A half multigrain loaf is a practical amount if you live alone and don’t eat bread at home every day. Freeze the slices you want to eat later in portions as soon as you buy them, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. When choosing between loaves, look beyond the words ‘multigrain’: check whether it is labelled wholemeal, the ingredients, fibre per 100 g and the label on the loaf you buy.
If you live alone or with just a few housemates, a half loaf may better suit how much bread you use. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says you can freeze bread in portions as soon as you buy it, then take out only what you need.
You want to know which grains the bread contains, so you compare the ‘wholemeal’ label and the fibre per 100 g. The word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t answer those questions on its own.
You’re looking for a smaller pack of bread, but also want to know where it’s available and which ingredients and allergens are listed on the current packaging.
First, work out how much bread you use and can store. Then compare the ingredients of specific loaves and check the label when you buy.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Amount and storage | Check that it is a half loaf and find out how much it weighs. If you have a freezer, you can freeze slices in portions as soon as you buy them. | When I don’t eat at home every day, I don’t want bread left over that I can’t use in time. Around 42% of consumers prioritise a suitable amount of bread. |
| Wholemeal content and fibre | Read the product description and ingredients; compare the stated fibre on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If the ingredients are what matter most to me, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘multigrain’ alone. Around 33% of consumers prioritise a wholemeal base and fibre information. |
| Availability and label | Check whether the loaf is available at your shop and read the current ingredients and allergen information. Check the salt information if it matters to your choice. | I want to know before buying whether I can get this loaf and whether its label suits my needs. For around 25% of consumers, this combination matters most. |
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that ‘multigrain’ means the bread is made with different types of grain; it doesn’t automatically tell you how much wholemeal flour it contains. Colour and visible seeds don’t tell you that either.
When comparing specific loaves, check the product description, ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
Even a half loaf can be more than you need if you eat at home irregularly.
Following the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice, freeze portions as soon as you buy the loaf and take out only the slices you need.
Without enough freezer space, you could still end up with leftover bread.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also notes that not all bread is made with baker’s salt.
Read the packaging on the loaf you actually buy, especially if particular ingredients, allergens or the use of baker’s salt matter to you.
A smaller loaf isn’t always a sliced half loaf. For example, Lidl lists its half dark multigrain loaf as weighing 400 g and being available in store.
Check the weight, loaf shape and availability at the shop where you plan to buy it.
Lists a half multigrain hearth loaf, with online information about its ingredients.
Lists products including its Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen half loaf.
Lists a 400 g half dark multigrain loaf.
Lists Boeren volkoren meergranen Half as a sliced loaf.
Lists, among other products, a smaller brown multigrain sourdough loaf and a separate product: Korenlanders Round Light Multiseed Half, weighing 400 g.
Lists half multigrain loaves from Bakker van der Akker, including a variety with ‘Volkoren’ (wholemeal) in its name.
These baguettes are a different type of bread from the half, sliced multigrain loaf discussed here. Think about whether the quantity and preparation suit how often you eat bread at home.
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If you’d like several smaller loaves to enjoy at different mealtimes, these baguettes are an alternative to consider; they aren’t a sliced half loaf.
The pack contains four 135 g baguettes. Check the cooking instructions if you only want to bake one at a time, and read the current packaging for ingredients and allergen information.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that ‘multigrain’ means the bread contains different types of grain; it may also contain wheat flour. Check the wholemeal description, ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the specific loaf rather than judging by its colour or visible seeds.
Freeze the slices you want to eat later in portions as soon as you buy the loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends taking only the bread you need out of the freezer each time; check you have enough freezer space before you buy.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt. If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients on the packaging of the loaf you buy.
It depends on the product. The Jumbo half loaf mentioned contains cereals with gluten and may also contain milk, sesame and soya, among other allergens. Always read the current label on the variety you actually buy.
