If you’re serving bread alongside other dishes to a small group, half a wholemeal loaf is a practical starting point: you can always add a second half loaf if needed. Ask guests about allergies in advance, and for other dietary requirements, check the current packaging for ingredients, fibre and salt.
If bread is being served as a side or starter, you can begin with half a loaf and open more only if needed. Ideally, freeze any leftover slices in portions, as recommended by Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling.
Ask in advance which ingredients a guest needs to avoid, and check the packaging of the bread you’re actually serving. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS shows that ingredients and allergens vary from one loaf to another.
The word ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt a particular variety contains. Use the nutritional information per 100 g to compare products on a like-for-like basis, and check the ingredients list too.
First decide what role bread will play in the menu. Then check that your chosen loaf is suitable for your guests, and only after that compare specific nutritional values.
| What to consider | What to check | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and leftovers | Choose the number of half loaves to suit the menu and the group. Think in advance about what you’ll do with any leftover slices. | If bread is only part of the meal, I don’t want to cut more than we need. Getting the quantity right matters most to around 46% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Ask guests about any relevant allergies in advance, and read the label on the bread you’ve bought before serving. | If a guest has a food allergy, I want to know what’s in this particular loaf. Around 27% of consumers put suitability for guests first. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g; consider any claim on the packaging alongside the nutritional information. | If fibre or salt matters to the people at my table, I want to compare the varieties I’m considering on a like-for-like basis. For around 27% of consumers, this nutritional profile is the top priority. |
Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list different amounts of fibre and salt per 100 g for the half wholemeal loaves they describe. A loaf’s name or dark colour is no substitute for checking the nutrition table.
Compare the current values per 100 g if fibre or salt affects your choice.
Ingredients and allergens can vary from one loaf to another, and product information may change. This matters if a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients.
Check the packaging when you buy the bread and again before serving. Keep it to hand in case guests want to check the ingredients for themselves.
If you’re serving other dishes too, you may have bread left over. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1 to 3 months in the freezer; follow the storage advice on the packaging too.
For a small dinner party, start with half a loaf and add a second if needed. Freeze any slices you want to keep in portions.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Boeren grof volkorenbrood half.
Jumbo describes Fijn Volkoren - Half as a half loaf of wholemeal wheat bread.
Lidl lists a 400 g Halfje extra volkorenbrood.
PLUS lists Boeren volkoren half and other half wholemeal varieties.
ALDI describes Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood half as a variety containing seeds and grains.
Under the Bakker van der Akker range, Dirk lists a Boeren volkoren half.
According to the Voedingscentrum, you can keep wholemeal bread for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1 to 3 months in the freezer. Ideally, freeze any slices you want to keep in portions. If the packaging is unopened, also follow the date and storage advice on the label.
No, it’s best not to keep bread in the fridge: according to Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling, it goes stale more quickly there. Use a sealed bread bag or bread bin, or freeze any bread you want to eat later.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the bread you’re serving. The varieties listed by Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain different ingredients and potential allergens, so don’t rely solely on the word ‘wholemeal’ or on information about another loaf.
Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf to see whether it mentions iodised salt. For example, Albert Heijn lists this for AH Boeren grof volkorenbrood half, but that product information doesn’t tell you what’s in other varieties.
