Choose half a sliced white loaf or a half-size toastie loaf if you want soft slices for sandwiches or toasties with your Sunday roast. Choose a half loaf of wholemeal bread if the type of bread and fibre content matter more to you. Melba toast is ideal for small, crunchy topped bites, but it won’t replace a soft slice of bread. Choose an amount that suits how much you’ll use, and check the ingredients, allergens and storage instructions on the packaging.
If you only use a few slices with your Sunday roast, work out how much bread you’ll need for the meals that follow, too. A half loaf may be a good fit, and freezing any portions you won’t use straight away can also help.
Sandwiches made with leftovers and toasties call for a different product from small, crunchy bites. A half-size sliced white loaf or toastie loaf is a good match for the soft bread dishes described for their respective products by Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
If you want a half-size pack but don’t automatically want white bread, compare half loaves of wholemeal bread with the white alternatives. Check the nutritional information for the exact product, including fibre per 100 g.
First decide whether you want soft slices to serve with the meal or crunchy bites beforehand. Then compare the quantity and the information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and storage | Check the weight or number of portions and the storage instructions; plan when you’ll freeze any unused slices. | If I only use a few slices, I want to avoid leaving the rest unused. Around 36% of consumers prioritise choosing a suitable quantity. |
| Soft slices | Check whether the product is a half-size sliced white loaf or toastie loaf, and whether its description mentions toasties or sandwiches. | For a sandwich made with leftovers, I want a soft slice, not a thin piece of toast. This is the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Bread type and fibre | Read the product name, ingredients and nutritional information; compare the fibre per 100 g in the exact products. | Even when buying a half-size pack, I want to be able to choose between white and wholemeal bread. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this choice. |
| Crunchy bites | Check whether you’re buying Melba toast or party toast, and whether the quantity suits the number of bites you’re planning. | For small topped bites before a meal, I’m looking for something crunchy. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this way of serving it. |
Melba toast is thin and crunchy. It won’t give you the larger, soft slices you need for a toastie or sandwich.
Before buying, decide whether you want bread to serve with the meal or to make small topped bites. For the former, look for a half-size sliced white loaf or toastie loaf.
A smaller pack only helps prevent leftover bread if the quantity suits what you’ll use or can store.
Count the slices you’ll need, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging for any bread left over. Albert Heijn recommends freezing its half-size white sliced loaf on the day of purchase.
Bread that you don’t use or freeze in time may still end up being thrown away.
Ingredients and allergens apply to the exact product and can vary between different versions.
If you have an allergy, read the label on the pack you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be clearly listed on the label.
A bread’s name doesn’t tell you what type of salt has been used in the version you’ve chosen.
If the type of salt used is important to your choice, check the ingredients list on the exact pack rather than relying on a general assumption about baker’s salt.
The half-size AH Extra Lang Lekker Casino Wit is an example of soft bread for toasties and club sandwiches.
Jumbo offers both a half-size sliced white loaf and a separate half-size toastie loaf in the product ranges described.
ALDI describes a half loaf of extra high-fibre wholemeal bread with seeds and grains.
Lidl lists a 400 g half loaf of extra wholemeal bread.
Van der Meulen describes its Melba toast as thin, crunchy toast for topped bites.
Bolletje offers crackers, crispbread and other crunchy products, suited to a different occasion from soft bread.
These Melba toast products are ideal for small, crunchy topped bites to serve with your Sunday roast. If you’re looking for soft slices for toasties or sandwiches, choose a half loaf instead of these pieces of toast.
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A good choice for crunchy topped bites, not for soft toastie or sandwich slices.
Pack size: 100 g. If you have allergies, check the ingredients and allergens on the exact pack.
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Round Melba toast is ideal for small topped bites, but it won’t replace half a loaf of soft bread.
Pack size: 100 g. If you have allergies, read the label on the pack you choose.
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A Melba toast option for crunchy bites, not for sandwiches made with soft bread.
Pack size: 240 g; consider whether that amount suits how much you’ll use. If you have allergies, be sure to check the information on the exact pack.
No. The quantity needs to suit the number of slices you’ll use and can store. You can freeze portions of a whole loaf too; follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the product you choose.
Not if you want soft slices for a toastie or sandwich. Toastie bread is sliced bread; Melba toast is a thin, crunchy product for small topped bites.
Compare the exact products by bread type, ingredients and nutritional information, including fibre per 100 g. Also check that the size and preparation method suit the meal you’re planning to serve.
Read the allergen information on the packaging for the exact version before using it. Don’t rely on the name, bread colour or ingredients for a different pack size; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergens to be clearly listed on the label.
No, don’t assume which type of salt has been used based on the product category. If iodised salt or baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the exact pack.
