A half multigrain loaf can suit a small household if a whole loaf often goes uneaten and you’d rather not freeze portions. Don’t choose on the word ‘multigrain’ alone: check the ingredients, compare fibre per 100 g if that matters to you, and read the current packaging information if you have allergies.
If you live alone or with one other person and don’t get through a whole loaf quickly, buying half a loaf means you have less at once. Freezing a whole loaf in portions is another option; the Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions.
The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholegrain a loaf contains. So check the product name, ingredients and fibre per 100 g if these details influence your choice.
If you have an allergy, the specific variety matters more than the name of the bread. Check the current ingredients, listed allergens and any warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
Start by thinking about how much bread you get through or can freeze. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information for each loaf, and check where your chosen variety is available.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and waste | Compare the size with how much bread you get through and consider whether you can freeze portions. | When I buy bread for a small household, I don’t want a large part of it to go uneaten every time. Getting the right quantity comes first for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Read the ingredients and compare the fibre listed per 100 g on the same basis. | I want to know whether the bread I choose suits my preference for wholemeal, rather than relying on the word ‘multigrain’. This is the most important factor for around 29% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check the variety you want and whether you can buy it in store or order it. | When I’m planning my food shop, I want to know whether the half loaf is available through my preferred shopping option. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and ingredients | Read the current packaging for relevant types of grain, other allergens and warnings. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I can’t rely on the name of the bread. For roughly 14% of consumers, this check comes before the other considerations. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread is made with at least three types of grain. The name doesn’t tell you whether all the grains used are wholegrain.
Check the ingredients and, if fibre matters to you, compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
Ingredients vary between varieties. For example, Jumbo lists wheat, rye, barley, oats, soya and sesame among the ingredients in Waldkorn Authentic Half Meergranenbrood, as well as warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
Before buying, read the current allergen information for the exact loaf you’re choosing.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Vloerbrood meergranen half.
Jumbo lists half loaves in its multigrain category, including its own variety.
Lidl lists a 400 g Halfje donker meergranenbrood.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen as a half loaf.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half.
PLUS lists a smaller Korenlanders-desembrood bruin meergranen in its multigrain category.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but the name doesn’t mean that all the grains used are wholegrain. Check the ingredients and nutritional information for the bread you’re considering.
Yes. If you can store bread in portions, this is an alternative to buying half a loaf each time. The Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, and only taking out what you need.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, even if you’ve bought bread with the same name before. Look for the types of grain and other ingredients that matter to you, as well as warnings about the possible presence of allergens.
