Choose a loaf that is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’ for your guest, and check the current packaging for any other relevant allergens. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. So check the sauces and other parts of the meal too, and avoid contact with gluten while preparing the food. Then compare the bread’s shape, packaging and storage instructions to find what suits your menu.
They’re looking for bread with an explicit gluten-free label and want to avoid crumbs from other bread coming into contact with it. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the rest of the meal needs attention too.
They want to serve white bread as a side or as the base for a starter, so they also check sauces, spreads and other parts of the menu for gluten.
They compare the packaging, fibre content, allergens and storage instructions for gluten-free white bread. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS and Schär shows how these details vary between loaves.
Start with the gluten-free label and the ingredients in the whole meal. Then consider how you want to serve and store the bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and cross-contamination | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging and prevent contact with gluten from other foods. | If a guest has coeliac disease, I want to be sure which bread I’m serving and avoid crumbs from other bread getting onto it. This check is a priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| The whole meal | Check the labels on sauces, marinades and other parts of the menu too. | Choosing suitable bread isn’t enough if I haven’t checked the sauce or side dishes. Around 25% of consumers prioritise checking the whole menu. |
| Serving and storage | Compare the shape of the bread, fibre per 100 g, and instructions for use after opening or freezing. | I want to serve the bread at the right time and store any leftovers. This is the main consideration for around 17% of consumers. |
| Packaging and availability | Work out how much bread you need and check the latest information with the retailer you’re buying from. | I want to know whether I can get enough bread for my meal without relying on an out-of-date product page. Around 16% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
If your guest needs to eat gluten-free, the explicit label matters. Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 sets the limit for a ‘gluten-free’ claim at no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg in the food as sold to the final consumer.
Check the label on the pack you’re buying every time, rather than relying on the name of the bread alone.
Gluten-free doesn’t mean the bread is free from other allergens. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS and Schär lists different allergens that may be present in each loaf.
Compare the latest allergen information with what your guest needs to avoid.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, gluten can also be found in sauces and other unexpected products. So gluten-free bread alone doesn’t automatically make the meal suitable for someone with coeliac disease.
Before cooking, check the sauces, marinades, toppings and other ingredients too, and make sure gluten-free food doesn’t come into contact with gluten.
A product’s ingredients and allergen information can change. That means information you saw in a shop previously may differ from the packaging on the product you eventually buy.
Read the label on the actual loaf again before serving it.
Own-brand gluten-free white bread for anyone who wants a loaf they can freeze.
Own-brand range with a 500 g gluten-free white loaf.
Own-brand gluten-free white bread made with tapioca starch.
A brand offering packaged gluten-free white bread for comparing ingredients and nutritional values by product.
According to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the label ‘gluten-free’ can be used when the food, as sold to the final consumer, contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. Check the label on the current packaging of the bread you’re buying.
Not necessarily: choose bread to suit your guests’ needs. If one of your guests has coeliac disease, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking care to avoid contact with gluten from other foods, even a single breadcrumb.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that gluten can also be found in sauces and other unexpected products. So check every relevant ingredient on the menu and prevent contact with gluten during preparation.
No, you can’t tell from the ‘gluten-free’ label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread and bakery products through bakers’ salt. Check the ingredients list to see whether a particular loaf contains iodised salt.
