For an office lunch, choose half a white loaf that you can use up in time, or freeze any remaining lunch portions straight away. A smaller loaf means less bread to start with, but it won’t necessarily stop you having leftovers. Also compare the fibre per 100 g and check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
You only use a few slices on each working day and don’t want the rest of the loaf to go uneaten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, then taking out only what you need each time.
You like choosing white bread for lunch, but want to know how much fibre a particular variety contains. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g: the name of the bread won’t tell you its fibre content.
If ingredients or allergens matter to your choice, check the packaging of the bread you’re buying. Also look at the ingredients list if you want to know whether this particular loaf contains iodised salt.
Start by working out how many lunches you need the bread for. Then check whether the loaf shape suits your lunch and compare the nutritional information for the varieties you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and storage | Compare the weight or number of portions with your planned lunches, and check the freezing instructions. | If I only take sandwiches to work on a few days, I want to be able to store the remaining slices rather than leave them uneaten. For around 42% of consumers, reducing leftovers would be the top priority. |
| Fibre and ingredients | Check the fibre per 100 g and read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. | If I want to eat white bread but pay attention to what it contains, I need to be able to see which variety meets my requirements. Around 25% of consumers would put fibre or label information first. |
| Loaf shape for lunch | Check the shape and weight if you want to make filled sandwiches or toasted sandwiches. | For my packed lunch, I’m looking for slices that suit the way I prepare and take my bread with me. For around 33% of consumers, practical suitability would matter most. |
You can still have slices left over from half a loaf if you have lunch elsewhere on some working days. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread will generally keep in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days.
Plan how many slices you’ll use over the next few days, then freeze the rest in lunch-sized portions as soon as you buy it.
PLUS lists 2,4 g of fibre per 100 g for Boeren wit half; the product page for Jumbo Wit Brood met Extra Vezels Half lists 7,3 g per 100 g. The Jumbo page also says this particular variety is no longer part of its online range.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the loaves you can actually choose from. A claim of extra fibre doesn’t, on its own, tell you how a product compares with wholemeal bread.
The fact that iodised salt is listed for a particular variety doesn’t mean all half white loaves have the same ingredients.
Check the ingredients list on the packaging of the loaf you choose.
Its range includes AH Extra lang lekker Zaans wit half.
Its online range includes various types of half white loaf, including a variety with extra fibre.
Its range includes half white farmers’ loaves and tiger loaves.
Its range includes Casino wit half from the Bakker van der Akker brand.
Has a product page for Wit brood Half.
Lidl says its bread range can vary from store to store.
Not automatically: you can still have bread left over if you eat sandwiches less often than planned. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, then taking out only what you need each time.
For bread itself, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing it in a kitchen cupboard, or freezing it to keep it for longer. Also follow the storage instructions on the bread packaging and assess the fillings for your packed lunch separately.
No: claiming extra fibre doesn’t make white bread wholemeal. Compare the fibre per 100 g on the label; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with brown or wholemeal bread as much as possible.
Don’t assume so: check the ingredients list on the bread you buy. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH Extra lang lekker Zaans wit half, but that doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients in other varieties.
