If you’re catering for someone with coeliac disease, choose white bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and keep it away from ordinary bread and crumbs when preparing and serving it. Then compare the loaf size, storage instructions, other allergens and nutritional information on the packaging; gluten-free bread does not automatically contain iodised salt.
It’s not just the gluten-free label on the bread that matters to you: you also need a serving area free from crumbs of ordinary bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
You want to buy the bread in good time and serve it separately. Check the storage instructions for your chosen bread: Albert Heijn recommends freezing AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half on the day of purchase, while the product information for Schär Meesterbakker Classic advises using the bread soon after opening or freezing it straight away.
As well as gluten, you may also need to avoid soya, egg, milk, nuts, mustard or lupin. A gluten-free label tells you nothing about the presence of these other allergens, so check the latest ingredients and allergen information.
First, check the gluten-free label and how you’ll keep the bread separate. Then choose a size and storage method that suit your brunch, and read the nutritional and allergen information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving gluten-free | Look for an explicit gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol. Set aside a separate board, a clean knife and toppings that are free from crumbs of ordinary bread. | If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I want to stop ordinary bread from coming into contact with the gluten-free option. This is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Size and preparation | Compare the pack weight with the number of people eating, and check when and how the bread can be frozen. | Anyone preparing brunch in advance wants to have enough bread ready without having to look for an alternative at the last minute. Around 33% of consumers rank this as their top priority. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, look for iodised salt in the ingredients list, and check the information about other allergens too. | When I’m choosing bread for someone with additional allergies, I need to look beyond the gluten-free label. These details on the label matter most to around 25% of consumers. |
Wheat-free does not mean gluten-free: according to the European Union, rye and barley also contain gluten. With coeliac disease, crumbs of ordinary bread on the serving area are also a concern.
Choose bread with an explicit gluten-free label, and use clean, separate utensils for preparing and serving it.
Gluten-free white breads may contain soya or carry a warning that they may contain egg, milk, nuts, mustard or lupin, among other things. Information varies from product to product.
For each guest, check both the ingredients list and the ‘may contain’ statement on the latest packaging.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. So you’ll need to check each loaf for iodised salt.
Look for iodised salt or baker’s salt in the ingredients list, especially if someone does not usually eat much other bread.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half as a pre-packed 480 g white loaf.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit is a pre-packed 500 g white loaf.
Schär Meesterbakker Classic is a 300 g gluten-free white loaf made with millet, quinoa and sourdough, as listed by PLUS.
PLUS Wit glutenvrij is a white loaf made with ingredients including tapioca and potato starch.
If you’d like to serve individual rolls at your Easter brunch, this pack of mini baguettes is worth a look. Before buying, check the gluten-free label and whether the pack contains bake-at-home rolls or a mix for making your own.
Image unavailable
If you’re serving individual rolls at brunch, this pack of seven mini baguettes is one to consider.
Check whether this version contains bake-at-home rolls or a baking mix, and follow the preparation instructions on the packaging. If you’re catering for a guest with coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label. For additional allergies, check the information about soya, lupin and mustard.
Not on the basis of ‘wheat-free’ alone. Choose bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free: according to the European Union, rye and barley also contain gluten.
Put the bread on a separate plate and use a clean board, a clean knife and toppings that are free from crumbs of ordinary bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms in people with coeliac disease.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers do not have to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for the bread you choose; Albert Heijn, Jumbo and the Schär and PLUS products listed by PLUS include iodised salt in their product information.
You can, as long as the storage instructions for the product allow it. For AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half, Albert Heijn recommends freezing it on the day of purchase; the product information for Schär Meesterbakker Classic says to freeze it as soon as it is opened as an alternative to using it quickly.
Check the latest packaging for information about other allergens too. Gluten-free breads may contain soya, for example, or state that they may contain egg, milk, nuts, mustard or lupin. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products.
