free from gluten. For example, Lidl lists wheat and barley in its regular multigrain bread.
If you have coeliac disease, check the packaging for an explicit gluten-free label and make sure crumbs from ordinary bread don’t get into your lunch.
A multiseed name doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt the bread contains. The nutritional values listed for the gluten-free breads discussed here vary.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g across products that are suitable for you, so different pack sizes don’t skew the comparison.
A gluten-free product may contain other allergens or carry a warning that it may contain them. Jumbo lists soya in its Lekker Vrij van Gluten multiseed bread, while PLUS lists sesame in its gluten-free multiseed rolls.
Check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ statement on the product you’re actually buying.
The Voedingscentrum says that in the Netherlands, bread does not have to be made with baker’s salt. Its presence therefore varies from one product to another.
Check the ingredients list if iodised salt is an important consideration when choosing bread.
Albert Heijn offers a gluten-free dark multiseed bread for sandwiches.
According to Jumbo, this own-brand multiseed bread is made with tapioca and potato starch, and contains seeds.
PLUS sells both gluten-free multiseed bread and gluten-free multiseed rolls, giving you options for different lunch routines.
Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn is a 300 g gluten-free multigrain loaf.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t mean that bread is gluten-free: Lidl lists wheat and barley, among other ingredients, in its regular multigrain bread. If you have coeliac disease, look for a clear gluten-free label on the packaging of the bread you choose.
A loaf that you can freeze in portions, or a smaller pack, could be a good fit if you only have lunch at home a few days a week. Albert Heijn says its gluten-free dark multiseed bread can be frozen on the day of purchase. Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn should be used within a few days of opening or frozen straight away.
Not necessarily. According to Jumbo, its Lekker Vrij van Gluten multiseed bread contains soya and may contain milk; PLUS lists sesame in its gluten-free multiseed rolls. So, as well as checking for a gluten-free label, read the separate allergen information.
No. The Voedingscentrum says that bread does not have to contain baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list to see whether your chosen bread contains iodised salt or baker’s salt, rather than assuming it does based on the type of bread.
