If you have coeliac disease, first look for the ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging; ‘sourdough’ on its own says nothing about whether a product is suitable. Then choose gluten-free sourdough bread if you want toast that feels like bread, or rice toast or gluten-free crackers if a crisp base matters more than sourdough flavour. When toasting, keep ordinary bread crumbs well away, and compare the nutritional information if you often use these products instead of bread.
You want to be sure the option you choose is labelled gluten-free and avoid crumbs from ordinary bread getting onto it during preparation. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the Dutch Coeliac Association, both product choice and preventing cross-contamination are important.
You’re looking for bread to toast that contains sourdough, but will only choose an option that is also labelled gluten-free. Rice toast can be a crisp alternative, but it isn’t sourdough bread.
If toast, crackers or rice toast regularly replace bread, you’ll also want to compare fibre, salt and ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that bakers aren’t required to use iodised baker’s salt, so check the ingredients of the option you choose.
If you have coeliac disease, the gluten-free label comes before your choice of flavour or bread style. Once you’ve found suitable products, look for sourdough bread if you want toast that feels like bread, or choose rice toast and crackers if you’d prefer something crisp straight away.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing and preparing gluten-free products | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Keep the product away from ordinary bread crumbs during preparation. | I don’t want a suitable toast to come into contact with ordinary bread crumbs at home; for around 50% of consumers, this safety check comes first. |
| Sourdough and bread style | After checking for the gluten-free label, see whether sourdough is listed in the ingredients and whether the bread style suits the way you want to toast it. | If I’m looking for sourdough flavour and toast that feels like bread, thin rice toast won’t meet the same need. For around 30% of consumers, that bread-like experience matters most. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and per portion; for bread, check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If toast or crackers often replace bread in my diet, I want to know what I’m usually eating. Around 20% of consumers focus mainly on this nutritional information. |
The sourdough process doesn’t make bread made from gluten-containing grains suitable for people with coeliac disease. ‘Wheat-free’ doesn’t confirm that a product is gluten-free either.
First check for the gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen. Only then check whether it contains sourdough.
According to the Dutch Coeliac Association, if you have coeliac disease you also need to avoid cross-contamination with gluten. Shared knives, chopping boards and work surfaces can transfer crumbs.
Use a clean work surface and clean utensils, ideally ones you keep separate. When toasting, also take care to avoid contact with crumbs from ordinary bread.
Rice toast, crackers and bread can differ in fibre, salt and ingredients. What’s more, iodised baker’s salt isn’t automatically listed among the ingredients of every loaf.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion, and check which salt has been used in bread.
Check the packaging of each specific product from every brand: a gluten-free range doesn’t mean that every loaf or toast product from that brand is gluten-free.
Albert Heijn’s gluten-free range includes various bread and cracker products.
Schär makes gluten-free bread products, including Meesterbakker Classic.
Consenza offers, among other products, fresh gluten-free bread and rolls for baking at home.
No. Fermentation alone doesn’t make sourdough made with grains such as wheat, rye, barley or spelt suitable for people with coeliac disease. Choose bread whose packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol, then check whether it contains sourdough.
No. ‘Wheat-free’ doesn’t rule out other gluten-containing grains or cross-contamination. When choosing toast for someone with coeliac disease, look for the gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging.
Make sure the gluten-free bread doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread. Use a clean work surface and clean utensils; only use a shared toaster if you can prevent cross-contamination.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients of the bread you choose for iodised salt; if you don’t eat much bread, you can also check which other sources of iodine are part of your diet.
Yes, gluten-free bread can contain oats, but if you have coeliac disease, choose a product that is clearly labelled gluten-free. The Dutch Coeliac Association points out that oats can be contaminated with gluten-containing grains, and that a small group of people with coeliac disease also react to pure oats.
