Choose half a loaf if you only need a few slices for a small Vlaggetjesdag lunch; a whole loaf may be a better fit if you’ll be having several bread-based meals. If you want wholemeal bread, choose a texture you enjoy and check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and any mention of baker’s salt.
If you’re shopping for one or two people, or planning a small lunch, you can match the amount of bread to the number of slices you need. Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, ALDI, PLUS and Dirk all list half loaves of wholemeal bread in their ranges.
With herring or another savoury topping, you may mainly want a slice of wholemeal bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre and other nutrients than white grain products. The word ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you whether the bread has a fine or coarse texture.
If allergens, ingredients or the type of salt used matter to your choice, ‘half’ and ‘wholemeal’ aren’t enough. Check the current packaging, or ask for product information if the bread isn’t pre-packed.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Check that the specific product is sold as half a loaf and work out how many slices you need. | For a small lunch, I don’t want to buy more bread than I can use. Portion size comes first for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal | Look for the wholemeal label on the specific product; don’t rely on a dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone. | If wholemeal is the main priority for lunch, I’ll choose based on that rather than the crust or shape. Around 29% of consumers prioritise wholemeal bread and fibre above all else. |
| Texture | Compare descriptions such as fine, coarse or tiger, and see which bread will go best with your topping. | With herring or another savoury topping, I mainly want bread with a texture I enjoy; for around 21% of consumers, this is the most important factor. |
| Label | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or pay attention to the type of salt used, the label determines whether I choose this bread. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
A dark colour, coarse crust or the word ‘multigrain’ in the name doesn’t, on its own, confirm that bread is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre and other nutrients than white grain products.
Look for the wholemeal label on the specific product and read the ingredients on the packaging.
Baker’s salt is iodised salt, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t use it in every type of bread. The bread’s name won’t tell you whether it’s been used.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt. If the bread isn’t pre-packed, ask which type of salt has been used.
Lidl’s product page for Halfje extra volkorenbrood says ‘In store only’. A bread being listed doesn’t mean it’s available at every branch.
Check the information for your local shop, or ask there about a similar half loaf of wholemeal bread.
A bread’s name or colour won’t tell you which allergens it contains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that information about allergens must also be available for bread that isn’t pre-packed.
Check the current allergen information on the packaging, or ask at the bakery counter before choosing.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Rond volkoren half and AH Boeren grof volkorenbrood half.
Jumbo lists half loaves of wholemeal bread in fine, coarse and Waldkorn varieties, among others.
Lidl lists Halfje extra volkorenbrood.
ALDI lists products including Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood half and Boeren volkoren meergranen half.
PLUS lists products including Boeren volkoren half and Volkoren tijger half.
Dirk lists half loaves of wholemeal bread from Bakker van der Akker, including Boeren volkoren half and varieties with ‘Extra vezels’ or ‘Koolhydraat verlaagd’ in the name.
No, it depends on how many slices you use and how you store the bread. Buy an amount that suits your meals and follow the instructions on the packaging. For its Korenlanders Extra donker volkoren vloer half, PLUS says you can freeze the bread at home on the day you buy it and use it within one month.
Choose a half loaf of wholemeal bread if that’s your priority, then decide which texture you’d like with your herring or other topping. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre and other nutrients than white grain products. Fine, coarse or tiger is then a matter of choosing the specific slice you’d like to eat.
No, you can’t tell from the name of the bread. Baker’s salt is iodised salt, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t use it in every type of bread. For pre-packed bread, check the ingredients list; for bread that isn’t pre-packed, ask the staff.
For pre-packed bread, read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If the bread isn’t pre-packed, ask which allergens it contains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this information must be available to consumers.
Use the page to find a variety, but check the packaging of the bread you buy. Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.
