If you have coeliac disease and are staying in a holiday home, choose pre-packaged bread that is explicitly labelled ‘gluten-free’. Check the pack for allergen information, storage instructions and any warnings about cross-contamination, and ideally arrange a suitable product before you travel. A gluten-free bread mix can be an alternative if you can bake your own bread, but it isn’t ready-to-eat white bread.
You’re looking for bread with a clear gluten-free label and want to avoid crumbs or shared kitchen utensils contaminating it in the holiday home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that even a stray breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
You want to choose a packaged product before you arrive, with a quantity, storage method and allergen information that suit your stay. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking essential products with you on a trip if necessary.
You use gluten-free white bread for simple meals, but also compare the nutritional information. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, some gluten-free flour mixes can be low in fibre, iron, vitamin B1 and folic acid; check the ingredients list for iodised salt for each product.
Start by checking the gluten-free label on the pack. Then see whether the bread is available and can be stored during your stay, and whether its format and nutritional information suit your meals.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and cross-contamination | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the pack, read the allergen information, and use clean or separate kitchen utensils in the holiday home. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t just want to buy the right bread; I also want to prevent crumbs from ordinary bread getting onto it. This check is a top priority for around 36% of shoppers. |
| Availability and storage | Check whether it’s available at your destination, the use-by date and the storage advice on the packaging. | I don’t want to rely on an unfamiliar shop shelf when I arrive, and I need to be able to store my supplies properly. This planning is the top priority for around 29% of shoppers. |
| Bread format and portions | Check whether you’re buying half a loaf, a whole loaf or bake-at-home bread, and whether you have the facilities needed to prepare it. | For a short stay, I want a quantity and type of bread that suit our meals and the kitchen. Around 21% of shoppers consider this practical choice the most important factor. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients list to see whether iodised salt has been used. | I want to know what the bread adds to my meals and plan the rest of the menu accordingly. For around 14% of shoppers, this is the key question when buying. |
The type of bread or where it sits on the shelf doesn’t tell you whether it’s gluten-free. Under EU Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product labelled ‘gluten-free’ must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
Choose a specific product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and check the label again when you receive it.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. A gluten-free pack doesn’t remove the risk of using shared kitchen utensils.
Keep the bread sealed and separate from ordinary bread. Use clean or separate kitchen utensils.
Albert Heijn and PLUS say that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change.
Use the product page to plan your shopping, then check the pack you actually receive when you buy it.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, some gluten-free flour mixes can be low in fibre, iron, vitamin B1 and folic acid. You also can’t assume that every loaf contains iodised salt.
Read the nutritional information per 100 g and the ingredients list, and consider the rest of your meals when making your choice.
Compare a specific pack of bread, not just the supermarket name: bread format, allergens and storage advice can vary from one product to another.
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Wit brood half in its gluten-free bread range.
Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij van Gluten Wit as a 500 g packaged loaf.
PLUS lists PLUS Wit glutenvrij as a separately packaged product.
Dirk lists Schär Meisterbäckers Classic gluten-free bread in a 300 g pack.
ALDI lists gluten-free options among its bake-at-home rolls and snacks.
Lidl provides separate information about gluten-free products and the ingredients in its freshly baked bread.
This option is for anyone who wants to bake gluten-free bread in their holiday home. A bread mix isn’t a substitute for ready-to-eat white bread, so check before buying that you have the facilities you need to prepare it.
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For anyone who can make their own bread in a holiday home instead of bringing ready-to-eat white bread.
1 kg gluten-free bread mix; check the pack for preparation instructions, allergens and the ‘gluten-free’ label.
No. ‘Wheat-free’ doesn’t mean the same as ‘gluten-free’. Choose a pack that is explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the label. Under EU Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, a product can be labelled ‘gluten-free’ in the EU if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
Keep it sealed and separate from ordinary bread, and use clean or separate kitchen utensils. Watch out for crumbs in a shared toaster or on a chopping board, too; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease.
If it’s essential, it’s best to bring it with you, or check before you travel whether you can buy it at your destination. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking availability before a trip and taking essential products with you if necessary.
No, you can’t assume this is the case for every loaf. Dutch food legislation on the addition of micronutrients permits iodine to be added to bread through baker’s salt, but check the ingredients list for each product. The gluten-free white breads mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS list iodised salt.
Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, among other things, and consider how the bread fits into the rest of your meals. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, some gluten-free flour mixes can be low in fibre, iron, vitamin B1 and folic acid; the nutritional information on the pack can help you compare products.
