For a Sunday breakfast when you have coeliac disease, first choose a product whose current packaging says ‘gluten-free’, and avoid gluten-containing crumbs getting onto it during preparation or when adding toppings. If you’d like a slice of toast, look for sliced gluten-free bread. For a crisp base that’s ready to top, compare flatbreads, crispbread or rice toast. Part-baked rolls take longer to prepare, but are a good option if you’d rather serve warm bread.
You want to choose a gluten-free breakfast base and make sure it doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread at home. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease, so it’s important to pay attention to both the packaging and how you prepare it.
You want to serve a selection of toppings and are weighing up toasted bread, flatbread, crispbread and rice toast. The shape you prefer and how much time you want to spend preparing it will help you choose the right base for breakfast.
You often look for a gluten-free bread alternative and want to compare nutritional information too. Check the fibre content and see whether baker’s salt is listed among the ingredients: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free label on the current packaging and preparing the food without gluten-containing crumbs. Then, compare products based mainly on the type of bread you want, how it fits into your diet or what’s available.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free choice and preparation | Check for a ‘gluten-free’ label and allergen information on the current packaging. Keep your toaster, utensils and toppings free from gluten-containing crumbs. | If ordinary bread is eaten at home too, I want to stop crumbs getting onto my gluten-free breakfast. This precaution comes first for around 46% of consumers. |
| Shape and serving time | Choose between bread to toast, a crisp base that’s ready to top, and rolls that still need to be baked. Read the preparation instructions if needed. | For a brunch with a range of toppings, I want a base that suits the way I serve breakfast. This breakfast experience is the main consideration for roughly 27% of consumers. |
| Fibre and iodine | Compare the nutritional information for fibre per 100 g or per serving, and check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed among the ingredients. | If I replace bread regularly, I want to know how the products I choose fit into my diet. This is the main consideration for around 18% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check the current range before the weekend and make sure your preferred product type is available in your shop or in your order. | If I’m shopping for Sunday, I don’t want my breakfast plans to depend on a limited-time offer. Being able to shop in good time is the main concern for roughly 9% of consumers. |
An ingredient that naturally contains no gluten doesn’t confirm that the whole product is labelled gluten-free. Under EU Regulation 828/2014, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of food as sold to the consumer.
When shopping, check the current packaging for a gluten-free label and read the ingredients and allergen information too.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. Crumbs can get onto gluten-free bread from a shared toaster, knife, butter or worktop.
Use clean or separate utensils and keep gluten-free toppings away from crumbs from ordinary bread.
Fibre content varies from product to product. Not all bread contains baker’s salt either: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it.
Compare the nutritional information and check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt if you replace bread regularly.
A promotion or online range doesn’t guarantee that your preferred gluten-free product type will be available when you shop. Lidl describes its additional gluten-free offers as temporary.
Check the current range shortly before you buy, and decide which other gluten-free product type would also work for your breakfast.
Albert Heijn’s AH Glutenvrij range includes a choice of breakfast options, including bread and crispbread.
Jumbo lists gluten-free white and brown bread alongside other bread types in its gluten-free bread category.
Consenza caters for gluten-free bread occasions with options including fresh bread and part-baked rolls.
Nairn’s offers gluten-free flatbreads as a crisp base for toppings.
Lidl is worth checking if you’re considering temporary gluten-free offers as well as its regular range.
Check that the current packaging labels the product ‘gluten-free’ and read the ingredients and allergen information. EU Regulation 828/2014 sets a maximum of 20 mg of gluten per kg of food as sold to the consumer for a product to be labelled ‘gluten-free’. You should also avoid contact with gluten-containing crumbs during preparation.
No. Rice as an ingredient isn’t enough to confirm this: check the current packaging of the rice toast for a gluten-free label. Read the other allergen information too. For example, the product information for Van der Meulen Rijsttoast Natuur lists possible traces of sesame and soya.
Not if gluten-containing crumbs could get onto the bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. Use a clean or separate way of toasting, and take care with knives, toppings and worktops too.
No, baker’s salt isn’t used in all bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use it. So, if you regularly replace bread, check the ingredients list and consider your choice as part of your overall diet.
