Regular rye bread is not suitable for people with coeliac disease: rye contains gluten, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. For eating on the go, choose a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ on its current packaging. A compact seeded bread may offer the texture you’d expect from rye bread; a bread mix only becomes a snack once you’ve made it into bread at home. Check the other allergens and storage instructions, too.
When choosing bread to take with you, checking that it’s labelled ‘gluten-free’ is your top priority. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists rye, wheat and barley as gluten-containing grains, so regular rye bread is not an option.
You’re mainly looking for the texture of rye bread. Gluten-free seeded bread could be an option, but check the ingredients: a product name that suggests rye bread doesn’t mean the bread contains rye.
You want to prepare portions at home so you can eat them on the go without any extra preparation. Decide how you’ll prepare the bread before you set off, and follow the product’s storage instructions once the pack has been opened.
First, decide whether your snack needs to meet the requirements of a gluten-free diet. Then check whether you can take the bread with you ready to eat, and think about the texture you’re looking for. These considerations may carry different weight for people choosing a gluten-free alternative to rye bread for a road trip.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the ‘gluten-free’ label, ingredients and relevant allergen and may-contain information on the current packaging. If you have coeliac disease, don’t eat regular rye bread. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to make sure before setting off that my snack is labelled gluten-free and suitable for my diet. For around 50% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Eating on the go | Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs to be prepared at home, and read the storage instructions for after opening. | I want to eat on the go without an oven and pack portions in advance. Being able to eat it straight away is the most important factor for around 30% of consumers. |
| Texture and ingredients | Look at the main ingredients and, if you wish, compare fibre per 100 g. Also check for allergens such as oats or sesame if they’re relevant to you. | What matters most to me is whether the bread is dark and compact, rather than relying on the name alone. Around 20% of consumers prioritise a rye-bread-like texture above all else. |
Colour and a compact texture tell you nothing about whether a bread contains gluten. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, rye contains gluten.
If you have coeliac disease, check the ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging and read the ingredients list, even if the product looks like rye bread.
Gluten-free breads may contain ingredients such as soya or oats. A ‘may contain’ statement could also be relevant if you have another allergy.
Check each product individually using its current allergen information, rather than relying on the brand name alone.
A bread mix needs to be prepared first, and a bake-at-home product also needs preparation. Neither is ready to eat as bread on the go.
For your travel day, choose bread that’s ready to eat, or prepare the product at home according to the instructions.
Preparing it at home takes extra time and, depending on the product, an oven or bread machine.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) describes the addition of iodine to (baker’s) salt in the Netherlands. This doesn’t mean that all gluten-free bread contains iodised salt.
To find out what type of salt a particular bread contains, read the ingredients list on its packaging.
These brands and bread ranges give you a starting point for comparing types and ingredients; always check the individual product packaging.
Schär offers several types of gluten-free bread, including seeded and multigrain loaves, as well as a bread mix.
This range from Jumbo includes 500 g loaves of brown and white gluten-free bread.
Albert Heijn offers its own gluten-free breads, including dark and light multiseed varieties.
PLUS offers its own gluten-free bread products alongside products from Schär.
Consenza features in the online ranges at Albert Heijn and Jumbo, including gluten-free seeded bread.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, rye is a grain that contains gluten. Regular rye bread is therefore not a suitable snack for someone with coeliac disease.
Not necessarily. Albert Heijn describes Schär Pure & Active as gluten-free rye bread, but the listed ingredients include seeds, gluten-free oats and psyllium, with no rye. Check both the gluten-free label and the ingredients on the current packaging.
Choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and check the ingredients and allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that the ‘gluten-free’ label must meet the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 828/2014.
Follow the storage instructions for the bread you choose, especially after opening. Divide it into portions at home if needed, and choose a product that doesn’t need any further preparation while you’re on the go.
No, don’t assume that it does. The RIVM says that iodine is added to (baker’s) salt in the Netherlands, but the ingredients list for each individual loaf will tell you what type of salt it contains.
