If your guest has coeliac disease, choose white bread labelled ‘gluten free’ and make sure it stays free from ordinary bread crumbs during preparation and serving. For a date night, you can choose bread that’s ready to serve, defrost frozen rolls in good time or bake your own using a bread mix. Check the current label for other allergens too, and for iodised salt if that matters to your choice.
You want to serve bread that’s clearly labelled gluten free and avoid any crumbs from ordinary bread getting into it. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
You’ll want to know whether you can serve the bread straight away, need to defrost rolls or should set aside time to bake your own. The type of bread and how it’s prepared will determine what works with your dinner plans.
As well as gluten, you’re checking for allergens such as soya, milk, egg or nuts, or want to know whether the bread contains iodised salt. Check the packaging of the product you buy.
Start by checking that the bread is labelled gluten free and can be prepared without contact with ordinary bread. Then choose a type of bread that suits the time you have before dinner and the ingredients your guest needs to avoid.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and crumbs | Look for the words ‘gluten free’ on the packaging. Use clean kitchen utensils and keep the bread separate from ordinary bread. | When I’m cooking for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want even a bread crumb to get into the gluten-free dish. For around 46% of consumers, this is the main consideration when choosing bread. |
| Serving time and type of bread | Compare portion sizes and preparation instructions: serve straight away, defrost in advance or bake your own. | For a carefully laid table, I want to choose bread that’s ready on time and easy to share. Around 27% of consumers pay most attention to this kind of planning. |
| Other ingredients | Read the latest allergen and ingredient information, including whether it contains iodised salt if that matters to your choice. | If my guest also needs to avoid other allergens, I want to know what’s listed on the packaging I buy. For around 27% of consumers, these label details are the first thing they consider. |
A reference to wheat doesn’t tell you whether the finished product can be labelled gluten free. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, products sold to consumers can only carry this label if they contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of food.
If you’re buying bread for a guest with coeliac disease, check that the current packaging says ‘gluten free’.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. How you prepare and serve the bread matters just as much after you’ve bought it.
Use clean knives, work surfaces and bread baskets, and avoid contact with a toaster that has been used for ordinary bread.
Gluten free doesn’t mean the bread is free from other allergens too. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Odenwald Bakery lists various allergens.
Ask in advance which ingredients your guest needs to avoid, then check the allergen information on the exact packaging you’re buying.
According to Jumbo, Odenwald Bakery’s white gluten-free rolls need three hours to defrost at room temperature.
Plan ahead, or choose bread that’s ready to serve if you don’t have time to defrost it.
Albert Heijn describes AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half as a 480 g gluten-free white loaf.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit is a 500 g gluten-free white loaf.
Schär offers several gluten-free bread products. Mix B is a bread mix for home baking, not ready-made bread.
Jumbo describes Odenwald Bakery’s gluten-free oval white frozen rolls as a pack of 2 × 90 g.
This bread mix is a good choice for a date night if you want to bake gluten-free white bread yourself in advance. It isn’t ready to serve straight away. If you’re baking for someone with coeliac disease, keep your utensils and work surface free from crumbs from ordinary bread.
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For a dinner where you have time to bake your own gluten-free bread.
The pack contains 1 kg of bread mix. According to the product description, you can knead the mix by hand or use a bread maker.
The product information lists soya. If you have additional allergies or questions about iodised salt, check the latest packaging. The mix isn’t ready to serve straight away.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, food sold to consumers can be labelled ‘gluten free’ if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. If you’re hosting dinner for someone with coeliac disease, don’t rely on terms such as ‘wheat free’ alone.
Yes, as long as you make sure the gluten-free bread doesn’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that even a stray crumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease, so use clean, separate kitchen and serving utensils.
No, you can’t assume that for every product. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list iodised salt for the gluten-free white breads discussed here. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the bread you buy.
It depends on the product and your guest’s allergies. According to Jumbo, the Jumbo bread discussed here contains soya and may contain egg, milk and nuts. The Odenwald Bakery rolls contain soya. Always read the allergen information on the packaging you buy.
According to Jumbo’s product information, start defrosting them at room temperature three hours before serving. Don’t refreeze the rolls afterwards. The same information says they can be kept for up to two days after defrosting.
