Who is a half loaf handy for?

Smaller households with varied lunches

If you don’t eat bread every day, a half loaf may be a better fit for your weekly supplies. Freeze any slices you won’t need straight away in portions; this is also the Food Centre’s storage advice.

Regular toastie-makers who keep an eye on fibre

If you often make toasties, you can compare half loaves of toastie bread by whether they’re wholemeal or white. Jumbo lists different fibre values per 100 g for its half loaves of wholemeal and white toastie bread.

Shoppers who read labels carefully

If you’re paying close attention to allergens or iodised salt, check the current ingredients list for the bread you choose. Don’t rely on the type of bread alone: the Food Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt.

What should you look for when doing your weekly shop?

First, work out how much bread you’ll use for sandwiches and toasties this week. Then compare the product type and the label. Choosing a smaller pack doesn’t, on its own, guarantee that you won’t have bread left over.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Weekly supplies and storage Compare the number of portions with how much you use, and check the storage information. The Food Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it. I alternate bread lunches with other meals and don’t want to throw away slices at the end of the week. A practical amount for the week is the top priority for around 42% of shoppers.
Wholemeal or white Check the product name, ingredients and fibre per 100 g. Jumbo lists 6,4 g of fibre per 100 g for its half loaf of wholemeal toastie bread and 2,3 g for the half loaf of white toastie bread. If bread is often my lunch, I want to be able to make an informed choice between the wholemeal and white versions. This is the main consideration for around 33% of shoppers.
Bread for toasties Choose half a loaf of toastie bread for regular toastie-making, an ordinary half loaf for sandwiches, or crisp toast for a different occasion. I often make toasties and want slices of bread for them, not crisp toast to serve with drinks. This is the main consideration for around 25% of shoppers.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking Melba toast for toastie bread

    Melba toast is a crisp toast product, not a soft half loaf for sandwiches or toasties. For example, ALDI lists a 240 g pack of Melba toast.

    Before you shop, decide whether you need bread for lunch sandwiches, toasties or crisp toast.

  • Assuming a half loaf will automatically get eaten

    Even with a smaller pack, you may have slices left over if you eat less bread than planned.

    Count how many slices you expect to use and freeze the remaining portions as soon as you buy the bread, as the Food Centre recommends.

  • Assuming white and wholemeal toastie bread are the same

    For Jumbo’s two half loaves of toastie bread, the wholemeal version lists 6,4 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 2,3 g per 100 g for the white version. This comparison applies to these two products.

    If this difference matters to your choice, compare the fibre values and ingredients on the current packs.

  • Guessing the allergens or salt content from the type of bread

    Ingredients vary from product to product. The Food Centre also says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt.

    When you buy bread, check the current ingredients and allergen information, and look for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this is relevant to your dietary choices.

Brands to consider

Jumbo

Jumbo lists both half loaves of white and wholemeal toastie bread.

  • Product information on portions, nutritional values, allergens and storage is available for both versions.
  • The fibre values for these two toastie breads don’t necessarily apply to other Jumbo bread.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists half loaves of wholemeal bread, as well as separate white and wholemeal versions of its Extra lang lekker toastie bread.

  • This lets you compare ordinary half loaves and toastie bread as different types of product within the range.
  • Albert Heijn recommends checking the current packaging, as product information can change.

ALDI

ALDI lists half loaves in its fresh daily bread range, including wholemeal and brown varieties.

  • A half loaf is an option to consider alongside toastie bread if you mainly eat sandwiches.
  • Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the label of the specific loaf you choose.

Lidl

Lidl lists a 400 g half loaf of dark multigrain bread, as well as a separate toastie bread.

  • For its half loaf of multigrain bread, Lidl lists ingredients including wheat, barley and buckwheat.
  • To help you decide, compare the current nutritional information and allergen details on the pack.

Joybuy products for this topic

Related products will appear soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I avoid wasting a half loaf during the week?

Freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it, and take out what you need. The Food Centre recommends storing bread for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer; freezing it for longer may make it drier. Also follow the information on the packaging.

Does wholemeal toastie bread contain more fibre than white toastie bread?

For the two half loaves of Jumbo toastie bread in this comparison, it does: Jumbo lists 6,4 g of fibre per 100 g for the wholemeal version and 2,3 g per 100 g for the white version. For other products, compare the current nutritional information per 100 g rather than assuming the same difference applies to every brand.

Does all bread contain iodine from baker’s salt?

No, don’t assume that it does. The Food Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt.

How can I check allergens in packaged toastie bread?

Read the allergen information and ingredients list on the current packaging of the version you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on the label; both of the Jumbo toastie breads mentioned contain wheat, and the wholemeal version also lists barley.