Choose a half wholemeal loaf that suits how much bread you eat and what else matters to you: a distinctive crust, a particular style of loaf, or specific ingredients and nutritional values. A half loaf only helps you waste less if you eat it in time or freeze it according to the product advice. Check the nutritional information and allergens for the exact loaf; a striking product name alone tells you very little about these.
A half wholemeal loaf is particularly worth considering if a full loaf doesn’t suit how quickly you eat bread. The style of loaf and its label can then help you choose between different half loaves.
You want to buy an amount you can finish, or keep some for later. PLUS says that Korenlanders Extra donker volkoren vloer half can be frozen at home on the day of purchase; check the storage advice for any other loaf.
For example, you might be looking for a hearth-baked loaf or a tiger loaf rather than a standard sliced half loaf. The product name can help you identify the style, but you’ll need to check the ingredients and nutritional values of the specific loaf separately.
You want to compare the fibre, carbohydrates, salt, ingredients or allergens in specific half loaves. This is particularly important if you’re also considering varieties with seeds or a low-carbohydrate recipe.
Start with how much bread you use and the storage advice. Then compare the style you want and, if they matter to your choice, the ingredients and nutritional values of the exact variety. The breakdown below relates to consumers considering a half wholemeal loaf for a smaller household or because they eat less bread; each consumer is assigned one main reason for buying.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and storage | Check the amount of bread, the date on the bag clip, and the storage and freezing advice. | If I don’t eat much bread, I want to avoid leaving the last few slices uneaten. For around 36% of these consumers, portion size and storage matter most. |
| Crust and style | Check whether the exact loaf is sold as a hearth-baked or tiger loaf; also read the ingredients. | I want a half loaf with a distinctive crust or a particular style, without relying on the name alone. This preference takes priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare fibre, carbohydrates and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information. | When I’m choosing between different recipes, I want to know what’s in the specific loaf. For around 21% of consumers, comparing labels is the main reason. |
| Local availability | Check whether the variety you want is available in your shop or delivery area, and whether it’s sold in-store only. | I want to choose a loaf I can actually get from the shop I usually use. Around 14% of consumers prioritise availability. |
A hearth-baked loaf and a tiger loaf can both be wholemeal and still contain different ingredients and have different nutritional values. The name doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt the variety you’ve chosen contains.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and the ingredients list on the packaging of the exact loaf.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use iodised baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether a loaf contains it just from the type of bread.
Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt. If you need this information and can’t find it on the packaging, ask the baker.
Jumbo lists egg and soya among the allergens in its Volkoren Brood Koolhydraatarm Half. The term ‘low-carbohydrate’ alone tells you nothing about the other ingredients or nutritional values.
Compare the full nutritional information, ingredients and allergens for this variety with those of the standard loaf you’re considering.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. Where you can buy a product also varies: Lidl says its Halfje extra volkorenbrood is available in-store only.
Before buying, check the current packaging and availability at your local shop or in your delivery area.
These brands offer examples of half wholemeal loaves in different styles and recipes. Always assess ingredients, nutritional values and storage advice for each product individually, rather than for the brand as a whole.
Its range includes a half wholemeal hearth-baked loaf, a half wholemeal tiger loaf and a half Zaans wholemeal loaf.
Its range includes Fijn Volkoren Half, Boeren Tijgerbrood Volkoren Half and Volkoren Brood Koolhydraatarm Half.
Its range includes half farmhouse and hearth-baked loaves, including Korenlanders Extra donker volkoren vloer half, weighing 400 g.
Its range includes Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren half and Boeren Extra vezels volkoren half.
Its range includes a half farmhouse wholemeal multigrain loaf and a half wholemeal loaf with seeds and grains.
Its range includes a Halfje extra volkorenbrood, which Lidl says is available in-store only.
No, according to the Voedingscentrum, bakers don’t have to use iodised baker’s salt. Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt; if you need this information and can’t find it, ask the baker.
Check the product description and ingredients list for the exact loaf, not just its colour or seeds. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholegrain cereal products are made from the entire grain; a dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ in the name doesn’t, on its own, show that a loaf is wholemeal.
You can freeze products whose storage advice says this is suitable. Albert Heijn says Extra lang lekker Zaans volkoren half and PLUS says Korenlanders Extra donker volkoren vloer half can be frozen at home on the day of purchase. Follow the storage period and instructions for the loaf you buy.
No, check the allergen information for the exact variety. Jumbo lists egg and soya among the allergens in its Volkoren Brood Koolhydraatarm Half; you shouldn’t use this information as an allergen profile for other half wholemeal loaves.
