Choose a fine wholemeal loaf for a subtle accompaniment to your roast, or a half tiger-style loaf if the crust matters more to you. Then consider how many slices you’ll use, compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the ingredients and allergens. If you’re in a small household, a half loaf may be a better fit for what you’ll get through; you can freeze any slices you won’t use straight away.
If you only use a few slices with your Sunday roast, a half loaf means there’s less to get through in a short time. The Nutrition Centre generally recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. You can freeze any slices you won’t use soon.
If you’re after a subtle slice to serve with your meal, consider a fine wholemeal loaf. If you’d prefer a more pronounced crust, you could try a half wholemeal loaf with a tiger-patterned crust. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list these tiger-style loaves alongside other half wholemeal loaves.
If fibre, salt, ingredients or allergens influence your choice, compare the nutritional information per 100 g. Check that the product is labelled ‘wholemeal’, too, and see whether the ingredients list specifies baker’s salt or iodised salt.
First, work out how much bread you’ll use with your meal and over the following days. Then choose the style of loaf you prefer and check the label of the one you plan to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and waste | Check the weight or number of portions, and think about which slices you’ll freeze. | When there are only a few people at the table, I don’t want to be left with lots of unused bread. Around 36% of consumers prioritise how much bread they buy and reducing waste. |
| Crust and texture | Choose between a fine slice and a tiger-patterned loaf if you’d like a more pronounced crust. | When I serve bread with a roast, the crust helps determine how well it goes with the meal. For around 29% of consumers, the eating experience is the most important consideration. |
| Nutritional information and ingredients | Check that it is labelled ‘wholemeal’, compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information. | I want to know what’s in this particular loaf, because half wholemeal loaves don’t all have the same ingredients. Around 21% of consumers put nutritional information and ingredients first. |
| Availability | Check the range at the shop where you plan to buy your bread shortly before you go. | If I need bread for a Sunday roast, I want to know whether my shop stocks the loaf I’ve chosen. Availability comes first for around 14% of consumers. |
The colour, seeds or a name such as ‘multigrain’ don’t confirm that all the grain ingredient comes from wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that the ‘wholemeal’ label means the grain ingredient must be 100% wholemeal flour.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label on the packaging and check the ingredients list if you’re unsure.
According to the Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So you can’t tell which salt has been used just from the type of bread.
Look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list, and ask if the bread is sold without packaging.
A whole loaf can be too much for a small household if you’ll only use a few slices with your meal. The Nutrition Centre generally recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days.
Choose a half loaf if it better suits how much you’ll use, and freeze any slices you won’t eat soon straight away.
Claims about fibre or salt describe different qualities. On their own, they don’t tell you how two loaves compare per 100 g or what ingredients they contain.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, and check the ingredients and allergens for the loaf you’ve chosen.
AH Tiger Wholemeal Half is a half loaf for anyone who wants to serve tiger-patterned bread with their meal.
Jumbo lists both Fine Wholemeal - Half and Country-Style Tiger Wholemeal Bread - Half.
PLUS Country-Style Wholemeal Half is a 400 g half loaf for anyone looking for a country-style option.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Country-Style Wholemeal Half as a fresh half country-style loaf.
ALDI lists Extra High-Fibre Wholemeal Bread Half, described as a dark loaf with seeds and grains.
Lidl lists Extra Wholemeal Half Loaf, 400 g, as an in-store product.
No. According to the Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So if you want to know which salt has been used in your chosen loaf, check the ingredients list for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label on the packaging or in the product name. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that, for a wholemeal product, the grain ingredient must consist entirely of wholemeal flour; a dark colour or seeds don’t prove this.
Ideally, freeze any slices you won’t use soon in portions. The Nutrition Centre generally recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. If the packaging is unopened, follow the storage advice on the label.
Compare half wholemeal loaves per 100 g, so differences in stated portion sizes don’t skew the comparison. The Nutrition Centre recommends comparing labels on this basis; also read the ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf.
