Guest with coeliac disease
Needs bread with a clear gluten-free label. How you serve it matters too: it’s important to avoid contact with crumbs and utensils from regular bread, as the Dutch Coeliac Society points out.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Gluten-free eater looking for wholemeal bread
As well as checking for a gluten-free label, they want to know whether the bread is specifically described as wholemeal, so they can compare the fibre per 100 g. A dark colour or a ‘multi-seed’ description alone doesn’t tell you this.
Host of a mixed coffee morning
Serves regular and gluten-free bread side by side, and needs a separate serving area and clean, separate utensils to avoid contact with bread containing gluten.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the gluten-free label on the packaging, then check whether it’s wholemeal as you’d like, and plan how to keep the bread separate before serving.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging; don’t rely on the colour or type of grain. | When I’m putting bread out for someone with coeliac disease, I want to check the gluten-free label before comparing other features. For around 31% of consumers, that reassurance would be the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | As well as checking the gluten-free label, look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g. | I also want to offer a wholemeal option, so I won’t settle for just ‘brown’ or ‘multi-seed’. For around 25% of consumers, this would be their main priority. |
| Separate serving | Keep the gluten-free bread separate and use clean, separate utensils and toppings. | When regular bread is on the same table, I want to make sure crumbs or shared utensils don’t come into contact with the gluten-free bread. Around 25% of consumers would see serving as the most important consideration. |
| Packaging and availability | Check the pack weight and whether the bread you’ve chosen is available at the shop; always check the packaging for that specific product. | For my coffee morning, I want to be able to buy enough bread in a practical size without skipping the label checks. This practical consideration would matter most to around 19% of consumers. |
Common mistakes when choosing and serving
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Mistaking ‘brown’, ‘multi-seed’ or ‘spelt’ for a gluten-free label
These words don’t confirm that bread is gluten-free. ‘Brown’ or ‘multi-seed’ on its own doesn’t tell you whether gluten-free bread is wholemeal either.
First, check the gluten-free label or Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Then, if you want wholemeal bread, look for an explicit wholemeal description and compare the fibre per 100 g.
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Serving gluten-free bread with the same utensils as regular bread
According to the Dutch Coeliac Society, even a crumb can matter to someone with coeliac disease. A shared knife, bread basket or topping that has touched regular bread could contaminate the gluten-free bread.
Keep the bread wrapped for as long as possible and use a clean, separate serving area with separate utensils and toppings.
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Assuming all gluten-free bread contains baker’s salt
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell what a specific loaf contains just from its type.
Check the ingredients list for the bread you’ve chosen if you want to know whether it contains baker’s salt or iodised salt.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Céréal
In its own product information, Céréal describes its Wholemeal Bread as gluten- and lactose-free and lists wholegrain buckwheat flour.
- For this specific bread, Céréal lists 14 g of fibre per 100 g and a Nutri-Score A. That rating alone doesn’t determine whether it’s suitable for an individual guest.
- Check the current packaging for ingredients and any possible traces of other allergens that may be relevant to your guest.
AH Glutenvrij
This Albert Heijn range includes gluten-free dark and light multi-seed bread.
- The different types of bread give you options when you’re looking for gluten-free bread for a coffee morning.
- ‘Dark’ and ‘multi-seed’ don’t confirm that bread is wholemeal, so check the packaging of each individual loaf.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij
Jumbo lists gluten-free brown and white bread among the options in its Lekker Vrij range.
- The choice between brown and white can help you match the type of bread to your coffee table.
- The description ‘brown’ doesn’t confirm that the bread is wholemeal, so check the packaging of each product.
PLUS
PLUS offers gluten-free brown, multi-seed and white bread in its bread range.
- There are different types of bread to compare alongside the gluten-free label you need.
- Check the wholemeal description, ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging of the product you choose.
Joybuy products for this choice
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I serve regular wholemeal bread to someone with coeliac disease?
Regular wholemeal bread isn’t automatically suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Wheat, spelt, rye and barley contain gluten, so choose bread whose packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol.
Is gluten-free bread always wholemeal too?
No, the gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether bread is wholemeal. Look separately for ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g. Céréal lists wholegrain buckwheat flour and 14 g of fibre per 100 g for its Wholemeal Bread; check the current packaging of the bread you buy.
How should I serve gluten-free bread alongside regular bread?
Keep the gluten-free bread separate and use clean, separate utensils and toppings. Ideally, leave it wrapped for as long as possible so that crumbs from regular bread don’t come into contact with it.
Does gluten-free bread always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No, you can’t tell that from the ‘gluten-free’ label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for the specific bread if this matters to your choice.