Who is this relevant to?

Hotel guest with coeliac disease

Wants to find out in advance which bread product is gluten-free and how the hotel prevents it coming into contact with ordinary bread at breakfast.

Hotel breakfast team

Needs to give guests clear allergen information and store and serve gluten-free products in a way that prevents contact with ordinary bread or shared utensils.

Guest who misses dark breakfast bread

Is looking for a different bread experience from white bread. When choosing dark seeded bread or crispbread, the gluten-free label, nutritional information and other allergens remain key considerations.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking that the exact product is suitable for the guest with coeliac disease. Then discuss how it will be served at the buffet. Only after that should you compare the type of bread and its nutritional information.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free suitability Check the current packaging for a gluten-free label and the ingredients; don’t choose a product containing rye. If I have coeliac disease, I want to know first whether the bread product is suitable, regardless of how much it looks like rye bread. For around 50% of consumers, product suitability comes first.
Serving at the buffet Ask how the hotel stores and serves the product, whether it is toasted, and where allergen information is available. At a shared buffet, I want to be able to choose without my roll coming into contact with ordinary bread crumbs or shared utensils. That’s why around 30% of consumers prioritise how the buffet is run.
Type of bread and nutritional information Compare the ingredients, fibre and salt per 100 g, as well as any other allergens, on the exact packaging. I’m mainly looking for a dark, firm or crunchy alternative to my usual rye bread, and I want to know exactly what it contains. For around 20% of consumers, the bread experience and product information are the first things they consider.

A dark appearance alone says nothing about whether a product is gluten-free or its nutritional value. PLUS lists 9.9 g of fibre per 100 g for Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn, but also identifies soya as an allergen and says the product may contain lupin, mustard and sesame. Use this information only for the exact product variant, and check the packaging of the product being served.

Pitfalls at the hotel breakfast buffet

  • Assuming rye bread is gluten-free

    Rye naturally contains gluten, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. The colour, texture or name of a bread doesn’t change that.

    For a guest with coeliac disease, choose an alternative whose current packaging states that it is gluten-free, and check that the ingredients don’t include rye.

  • Checking the label but forgetting how it’s served

    A suitable packaged product can come into contact with ordinary bread crumbs when it’s served. The NVWA stresses that food businesses must do everything possible to prevent cross-contamination.

    Ask how the hotel keeps bread, tongs, toasters and spreads separate. Make sure allergen information is available before the guest chooses.

  • Assuming dark seeded bread is the same as rye bread

    Colour and seeds don’t tell you how much fibre or salt a product contains, or which other allergens are present. For example, PLUS lists soya for Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn and says it may contain lupin, mustard and sesame.

    Compare the nutritional information and allergens on the exact packaging rather than choosing based only on appearance or the product name.

  • Choosing ordinary bread for its iodine content

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread made with baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. That doesn’t make gluten-containing bread suitable for a guest with coeliac disease.

    Keep the breakfast choice gluten-free. If someone is replacing ordinary bread over the long term and has questions about their overall diet, they can discuss them with a dietitian specialising in coeliac disease.

Brands to consider

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn’s range includes dark seeded bread and other gluten-free bread and breakfast products.

  • The range of bread types gives you options to find a breakfast product that suits your preferred portion and texture.
  • Check the packaging actually supplied for ingredients, allergens and a gluten-free label; the range may change.

Schär

Schär makes a range of gluten-free breads. Albert Heijn’s gluten-free range includes Meesterbakker Mehrkorn.

  • PLUS lists 9.9 g of fibre per 100 g for Meesterbakker Mehrkorn.
  • According to PLUS, this specific product contains soya and may contain lupin, mustard and sesame. This information doesn’t automatically apply to other Schär products.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten

Jumbo lists 500 g loaves of white and brown gluten-free bread under this name.

  • White and brown bread give you two options to compare by packaging and ingredients.
  • Before use, check the current ingredients, allergens and local availability of your chosen variant.

Bread options on Joybuy

This type of roll may be an option for a hotel breakfast where a guest is looking for an alternative to rye bread. For a guest with coeliac disease, check the current packaging and how the hotel prepares and serves the product.

Gv Baguette Mini, 7 pieces

Gv Baguette Mini, 7 pieces

A type of roll for anyone who isn’t looking for dark bread at the hotel breakfast. Check the current packaging for a gluten-free label, ingredients and allergens. Before use, find out how the rolls need to be prepared and how they’ll be served separately from ordinary bread.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Can rye bread be a gluten-free option for someone with coeliac disease?

Not if the product contains rye: rye naturally contains gluten, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Choose an alternative whose packaging states that it is gluten-free, and check the ingredients of the exact variant.

Is a gluten-free roll safe next to ordinary bread on the buffet?

That also depends on how the hotel handles it. Ask how it is stored and served separately, and whether tongs, toasters and spreads are shared with ordinary bread. The NVWA stresses that food businesses should do as much as possible to prevent cross-contamination.

Where can I find allergen information for unpackaged buffet food?

Ask the hotel for allergen information before choosing an unpackaged product. According to the NVWA, consumers must be given information about allergens in unpackaged food in a way other than on packaging.

Does iodine matter if I replace ordinary bread?

It may be worth considering if you’re replacing bread over the long term: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread made with baker’s salt is an important source of iodine in the Netherlands. That’s no reason to serve gluten-containing bread to someone with coeliac disease. If necessary, discuss questions about your overall diet with a dietitian specialising in coeliac disease.