If you have coeliac disease and are looking for wholemeal bread for your first food shop, start by choosing a loaf clearly labelled ‘gluten-free’ or bearing the Crossed Grain symbol. Then check separately whether it is described as wholemeal, how much fibre it contains per 100 g, and which storage and ingredient details matter for your choice. Dark bread or bread with seeds is not automatically wholemeal.
You’re looking for bread to stock up on for the first time and want to tell wholemeal bread apart from bread that is specifically labelled gluten-free. The Voedingscentrum recommends a gluten-free diet for people with coeliac disease.
Once you’ve checked that it’s gluten-free, you want to see whether the bread is described as wholemeal and how much fibre the nutritional information lists per 100 g. Colour and seeds don’t tell you this on their own.
You’re not sure how quickly you’ll get through a pack. The pack size and storage instructions can help you decide how much bread to buy for your first food shop.
If you have coeliac disease, first check that the packaging clearly says the bread is gluten-free. Then compare the wholemeal description, nutritional information, availability and storage instructions for the products that suit you.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging. Also read the ingredients and allergen information. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume a product is suitable based on the type of bread. Around 36% of consumers put this label check first. |
| Wholemeal content and fibre | Check the product description and types of flour; compare the amount of fibre listed per 100 g. | I’m not just looking for gluten-free bread; I also want to know whether it’s described as wholemeal or how much fibre it contains. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Availability | Check whether your chosen bread is available at your shop. If you choose an alternative, check its packaging again. | For my first food shop, I want to be able to find bread that meets my main requirement, even if my first choice isn’t available. Availability matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Packaging and storage | Check the pack size and instructions for storing the bread after opening and freezing it, if applicable. | If I don’t eat much bread, I want to choose a pack I can use according to the storage instructions without throwing much away. This is the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Wholemeal describes something different about bread from gluten-free. Ordinary wholemeal bread made with wheat, rye or barley isn’t suitable for a gluten-free diet for coeliac disease.
First, look for a clear gluten-free label or the Crossed Grain symbol. Only then check whether it’s wholemeal.
A dark colour, seeds or the word buckwheat in the name don’t automatically make gluten-free bread wholemeal.
Read the product description and ingredients list, and check the fibre per 100 g if it matters for your choice.
Bread made with iodised bakers’ salt can provide iodine, but the Voedingscentrum says bakers aren’t required to use it. So you can’t assume that gluten-free bread contains it either.
Check the ingredients list. If you have questions about your nutrient intake while following a gluten-free diet long term, speak to a specialist dietitian.
If you don’t yet know how often you’ll eat the bread, a large stock-up may be difficult to finish within the stated storage period.
Start with a small amount and follow each product’s instructions for storing it after opening and freezing it.
This reduces the chance of opened bread being left uneaten.
These bread ranges give you an idea of the product descriptions you may come across. Always check the packaging of the specific variety you choose before buying.
Céréal Wholemeal Bread is an example of a product described as both gluten-free and wholemeal.
Schär offers gluten-free bread options if you’d like to explore other types as well as specific wholemeal bread.
Albert Heijn has a gluten-free range that includes AH Glutenvrij dark multiseed half loaf.
The PLUS gluten-free range includes own-brand brown, white and multiseed bread options.
This mini baguette option may be worth considering for your first food shop if you’re looking for an alternative to a loaf. Check the packaging to see whether it’s gluten-free; the name doesn’t say that it’s wholemeal.
No image available
A mini baguette option to consider if you’re looking for an alternative to a loaf for your first food shop.
Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and allergens on the packaging. Before buying, check whether the item contains a mix or bake-off rolls, and what the pack includes.
No, not if it contains gluten-containing grains such as wheat, rye or barley. The Voedingscentrum says that people with coeliac disease need to follow a gluten-free diet, so choose bread that is clearly labelled gluten-free.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the claim ‘gluten-free’ may be used if the food contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg when sold to the final consumer. Look for the label on the packaging of the product you buy.
No. Check whether the product description says the bread is wholemeal, and read which types of flour are listed in the ingredients. A dark colour or a multiseed name won’t tell you this.
Check whether iodised bakers’ salt is listed in the ingredients. The Voedingscentrum says bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt, so check each product, including gluten-free bread.
Keep gluten-free bread separate from ordinary bread, and take care with shared chopping boards, knives, toasters and spreads. The Voedingscentrum points out that even bread crumbs matter for people with coeliac disease.
