If you’re in a small household and celebrating King’s Day, choose a half multigrain loaf if you’re unlikely to get through a whole one. If even half a loaf is too much, freeze it in portions straight away. And look beyond the name ‘multigrain’: check whether the bread is wholemeal, and compare the ingredients, fibre per 100 g and allergens on the label.
If you only eat a few slices around King’s Day, a half loaf may better suit your needs. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread you won’t eat straight away in portions as soon as possible.
The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour a loaf contains. Compare the ingredients lists and fibre per 100 g for the loaves you’re considering.
Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the specific loaf. Its name or colour won’t give you the full picture.
First, work out how much bread you’ll actually eat around King’s Day. Then compare the wholemeal content and labels of the half loaves that might suit you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and storage | Check the loaf size and think about how many slices you’ll use. Freeze any bread you won’t eat soon in portions straight away. | If I only need a few slices around King’s Day, I don’t want to be left with stale bread; around 36% of consumers prioritise choosing the right amount. |
| Wholemeal content and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ and check which types of flour have been used. Compare fibre on a like-for-like basis, per 100 g. | If you want to be sure the bread is made with wholemeal flour, the name ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough; around 29% of consumers place the greatest importance on this nutritional information. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the full ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings for that specific loaf. | If I’m buying bread for someone with a food allergy, I need to know what this variety contains or may contain; around 21% of consumers prioritise checking this. |
| Shop and range | Check whether the half loaf you want is available from your chosen shop or for your delivery slot, and check the label of the version on offer. | If you’re planning your King’s Day shopping at one shop, you’ll want to be able to pick up a suitable half loaf; around 14% of consumers give priority to this practical consideration. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread is made with at least three types of grain. That doesn’t mean all the flour used is wholemeal. A dark colour or added seeds don’t change that.
If you want wholemeal bread, check the product name and the types of flour in the ingredients list. Compare the fibre per 100 g too.
Even half a loaf can go uneaten if you only have a few slices around King’s Day.
Freeze bread you won’t eat soon in portions straight away, and take out only what you need, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Multigrain loaves can contain different grains, seeds and other ingredients. The ingredients and any warnings vary from product to product.
When you buy, check the label of the variety you’ve chosen, including the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements.
AH Vloerbrood meergranen half is a half-size brown multigrain loaf with sunflower seeds.
Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is a half-size loaf with ‘wholemeal’ in the product name.
Lidl lists a 400 g Halfje donker meergranenbrood.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen Half as a half-size loaf.
PLUS stocks multigrain breads, including Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood bruin meergranen.
Dirk stocks Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half as a fresh half loaf.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but they don’t all have to be wholemeal. Check for a wholemeal designation and look at the types of flour in the ingredients list for the loaf you choose.
If you won’t eat it soon, freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it. Then take out only what you need; this is also the storage advice from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Yes. Under the Dutch Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foodstuffs, baker’s salt is iodised table salt used in bread and other baked goods. Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf: the name ‘multigrain bread’ doesn’t tell you which salt has been used.
No. Check the current ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact variety you’re buying. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that allergen information is shown on the label; the bread’s name alone won’t tell you this.
